How to hook up 5.1 channel speakers

[FerreraP]

I am about to buy the new MacBook Pro 13" and I want to hook up the 5.1 channel speakers that are currently hooked up to the sound card on my PC. The speakers hook up to my computer via three 3.5mm jacks. A green jack, (control the 2 front speakers) a black jack, (controls the 2 rear speakers) and a yellow jack (controls the sub and the center speaker). I have an adapter that merges the three jacks into one, which i could then plug into the audio jack on my Mac. However, this would not give me true 5.1 surround sound, only stereo sound. Is there a device that i can get that would allow me to utilize my surround sound speakers on a Macbook? I asked an associate my local Mac store and he mentioned that i should use a Toslink digital audio cable? http://store.apple.com/us/product/TN408ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=NDMxNzA0MQ
The above product comes with an adapter to hook it up to the 3.5mm jack on my Mac, but i dont know how i would hook the three 3.5mm jacks from my speakers into the other end of the cable. Anyone have a 5.1 channel surround sound hooked up to their Mac? Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[NewMacbookPlz]

Does your sound system support optical input? That's the only thing Toslink is good for. I don't think you can turn that optical signal into headphone jack analog signal easily.

If not http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/firewave would work. It's discontinued, but $30 on Amazon +shipping/tax.

 

[fpnc]

The MacBook's optical digital output can do multi-channel sound, BUT the only software that supports such multi-channel audio is Apple's DVD Player. You can't use just any multi-channel audio file with just any player software to get surround sound. There are reports on using third-party utilities to output multi-channel audio through the optical ports but your success in using a third-party solution could be hit or miss (i.e. it may or may not work).

 

[arkitect]

The MacBook's optical digital output can do multi-channel sound, BUT the only software that supports such multi-channel audio is Apple's DVD Player.

Elgato EyeTV also supports 5.1…

EyeTV records and plays Dolby® Digital sound, including 5.1 Surround Sound, where available. EyeTV also supports the digital optical audio output built into newer Macs and passes Dolby® Digital 5.1 sound through to Surround Sound amplifier and speaker systems.

 

[fpnc]

Elgato EyeTV also supports 5.1…

Thanks for that update. However, I still think you're going to find a general lack of built-in support for multi-channel audio output under Mac OS X. There are some third-party solutions, but as I said your success with those products might be hit or miss.

In any case, I think the only way you could get such 5.1 source material through the EyeTV is by recording a cable TV program with 5.1 or via an over-the-air digital TV broadcast.

 

[arkitect]

In any case, I think the only way you could get such 5.1 source material through the EyeTV is by recording a cable TV program with 5.1 or via an over-the-air digital TV broadcast.

How else would you use the EyeTV?

 

[9822737]

I have my 5.1 setup using a USB external sound card, very simple n clean setup without wires everywhere, and only one to unplug when you want it portable.

AnDy

 

[fpnc]

How else would you use the EyeTV?

My point was that the OP will most likely not have an EyeTV and even if he did it wouldn't provide multi-channel audio for many of the sources he might want to use. Thus, the fact that EyeTV supports multi-channel audio probably doesn't do him much good.

 

[Keleko]

You could get an external sound card, but that's not really what you need for it to work just right. Here's what I got instead.

http://www.amazon.com/Tritton-Digital-Surround-Gaming-Headset/dp/B000FP0K78

The headset part I didn't care much about, but the decoder from optical to analog speakers will do exactly what you want. That's how I hooked my Logitech 5.1 speakers into my MBP optical output. It works great.

Edit: Here's another link with a better picture showing the decoder part.

http://www.trittontechnologies.com/products/TRIGA600.htm