[tyreal78]

This is tough to explain but I'll try.


Last weekend I installed a couple 2 gang 5.1 wall plates for my surrounds, sub, and zone 2 patio speakers.


On the rear wall plate (not the one behind the receiver and TV), only the sub and 2 surrounds are connected...the other half of the plate isn't being used. But the other half of the wall plate behind the TV is being used for my zone 2 patio speakers. I'd like to be able to use the other half of the rear plate to connect my Macbook for mostly audio, and maybe video.


What's the best way to do this? HDMI for video, but what about for audio? Optical? I can't seem to find a single gang plate with both HDMI and optical. I have found a plate with an HDMI and 2 RCA's at Parts Express . Will that work? Are there adapters to convert a digital coax cable to 1/8 so I can connect it to my Macbook's 1/8 audio out port? Or do I even need digital coax? Should I just go with the analog RCA's? I'll be using the Macbook to listen to music, browse the web, and watch movies/TV shows.


Thanks for your help.

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[Suntan]

You can do it either way.


Yes, you can get any regular 3.5mm (1/8) to RCA adaptor and plug that into your laptop. This is assuming your laptop supports digital SPDIF out of the "headphone" port.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2


They should have them at Radio Shack even. If you want to get them locally.


You can use that same wallplate that you linked to and just plug the coax digital connection to one of the two RCA connectors. Although I would wire both RCA connectors while you are at it. That way you can choose to run analog stereo by using both cables, or digital SPDIF by using just one line (of course you would need to switch the connections at the back of your receiver when you switch back and forth, but you may want it in the future.)


Lastly, does the Mac and your receiver support audio over the HDMI interface? You may not need any other cable other than the HDMI interface.


I would suggest asking around in the HT computer forum (especially in the Mac subforum) for some more info. Likely to get more people hooking computers up over there.


-Suntan