G50VT external sound / spdif?

So I got a G50VT and my old sound system still works perfectly, so I wanted to use it when I am home. But for some reason I simply can't get it to work.

It does have a digital input, but I am not sure if it is S/PDIF, since the woofer and speaker system is about 10 years old (best 200 bucks I ever spent..)

Is there something special I have to do to get this to work? What am I missing here?

Thanks for the help already.

 

Yep, in order to use S/PDIF, go to the realtek audio control panel, or start->run->rtsndmgr.cpl

Go to the Audio I/O tab and select Digital PCM output from the dropdown menu.

If your receiver system is a high end one made in the 1990s, it most likely has coaxial S/PDIF. Just need an RCA to 1/8" cable and you should be all set.

 

I must have a different audio manager than you, because I don't have an Audio tab and all that jazz. All mine has is a speakers tab and a Digital Output tab, but if I set Digital output as the default device, nothing happens.. so I'm wondering if there is something I'm missing.

 

bump.....im actually having the same issue with my g50v-a1......im trying to connect the my laptop to my desktop speakers (Logitech Z-640...kinda old)....i tried searching through the other laptop threads but most of them refers to connecting it to a home theater/receiver/amplifier.....since the g50 has a 3.5mm/SPDIF connection, do i connect that onto my desktop mobo (MSI K9A2 CF-F) that also has a S/PDIF connection?.....i originally thought that all I needed was a 3.5mm (M/M) extension and plug it into my X-640 headphone jack but i guess not....any suggestions would help

 

hey asus.....if you're connecting it to a home theater/receiver, there are actually quite a bit of info from other notebook threads....just search S/PDIF

 

Has anyone tried right clicking the digital output tabs and setting it as default device?

 

i tried but no luck.....i'm not too familiar with how the spdif usually works so i might be doing something wrong and/or using the wrong cables and plugs

 

You need an optical cable with a mini-toslink connector that plugs into the headphone jack. Looks something like this(one on the right is the mini-toslink):


Your sound system must have digital optical in for it to work. Then enable SPDIF out on the control panel. Although it uses the same analog stereo headphone connector it's a dual connection, once you have the right cable the "red" optical output would work.

 

Yeah you're right it is optical -- coax won't work, sorry about that ^^

 

No, not all digital audio connections are optical.. and I'm not dumb enough to confuse the two.

 

I was wrong, the G50 has an optical connector, not coaxial... sorry

 

dam I was afraid someone was going to tell me this is the only way lol....thanks though

my desktop speakers are a bit old and doesn't have the digital optical outlet......does anyone know if I will be able connect my laptop with the digital optical to mini-toslink cable to the digital optical outlet on my desktop mobo and use my PC speakers through that?

 

Most desktops will only have digital output only unless you have a hardware soundcard that can support digital optical "in", so no, not possible. Honestly though, I don't think you should care too much about digital optical unless you are an audiophile that already have sound systems capable of digital audio. Just use the analog stereo speakers that you already own, and be happy, because to support digital optical audio you will need pretty expensive sound systems ie; Logitech Z5500, Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1 etc.

 

thanks for the explanation d3x.....guess i dont have much of a choice.....all those who purchased a g50v should know my pain of how crappy these dam speakers are!! what the hell was ASUS thinking

 

I know your pain, ASUS were never that great with speakers. Both my W3V and F8Sn suffered the same tinny, lack of bass, and relatively quiet built-in speakers. What I did to resolve the issue was getting a Kensington Notebook dock with 5.1 USB audio(it's around $30 on Ebay), which plugged into my 5.1 Analog Creative speakers(that I had for a number of years) and it works like charm.

 

I did not have the chance of listening to the digital audio. Is there a noticeable difference in between analog and digital audio?

My laptop has the SPDIF out but I have never had a device that will utilize it...