Using Logitech 5.1 speakers for PC and PS3

[kspaa]

Currently I have a Logitech system that uses green orange and black 3.5mm plugs. I have a sounds card to utilize this for my PC, but I'm now wondering if there is a way to stream the PS3 sound in 5.1 surround sound with the same 5.1 speakers. I've looked a little at receivers and it seems like you need something that can handle the 5.1 technology. I'm looking for a cheaper option possibly. What are my options for doing this? Could I stream the tv audio to my PC and just run it from the pcs speakers? Or do I need some type of receiver + splitter?

 

[ssddx]

there are a few ways...

1) you could use a 5.1 audio extractor with analog jacks. something like this http/www.firebird-systems.com/graphics/audio/us570_files/pn-us570.jpg however they are also very expensive with many being in the $100-200 range. however, since this extracts from the hdmi signal it would require no setting changes on the ps3.

2) you could use a 5.1 dac which takes optical as an input such as this http/www.amazon.com/KEEDOX%C2%AE-5-1-Channel-Theater-Decoder-Digital/dp/B008XF7IHW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1407375318&sr=1-2&keywords=5.1+dac and its really not a bad price. however you may want to look up using the optical output for sound as i'm not sure if you can use both hdmi to your tv and optical out to your sound system.

3) if you give up on 5.1 and are happy with just 2.1 then you could go with something like this http/www.amazon.com/J-Tech-Digital-Premium-Extractor-Converter/dp/B00BIQER0E/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1407375640&sr=1-2&keywords=hdmi+audio+extractor which extracts 2.0. with the right cables you can get 2.1 working

4)if you have the z906 or z5500 which has an optical connector on it you could use that. if not, this option wont work.

5)some pc soundcards have an "optical" input which allows you to input from other sources. an example would be this one http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102048 however i'm not sure if 5.1 is supported or just 2.0, you would need to check on this.

a "receiver" is not what you want. a splitter also wouldnt work.

what you need essentially is a DAC or digital analog converter which can take a digital signal from optical or hdmi and turn it into a 5.1 analog output.

while true that a receiver does this, it also is both A) expensive and B) has amped jacks which could possibly damage your speakers if you connect them up. soundcards typically have rather limited output of say 2 watts while receivers are often capable of of 40 watts even on the cheapest most barebones units and 100+ watts on better ones.

 

[kspaa]

Thank you very much for the response, I do very much appreciate it. I'm going to opt for the digital optical cable route. My TV has an optical output jack and I have a soundcard in my PC which has an optical cable port. Is it going to be as easy as connecting the two and then using the optical input as my recording source to get my TV's (the PS3's) audio to run through my pc speakers?

 

[ssddx]

most soundcards only have an optical output and not an optical input port. you would need to verify that your soundcard has an optical input which is rather rare on soundcards i would have to say.

also, you would need to verify that your tv is capable of sending a 5.1 signal via optical and not just 2.0 like some optical jacks.

if the above cases are true (you have an optical input and your tv can support 5.1 over optical out) then it shouldnt be all that hard to enable the optical input but i couldnt tell you for sure since i myself have never used an optical input on a soundcard.