How to run PC sound to 5.1 receiver that has only 2 RCA inputs

[ShadowTek]

I am trying to find a way to hook up my PC's audio outputs to my 5.1
receiver. The receiver (RCA RV-9978) works great, but it only has 2 RCA
inputs, one for left and one for right. My motherboard (Gigabyte
GA-EP43-UD3L) uses a Realtek ALC888 with 8-channel outputs, 1x S/PDIF
optical, and 1x S/PDIF coax.

I looked at a few sites, but I haven't seen any sort of adapter that
will convert a PC output to 2 RCA inputs that *also* carry the complete
5.1 with it.

Has anyone seen a product that can do this?

Also, I should note that I'm using a Linux OS, so I need to avoid junk
that requires closed-source software in order to function. Along those
lines, I'm currently content with onboard audio, so I'd like to find an
external solution, such as a cable adapter, if possible.

 

[VanguardLH]

I am trying to find a way to hook up my PC's audio outputs to my 5.1
receiver. The receiver (RCA RV-9978) works great, but it only has 2 RCA
inputs, one for left and one for right. My motherboard (Gigabyte
GA-EP43-UD3L) uses a Realtek ALC888 with 8-channel outputs, 1x S/PDIF
optical, and 1x S/PDIF coax.

I looked at a few sites, but I haven't seen any sort of adapter that
will convert a PC output to 2 RCA inputs that *also* carry the complete
5.1 with it.

Has anyone seen a product that can do this?

Also, I should note that I'm using a Linux OS, so I need to avoid junk
that requires closed-source software in order to function. Along those
lines, I'm currently content with onboard audio, so I'd like to find an
external solution, such as a cable adapter, if possible.

Regardless of what output layout is possible from your receiver, it
obviously only has stereo inputs (left+right). So connect the left and
right outputs from the mobo's sound output to the left and right inputs of
your receiver. No conversion is needed. Just go PC right-channel output to
receiver right input and PC left-channel output to receiver left input. No
conversion is going to undo that the receiver only has stereo inputs. This
receiver does not provide relaying and reamplification of 4.1/5.1/6.1/7.1
inputs. No matter how you managed to combine the 5.1 outputs of the
computer via software or cables, your receiver will still see the combined
mess as just left+right stereo input.

RCA RV-9978 manual
http://157.254.235.130/public/15333040.pdf
Look at page 4
ALL inputs are stereo.

Gigabyte GA-EP43-UD3L manual
http://america.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ep43-ud3l(us3l)_e.pdf
Page 19 - Backpanel connectors
Connect to the Line Out (green) and split to RCA jacks for left & right to
your receiver. Use a stereo plug to RCA plug adapter cable, like
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3452165.

If you want to use the 5.1 outputs from your computer, you'll need to get an
externally powered 5.1 speaker system. You cannot use your receiver as a
substitute. There might be an amplifier that takes 5.1 inputs to power your
5.1 speaker setup but it won't be your stereo-input receiver doing that.

 

[ShadowTek]

Regardless of what output layout is possible from your receiver, it
obviously only has stereo inputs (left+right). So connect the left and
right outputs from the mobo's sound output to the left and right inputs of
your receiver. No conversion is needed. Just go PC right-channel output to
receiver right input and PC left-channel output to receiver left input. No
conversion is going to undo that the receiver only has stereo inputs. This
receiver does not provide relaying and reamplification of 4.1/5.1/6.1/7.1
inputs. No matter how you managed to combine the 5.1 outputs of the
computer via software or cables, your receiver will still see the combined
mess as just left+right stereo input.

RCA RV-9978 manual
http://157.254.235.130/public/15333040.pdf
Look at page 4
ALL inputs are stereo.

Gigabyte GA-EP43-UD3L manual
http://america.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ep43-ud3l(us3l)_e.pdf
Page 19 - Backpanel connectors
Connect to the Line Out (green) and split to RCA jacks for left & right to
your receiver. Use a stereo plug to RCA plug adapter cable, like
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3452165.

If you want to use the 5.1 outputs from your computer, you'll need to get an
externally powered 5.1 speaker system. You cannot use your receiver as a
substitute. There might be an amplifier that takes 5.1 inputs to power your
5.1 speaker setup but it won't be your stereo-input receiver doing that.

I was confused about the type of surround sound used for this receiver.
It only uses Dolby Pro Logic, and I wasn't familiar with the fact that
the surround effect was encoded over a stereo signal.
It seems that what I need to do is configure my audio server to transmit
in Dolby Pro Logic.

Thank for the detailed response.

 

[Wolfgang Draxinger]

I looked at a few sites, but I haven't seen any sort of adapter that
will convert a PC output to 2 RCA inputs that *also* carry the complete
5.1 with it.

That reciever is for the old crappy Dolby Surround method, which uses some
signal processing tricks to mix some sort of low quality surround into a
stereo signal.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Surround>

If you really want to take leverage of your 5.1 system you gonna need a new
amplifier. Dolby Surround is just a poor substitute.

Has anyone seen a product that can do this?

Also, I should note that I'm using a Linux OS, so I need to avoid junk
that requires closed-source software in order to function. Along those
lines, I'm currently content with onboard audio, so I'd like to find an
external solution, such as a cable adapter, if possible.

There are LADSPA plugins that can create a Dolby Surround signal from 5.1
source but the quality will be inferior to true 5.1


Wolfgang