My laptop will output digital audio via an s-video to rca adapter which I just received. From that adapter I have 2 options to input into my Denon 2807:

a) a regular male to 2 male rca cable into the aux. input on the front of the receiver or

b) an rca to optical converter, and then input to the optical aux input on the front of the receiver

Any preference?

More questions:

Would either allow for 5.1 or 7.1 sound ?
Would sound quality of one be better than the other?

FYI, in case it matters, this is for things like internet radio & Pandora. Occasional use, but rather do it right, or at least the best way possible.

Thanks in advance for the help!

It makes no difference, they operate the same.

IME, coax is a little more durable.

5.1 is the max.

Az

Sweet, thanks AZ Barber. Coaxial it is.

My laptop will output digital audio via an s-video to rca adapter which I just received. From that adapter I have 2 options to input into my Denon 2807:

a) a regular male to 2 male rca cable into the aux. input on the front of the receiver or

b) an rca to optical converter, and then input to the optical aux input on the front of the receiver

Any preference?

More questions:

Would either allow for 5.1 or 7.1 sound ?
Would sound quality of one be better than the other?

It is very unclear what you are describing. How does your laptop output audio via an S-video output?

Does your "S-video to RCA adapter" convert the laptop's digital audio output to a digital coax RCA connection? This would be a single female RCA connection. If this is what your laptop's audio output is being converted to, you can't simply split this and connect it to 2 analog RCA inputs as you describe in (a). If it is a digi coax connection, then all you have to do is connect it to one of your receiver's digi coax inputs with a 75ohm RCA cable. If it is a digi coax output, then there is nothing to be gained from converting it to optical as you describe in (b) unless you don't have enough digi coax inputs on your receiver.

If it is an analog output, how will you convert it to optical as you describe in (b)?

I think what you are describing is a digital coax connection, in which case, as I said, you should simply connect it to your receiver via a single 75ohm RCA cable.


As far as getting 5.1 (or 7.1) sound is concerned, if your laptop is able to output a DD5.1 or DTS5.1 bitstream from 5.1 sources, then your receiver should apply DD/DTS5.1 appropriately and you should get true 5.1 audio from such sources. You'll have to use one of your receiver's DPSs such as DPLIIx in order to get 7.1 sound form these 5.1 sources. For 2-channel music sources, you will be able to apply a DSP such as DPLII with your receiver to get pseudo-5.1 (or 7.1) sound.

It makes no difference, they operate the same.

IME, coax is a little more durable.

5.1 is the max.
If that was all he had asked (optical or coax?), then your answer is correct. However, if you read his post and then my post, you will see that he is a little bit confused. If he has an adapter that converts his laptop's output to digi coax, then he can't simply split that into 2 RCAs and connect them to his receiver's analog aux. L/R inputs as he describes in his choice (a). That won't work.

As far as 5.1 being "the max", I answered that in my post as well. With the proper DSP applied, he can get 7.1 sound from both 5.1 and 2-channel sources.

How does your laptop output audio via an S-video output?

It outputs digital audio (S/PDIF) via the 7-pin "s-video" out. How it does that is way beyond me (obviously!).

I'm glad you cleared this up for me though. You are correct, it would in fact be a digital coaxial connection into the receiver as you describe, not as I misinterpreted about analog.

Glad you caught that, thanks.

It is a multi out port, possiblly a 12 pin DIN. He called it "S-video" because it looks like a s-vid port.