'05 Power Mac G5 Dual-Core 2.3GHz: Sound card needed for 5.1 Surround Sound speakers?

[pffan1990]

Hi, everyone! I'm pretty new here, though I posted over a year ago here with a few questions as a beginning switcher. My switch completed in Christmas of 2005 with a late '05 Power Mac G5 Dual-Core 2.3GHz with 1GB RAM and 250GB HDD. I decided to get another monitor and it is a Sony 19" LCD one. I also didn't get any speakers since I used headphones a lot at the time. I recently decided to start using speakers. So temporarily, I am using the Altec Lansing BX1120 2.0 Stereo speakers from Walmart for only $15. They sound great but I would like 5.1 surround sound to watch my DVDs (and to soon upgrade to BluRay & SACD/DVD-A; but that's for another thread later on). Before I go on, I would like to ask questions and provide facts with what my 'puter has. My specific products I'm looking for is at the bottom of this message.

According to my Mac System Profiler, my Mac has:
* Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 6600
* PCI Slots: 2 Network (Ethernet) cards & 1 GeForce (see above)

Question #1: Am I out of PCI slots to install any more?
Question #2: There is no mention of a sound card of any kind in the Profiler. Is this the same as the video card?
Question #3: I have the Digital Out line which is quite actually what my Lansing speakers are using. Would the below-linked speakers be able to hook up to that Digital Out line? Could this happen without having to upgrade a sound card or do any re-wiring, re-hardwaring, etc.? Or is the Digital Out port pretty much all I need to successfully run a 'true' 5.1 surround sound system?

If I do need a sound card, I'd prefer an external one as I am not good with working on the insides with the computer in general. Would a Griffin FireWave FireWire product be a good one to run 5.1 system?
http://www.nextag.com/Griffin-Technology-FireWave-FireWire-83880288/prices-html

The 5.1 system I want is from Amazon (or maybe eBay as there are good new-unopened ones a whole lot cheaper). It is by Logitech. Even Apple website has it listed in their store, albeit priced a lot more.
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-THX-...TF8&coliid=I2D5ZBBZKS38V3&colid=1KPK9GXH55Y8R

Believe me guys, I've already done the search and research but I'm still 'new' with the Mac system here though I've had one for almost three years now (including an iPod Video 30GB since March 2006!). Many of the threads go unanswered so I figured I'd start here with more specifics of my actual computer instead of generals that many other people gave out.

So basically: Is my Digital Out port good enough to run the Logitech 5.1 system without any upgrading, rewiring, rehardwaring, etc.?

Thanks for your help. Tommy (pffan1990).

 

[Eidorian]

Many of the threads go unanswered so I figured I'd start here with more specifics of my actual computer instead of generals that many other people gave out.

lol wut?

So basically: Is my Digital Out port good enough to run the Logitech 5.1 system without any upgrading, rewiring, rehardwaring, etc.?

If you get the digital speakers then the onboard optical out is enough. Any analog speakers are going to require the FireWave or a receiver with optical input.

 

[squeeks]

So basically: Is my Digital Out port good enough to run the Logitech 5.1 system without any upgrading, rewiring, rehardwaring, etc.?

yes, the one you have picked, others? maybe not

 

[Lord Zedd]

No matter how you connect it, with the on board optical out or a card, you will only get actual 5.1 in DVD movies and specially encoded videos played through VLC.

Buying a card is a waste of money when you have optical built into the computer.

 

[AppleNewton]

like some of the others stated; the optical is the best for digital audio and the Logitech 5.1 speakers (z5500's i presume?)

BUt you will only get the 5.1 on the specific encoded videos or audio, the speakers just act as the the decoder/matrix for the audio. and the optical out just as a the connection between the two.


so need to waste any money on extra peripherals just make sure you get ones (music or movies) that offer the surround sound encoded and youll be set .