Ok, what I'm trying to do is use my 5.1 speaker set for both my computer AND Playstation 3. Preferably with 5.1 support on the latter.
Problem: Only room for one set of speakers, and said speakers need to connect to the HTPC and A/V Reciever.
Reciever is a Technics SA-G90. It's fairly old, so I can't just go from the sound card to the reciever via digital coax-to-3.35mm plug.
Well, I could, but then I would not have surround sound.
My HTPC speaker setup is the sub/amp from a Logitech Z-5300. It requires RCA connections with any satelite speakers.
I took the speakers from my SA-G90 and made a little RCA plug adaptor for each speaker. (These speakers are much better than the tiny Logitech satelites that originally came with the Z-5300)
The SA-G90 reciever only accepts speaker connections via Speaker Wire (not RCA plugs like the Logitech sub/amp box from the Z-5300).
So, how could I connect both the reciever and the Logitech Z-5300 sub/amp box with the same speakers and still beable to have 5.1 surround sound from both the HTPC and the Playstation 3 (or any other console, or whatever connected to the reciever)?
I assume it would not be safe to just make a split in the speaker wire going to the Logitech box to connect the reciever? I really don't want to have to unwire one or the other every time I want to use the opposite device.
PS - currently using an RCA to 3.35mm plug to connect the PS3 to the Line-In on the sound card, but this REALLY sounds horrible, like the bitrate is 32 kbit
Kamikaze - You are correct, it is not safe to attach the speakers to two amplifier sources at once. The power output from one amplifier will destroy the output section of the other amplifier, and possibly both may take damage. You're essentially setting yourself up for a short circuit.
Shop for a used 5.1 or 7.1 A/V receiver off eBay or Craigslist. There are a lot of people dumping receivers that cost $1000+ just a few years ago because Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are forcing them to buy new receivers to get HDMI switching and Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital MA, etc. I'm a good example, I bought a Yamaha RX-V2500 for a fortune 3 years ago, and just bought an equally expensive new A/V receiver to get the HDMI and new decoding formats. I almost cried when I saw how little my RX-V2500 is worth on auction, $200 tops.
With a modern receiver with multiple optical and coax digital connections, and a slew of video and analog audio inputs, you can connect your PS3, PC, a HD-DVD, XBOX, or whatever else you like and use the receiver to do the switching.
First, you are not feeding speaker wire, or you should not be, to the Logitech which contains its own amps. The miniplug input is the clue if you didn't know otherwise. And while you can adapt the speaker outputs of the Technics to line-level (RCA or miniplug), your best bet is to replace the ancient Technics with something more modern.
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