MacBook and 5.1 System [need help]

[florianwagner]

hi there!

i'll be getting a macbook next week (i ordered it yesterday) and got a question. from my pc times i own a 5.1 speaker system with 3 cables to plug into the source. one for the rear, one for the front and another one for the center/subwoofer. is there any way to use this with my macbook?

 

[edgeit]

hi there!

i'll be getting a macbook next week (i ordered it yesterday) and got a question. from my pc times i own a 5.1 speaker system with 3 cables to plug into the source. one for the rear, one for the front and another one for the center/subwoofer. is there any way to use this with my macbook?

yeah man itll work fine with the green plug cable. i have a logitech z-5500 system that is hooked up through a single 1/8 in cable that i have run across my dorm room, ( i use the system from my 360 via optical its sick . but for you yes itll work no problem...why/?? i dont know if 3 pins are needed for 5.1 surround and i dont know wy 1 cable will work but it does.

 

[MacAnkka]

Assuming your 5.1 speaker set doesn't have a optical input, the only ways I can thing of to bring true 5.1 audio from your MacBook to your speakers:

1. Buy a external audio card that goes in to the usb/firewire port and connecting the speakers to it

2. MacBook has a optical audio out, so buy a decoder that transforms optical digital audio signal in to analog signal. One example would be Creative's DDTS-100.

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=136&product=9468

 

[Donz0r]

I used a 1to3 headphone splitter that i got from radioshack, It's meant to take one headphone jak and make 3 jacks so you can plug 3 pairs of headhpones in. But I just used it to plug in my 3 plugs for my 5.1 speakers.

3 to 1 splitter = works great! all of the speakers work, nice and loud too.

(this doesnt do true 5.1 surround sound, it just sends the same stereo signal to the front speakers, the rear speakers, and the center/subwoofer.

 

[pjarvi]

This is the type of device you would need to use your existing speakers:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/firewave/


Otherwise, if you get surround sound receiver to connect your computer to via optical, then you will need to get new speakers as well. You can get a receiver bundled with speakers though.