Can I hook up my desk top computer to a home theater system ?

[MarciaBertucca]

I have Windows Vista Home Basic 32 bit desk top computer made by Dell, can I connect my computer to my Dolby 5.1 Surround? I have the cables and my computer has HD Audio, will I be able to do this? Thank you for your time.

 

[MreNo0nE]

You failed to provide us the manufacturer numbers of your devices and/or provide us the outputs+inputs your devices have so I don't know what's best to recommend you.

Long answer:

This is the best way to hook up your devices:
- 1st hdmi cable to hdmi output on device to hdmi input on receiver for surround sound audio, then 2nd hdmi cable to hdmi output on receiver to hdmi input on tv for tv video.
- Receiver's menu -> manual setup -> hdmi setup -> hdmi audio setup -> send audio to amp (not passthrough to tv).
or
- 1st hdmi cable to hdmi output on device to hdmi input on tv for tv video, then 2nd hdmi cable to hdmi output (or s/pdif optical or s/pdif coaxial output) on tv to hdmi input on receiver for surround sound audio.
or
- Hdmi cable to hdmi output on device to hdmi input on tv for tv video and tv audio. (Audio outputs on tv to audio inputs on a soundbar if you got a soundbar.ect).

If you use a different video cable, video cable to video output on device to video input on receiver, then hdmi cable to hdmi output on receiver to hdmi input on the tv.
- Receiver's menu -> manual setup -> hdmi setup -> hdmi video setup -> 1080 i/p scaling + configure all the other settings.
- (Adapters and/or adapter cables only work one way because one end is male (goes into output device) and the other end is female (you need a additional cable to plug into this end and the other end of this cable plugs into the input device).


For video cables: From best to least:
- Hdmi cable.
or
- Displayport/thunderbolt (out) to display port/hdmi/dvi/vga (in) adapter cable. (DP and hdmi carry both video and audio, dvi and vga only carry video).
or
- Dvi-i/d/a cable. (or dvi-d to hdmi cable). (or vga to dvi-a cable). (or this cable, component (out) on a dvd/blu-ray player to dvi-i (in) on a projector that is designed to accept the component YPbPr color space from the dvi-i input port).
or
- Vga cable. (or this cable, component (out) on a dvd/blu-ray player to vga (in) on a projector that is designed to accept the component YPbPr color space from the vga input port).
or
- Component cable.
or
- Scart cable.
or
- S-video cable. (or s-video to composite cable). (or this adapter cable, vga (out) on a computer to s-video/composite (in), the computer's video card must be designed/support the s-video/composite signal out the vga output port).
or
- Composite video cable.
or
- Coax video cable.

For audio cables: From best to least:
- Hdmi cable.
or
- Displayport to displayport/hdmi adapter cable. (Both DP/TB ends are male and hdmi end is female).
or
- S/pdif coxial and s/pdif optical cables.
or
- R/W (red=right channel and white=mono/left channel = R/L cables) rca (composite) stereo audio cables.
or
- 3.5mm (or 2.5mm.ect) headphone jack to R/W cable.

- (Adapters and/or adapter cables only work one way because one end is male (goes into output device) and the other end is female (you need a additional cable to plug into this end and the other end of this cable plugs into the input device).
- If your computer does not have the ports you need, there is always an option of getting a external video/audio card.

There are usb options too:
- Usb flash drive.

For receiver audio:
- You need a hdmi cable if you have a 8 channel=7.1 surround sound speaker system.
- You also want to use a hdmi cable if you have a receiver that supports the dolby-true-hd and dts-hd surround sound formats.
and
For computer to receiver/tv audio:
- Make sure your outputting rear or hdmi or s/pdif audio. Also make sure your outputting digital audio.
- Download k-lite codec pack for media player classic and use ffdshow video and audio decoders (configure their settings).
and
For computer speaker audio:
- Make sure your sound card can support the computer speakers. (Laptops will need a external sound card that supports up to 5.1/7.1 to hook up to 5.1/7.1 computer speakers).
- Make sure your outputting rear audio and select your speaker setup (2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1).ect.

For computer to tv video:
- Configure your display properties to be able to do dual/clone view or extended view or primary monitor view.
or
- If your video driver/card is not capable of doing dual/clone view or extended view,
- Method 1: Use a control center for your display/graphics card.
- Example: I have a ati/amd display driver. I downloaded a matching version of catalyst control center and used it's basic view settings to set my tv as my primary monitor + many more settings.
- Method 2: Turn computer and tv off -> hook up video cable from computer to tv -> disconnect your computer monitor (vga/dvi) -> turn tv onto either video 1 or hdmi.ect -> then turn on computer and video will display on tv as your primary monitor.

 

[bbt91945]

Keep in mind that 5.1 surround sound are only available from a DVD, Blu Ray Disc movies and some video games. This will depend on the type of home theater you have. Those home theater in a box are not flexible for adding anything to them or for up grading. Most of them does not offer an optical audio input, this is the only way for you to get surround sound. Hope this will help you out.

 

[michaeljhuman]

If your sound card (or integrated sound) has an optical output, you can connect to a system with an optical input and get 5.1 out.

If you sound card (or integrated sound) has 6 outs for each 5.1 channel, you could connect to a system with 6 channel input for surround sound. You would need mini jack to RCA connectors.