How to connect a computer Altec Lansing ADA995 5.1 surround sound system to Sony Blu-ray player S3200 OR Samsung LN32D450 TV

robbhicks

Honorable
May 11, 2013
1
0
10,510
Before he died, my uncle bought my parents a Dell Altec Lansing ADA995 5.1 Speaker System to use with their computer. My folks are in their 80s and don’t use them, so to honor my uncle I would like to try to use them with my Samsung LN32D450 television and Sony Blu-Ray disk player Model S3200.

The ADA995 has three input cables bound together that are attached, each with 3.5 mm stereo plugs. They are color coded lime green, black and yellow, and are to be used with a Santa Cruz Sound Card on their old computer.

So after too many hours of research to count, it seems like I have a few options. But since the local Radio Shack has closed, I can’t try out things like I used to. So I’m asking you for your help. Obviously, I want to maintain the fidelity of whatever audio signal I use, but I don’t know enough to figure out which setup would be the best.

The TV has two audio outputs: an analog 3.5 mm and a digital optical cable. The Blu-ray is Bluetooth enabled and connected by Ethernet cable to my wireless gateway, so I can play music from my computer or smartphone on it. In addition, it has an HDMI output and a digital coaxial output.

I would think ideally that I want to connect the Altec Lansing to the Sony BDP, but I suppose the TV would be a decent second alternative. But I don’t know how. I’ve read about the different decoding needs of digital coaxial vs. digital optical signals, but I’m guessing that perhaps doesn’t matter if the Altec uses analog input cables.

1. So I don’t know a viable solution that uses the BDP digital coax output. Do I need a DAC if I do? I’ve looked and don’t see one that has 3.5 mm output jacks for the Altec – how would I do that?

2. And if I connect to the TV instead, using the analog audio out, can I use a splitter such as CablesOnline 9-inch 3.5mm (1/8") TRRS 4-Pole/3-Rings Male to 3x Female 3.5mm TRRS 4-Pole/3-Rings Stereo Splitter Audio Cable and just connect the three cables from the Altec to that?

Thank you for any help you can provide. I appreciate your effort to read this!
 
Solution
There' s a solution, but it's not going to be pretty.
You would need a digital to analog converter like this http://www.jaycar.com.au/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/AV-Switchers-%26-Converters/Converters/CONVRTR-AUD-DTS-AC-3-DIG-ANLG-COAX-TOS/p/AC1634
you would also need 3 of these rca male to 3.5mm female adaptors, http://i5.walmartimages.com/dfw/dce07b8c-ed70/k2-_4c6bbc66-eb37-4f0c-bd6b-d56edc933373.v1.jpg
so you would run a coax cable from the BR player to the converter(or a optical from the TV), then you would run the rca/female from that, all to your 3 cables from the subwoofer.

Ruggo181

Commendable
Apr 17, 2016
107
0
1,710
There' s a solution, but it's not going to be pretty.
You would need a digital to analog converter like this http://www.jaycar.com.au/Sight-%26-Sound---Home/AV-Switchers-%26-Converters/Converters/CONVRTR-AUD-DTS-AC-3-DIG-ANLG-COAX-TOS/p/AC1634
you would also need 3 of these rca male to 3.5mm female adaptors, http://i5.walmartimages.com/dfw/dce07b8c-ed70/k2-_4c6bbc66-eb37-4f0c-bd6b-d56edc933373.v1.jpg
so you would run a coax cable from the BR player to the converter(or a optical from the TV), then you would run the rca/female from that, all to your 3 cables from the subwoofer.
 
Solution