HP DV7 3173ca Digital Audio?

[kevilay]

Hey guys I just picked up a sweet new set of 7.1 DD surround sound turtle beach headphones, completely unaware they use an optical audio cable + USB. I was wondering how I hook this up to my laptop:

HP DV7 3173ca

In the sound control panel I see SPDIF (digial out via hp dock). Online I was reading I can use a toslink in my 2nd heaphone jack? I looked for hp docks didnt see much with optical output? Called hp support and they told me I have a optical device... referring to my dvd rom... great support.... Anyways I'm here looking for some advice so I know what I should buy, or if I can get optical at all.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[WR2]

Online I was reading I can use a toslink in my 2nd heaphone jack?

That just doesn't sound right.
Does the manual say anything like that?

Looking at the HP Pavilion dv7-3173ca specs,
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01980766&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=4125929
I just don't see how you're going to get those headphone working.
(unless maybe with an external USB sound card)

 

[kevilay]

well the spdif is supposed to have digital audio. My friend said his macbook has the optical that works with the toslink through the headphone jack, but doesnt have the cable to test mine anymore.

 

[WR2]

What does the HP manual say.

You don't think they'd forget to mention a very upscale feature like that now, would you?

 

[kevilay]

The manual doesnt say much and I cant find anything in manual about it. When I go to manage audio devices it says SPDIF (Digital audio via hp dock) I wasnt able to find an hp dock with an optical either? It has to be possible some way through the spdif.

 

[WR2]

It has to be possible some way

With a HP? Not so much.
Have you thought about asking in the HP Community Support forums?

 

[kevilay]

what would something like this do?

http://www.amazon.com/SPDIF-Component-Ypbpr-Converter-v1-3b/dp/B002SFT3ZI

would I still get my surround sound and high quality?

 

[WR2]

That works the other way around from what you need. New stuff in - old stuff out.

"Support audio output : R/L analog 2CH Stereo Sound"

 

[WR2]

Get a flashlight and shine it in the 2nd headphone jack.
If you have an optical connector you'll see it.

It will be in the center of the jack housing and it will be shaped to take a connector that looks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/TosLink-to-Optical-Mini-Adapter/dp/B0002J24OO

 

[kevilay]

By the looks of it I dont have the built in one. What do you guys know about the optical audio on the hp docks? is it true optical or just some covertor?

 

[WR2]

SPDIF doesn't have to be optical.
It can be digial audio over coaxial cable and I'd suspect that before TOSlink.

 

[kevilay]

could the spdif be the hdmi?

 

[WR2]

I was thinking along those lines but not same as HDMI.
Audio channel split from HDMI for a connection to a TV without HDMI, for example.