How can I hook up my PC optically (or with coaxal audio) to my 5.1 ch. surround sound receiver?

Question

I've got a PC that has a 5.1 ch. surround sound card, but it's broken down into a bunch of individual 3.5mm (headphone/PC audio) jacks. My receiver only has input for 2 ch. RCA (red & white), optical, and coaxial audio. Is the a certain way, certain PCI card, or some sort of converter I could use to hook up my PC to my receiver?

Answer 1

Your sound card will most likely have a S/Pdif (or coaxial) output, which will be coded orange. This is the most common way of connecting PC outs. you may notice you have have an optical out on your computer, this is shown by a small square hole and a red glow.

If you do not have either of these a new sound card my be in order, some thing such as a "Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCI Express", just google it, its inexpensive, but not bottom of the range, and it has optical out.

Answer 2

Most cards capable of digital output achieve this with a coaxial SP-DIF output.  It is possible for a sound card to have an optical output integrated within one of the "headphone" output jacks; you would use a 1/8 inch-to-TOSLink adapter for this purpose (my MacBook Pro works this way).

5.1 output in this case usually refers to 5.1 analogue output to use with a 5.1 computer speaker system.  In this case, you would have to use 1/8 inch-to-RCA stereo cables and hook them up to 5.1 analogue inputs on your receiver, and that's if the receiver has them.