Using Altec Lansing 251 5.1 Surround on TV...

forceheretic · 01-09-2008, 05:17 PM

Hello all,

When I got my desktop PC rig (about three a half years ago) I also got a nice set of surround sound speakers, Altec Lansing 251 5.1 Surround Sound. I have since gotten a laptop and rarely use my desktop anymore. I was wondering if there is a way to use the surround sound speakers on my television with my various gaming systems and DVD player.

The TV is nothing special: a simple flatscreen Sanyo model. It has a normal RCA jack as well as a component video jack in the back. The speakers I'm using all connect to the subwoofer, which then feeds out three male plugs: one black, one green, and one yellow. On the computer, the plug into spots marked REAR, SIDE, and FRONT.

I know I need to get some piece of hardware to make the whole thing work, and I'm hoping it's not too expensive (under $50). When I went to RadioShack they showed me the audio receivers, which are far too expensive and don't look like they'd do what I want them to do anyway.

Any tips?

yustr · 01-09-2008, 08:12 PM

The critical thing is what feeds the subwoofer the signal? If it relies on the computer's sound card to decode the surround signal (which is what it appears your's do) then you're our of luck. If, on the other hand, there's decoding capability build into the sub, then you still need a digital source - which can be your cable or sat box. Your TV probably does not have "Digital Audio Out" so you're SOL there too.

As background here's how surround sound works: the audio signal containing all channels (front L/C/R, and effects (back L/R and in some cases center too) are feed digitally into a processor that separates them. Then these separated channels need to be amplified and sent to speakers so you can hear the sound. There's many ways to do all that but each step needs to be done somewhere. In your system it sound like there's no place for the separation to be made. That's why the smiling face at Radio Shack suggested a receiver. It would do the decoding (separation into channels) and the amplifying. You would have to cut each speaker wire and run them directly from the receiver's speaker out jacks but it would work. BTW: you can get reasonable receivers fairly cheaply on Craig's list or on the internet. For your purposes almost any will do.

rollo2000 · 02-03-2008, 05:42 PM

dude, no. at's that came with a laptop or desktop are not capable of supporting the impedence that an audio recvr/amp produces. speakers bye-bye. a tv's line output wil only work with an in line amp. go buy some real speakers and amp.

01-09-2008, 05:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
forceheretic Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1 OS: Vista	Using Altec Lansing 251 5.1 Surround on TV... Hello all, When I got my desktop PC rig (about three a half years ago) I also got a nice set of surround sound speakers, Altec Lansing 251 5.1 Surround Sound. I have since gotten a laptop and rarely use my desktop anymore. I was wondering if there is a way to use the surround sound speakers on my television with my various gaming systems and DVD player. The TV is nothing special: a simple flatscreen Sanyo model. It has a normal RCA jack as well as a component video jack in the back. The speakers I'm using all connect to the subwoofer, which then feeds out three male plugs: one black, one green, and one yellow. On the computer, the plug into spots marked REAR, SIDE, and FRONT. I know I need to get some piece of hardware to make the whole thing work, and I'm hoping it's not too expensive (under $50). When I went to RadioShack they showed me the audio receivers, which are far too expensive and don't look like they'd do what I want them to do anyway. Any tips?

01-09-2008, 08:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore/California Desert Posts: 4,879 OS: PCLinuxOS, XP Pro My System	Re: Using Altec Lansing 251 5.1 Surround on TV... The critical thing is what feeds the subwoofer the signal? If it relies on the computer's sound card to decode the surround signal (which is what it appears your's do) then you're our of luck. If, on the other hand, there's decoding capability build into the sub, then you still need a digital source - which can be your cable or sat box. Your TV probably does not have "Digital Audio Out" so you're SOL there too. As background here's how surround sound works: the audio signal containing all channels (front L/C/R, and effects (back L/R and in some cases center too) are feed digitally into a processor that separates them. Then these separated channels need to be amplified and sent to speakers so you can hear the sound. There's many ways to do all that but each step needs to be done somewhere. In your system it sound like there's no place for the separation to be made. That's why the smiling face at Radio Shack suggested a receiver. It would do the decoding (separation into channels) and the amplifying. You would have to cut each speaker wire and run them directly from the receiver's speaker out jacks but it would work. BTW: you can get reasonable receivers fairly cheaply on Craig's list or on the internet. For your purposes almost any will do. __________________ I didn't mean to say it. But I meant what I said. J. McMurtry In Vino Veritas

02-03-2008, 05:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
rollo2000 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: orlando, fl Posts: 10 OS: xp	Re: Using Altec Lansing 251 5.1 Surround on TV... dude, no. at's that came with a laptop or desktop are not capable of supporting the impedence that an audio recvr/amp produces. speakers bye-bye. a tv's line output wil only work with an in line amp. go buy some real speakers and amp.