A really dumb question about setting up speakers.

[Krynn72]

So I've got some 5.1 speakers from Logitech. I've been using them on my TV with some digital audio cable or something and they work fine. Now i'm trying to hook up my computer to it as well, but I only have this one green cable that I was using with my old 2.1 speakers, and when using it with my 5.1 speaker set, only the front two satellites work. Kind of a "no duh" thing in hindsight, but now i need to know what I need to get to hook up the rest of my speakers with my PC.

Do I just buy three of these and plug them into the jacks on my soundcard?

Back of speaker controller:

Onboard Soundcard:

 

[Raziaar]

Did you look at the color codes? I'm guessing you did, you're a smarter man than I.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card#Color_codes

I've only ever used 2 speaker desktop speakers... ancient ones, so I don't know and can't help you beyond that

 

[Dynasty]

From experience, you only need the one green cable (line-in) regardless of the number of speakers on your PC. Green goes with green, so keep it plugged into the green socket in your speakers and then plug the other end into the green socket on your soundcard.

Since its a soundcard, you should have software, and this is the key; you need to tell the card through the software that you now have 5.1 surround. Open that software and tell it to change to 5.1 surround as its probably still set at just 2 speakers right now. Is that a Creative soundcard? If so, you should have the software disc.

I have Logitech speakers too and alternate them between my PC and my PS3's (pull out the green and plug in the line-in adapter for my PS3 audio, my HD cable doesnt do the sound as my TV's speakers are terrible and I like the base from my box), just a case of swapping cables.

However now and again, after Ive pulled out the socket for my PC on my speaker's box on the floor, for some reason the software changes my speaker setup and I get no sound when I plug it back up. I just fire up the software, do a test and it works again.

 

[VirusType2]

Do I just buy three of these and plug them into the jacks on my soundcard?

Get one of these 3 way jacks (a 5.1 stereo mini-jack):

 

[giant384]

just buy 2 more 3.5mm jacks and buy the length that fits your needs. Place them in the correct jacks which should be color coded according to your board.

 

[Krynn72]

From experience, you only need the one green cable (line-in) regardless of the number of speakers on your PC. Green goes with green, so keep it plugged into the green socket in your speakers and then plug the other end into the green socket on your soundcard.

Since its a soundcard, you should have software, and this is the key; you need to tell the card through the software that you now have 5.1 surround. Open that software and tell it to change to 5.1 surround as its probably still set at just 2 speakers right now. Is that a Creative soundcard? If so, you should have the software disc.

Yeah, this is how it is set up now, but it doesn't seem to be working. Its an onboard realtek soundcard, and I have the drivers for it, and the realtek control panel is set to 5.1. I can play the testing sounds, where it lights up a graphic of each speaker when it plays the soundclip through it. I only hear it when it lights up the two front satellite.

Get one of these 3 way jacks (a 5.1 stereo mini-jack):

What is that kind of cable called? I can't for the life of me find anything like that.

 

[No Limit]

Yeah, this is how it is set up now, but it doesn't seem to be working. Its an onboard realtek soundcard, and I have the drivers for it, and the realtek control panel is set to 5.1. I can play the testing sounds, where it lights up a graphic of each speaker when it plays the soundclip through it. I only hear it when it lights up the two front satellite.



What is that kind of cable called? I can't for the life of me find anything like that.

If you can't find one that fancy with all 3 built in you just need 2 more of these:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102949

If you buy them online you can get them for a buck a piece.

 

[VirusType2]

What is that kind of cable called? I can't for the life of me find anything like that.

Not sure of the name or I would have told you. Split or Y.. eh, I don't know. I would think it would be easy to find given how popular 5.1 is. Granted, it's not easy to search without a keyword.

The only reason I suggested that over getting 2 more stereo-mini jacks, is it would be nicely color coded, which could make things easier in the future. (if you move or something and need to hook them up again and can hardly see what the hell you are doing, etc.)