Connecting 5.1 speakers to notebook

Hi all,

I am going to buy a set of 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers (Logitech X-540) to connect to my notebook, an HP Pavilion dv6700t. The only problem is that I need Front, Rear and Center/Sub outputs, which I don't have.
I was looking at the Expresscard Xtreme Audio Notebook from Creative + The cable for the outputs i need, but it turned out way too expensive. I then found a usb sound card with a few outputs - this, which, looking at this picture, didn't seem to have an Front output, but does have a headphone output, so this is my question: are the Front output and Headphone outputs the same?

Is there any other way to connect my future 5.1 speakers and still have good sound quality?

Thanks!

 

Up please

 

up, up, up...

 

SpykR13, I have the same set of Logitechs that you are looking at, and when I got home I had the same problem but I decided to plug them in into my headphone jack, the mic jack and the spidf jack. And guess what it worked! You will probably be okay with out buying a sound card or usb sound card. My suggestion would be to go and purchase the set and test them out and see if it is acceptable to your ears. Good luck and if you have anymore questions let me know.

 

@SpykR13: If you're still interested in the X-Fi card, follow this link and click the video link (the one that says CREATIVE and looks like WMP11). The device actually has a headphone jack as well as microphone and line-in ports on the the side. I think the headphone jack will be used as the port for the front speakers of a 5.1 system.

 

Thanks alot for your help, I guess i'll try it out without the sound card like you said, even though I have 1 mic and 2 headphone jacks. The sound card was actually also to plug into my HP QuickDock, so that I can connect the speakers, monitor, keyboard mouse and more with just one cable going into the PC.
I also have a question about the speakers: Are they truly satisfying? Knowing that I come from an O.K. 2.1 sound system with a nice bass, and that I can't get the music too loud because I live in a residential area, do you think i'll notice a difference with Surround Sound and the bass?

Thanks for the info, I didn't see the 3D of the device yet . I actually also just discovered on Creative's website that they include a "Stereo RCA to 1/8” jack adapter" which, i'm pretty sure, connects to the two red and white jacks to make one 1/8" jack (which answers my initial question: i CAN conect the speakers to the device) and would also work for the front speakers, so I think with the device I could actually install a 5.1 + a 2.1 at the same time, plus another 2.1 from the computer itself . But I don't really get what the Line In is supposed to do .

Thanks again guys.

 

See if your laptop has an SPDIF jack out. Use Dolby Digital Live to do a true 5.1 out, it's what I do from my G50V to my Sony receiver.

 

"Both model laptops feature 3USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 FireWire, an S-Video, a Consumer IR, a headphone, and an external microphone, and a second headphone with S/PDIF, an RJ-11, an RJ-45, 5-in-1 digital media card reader, an ExpressCard/54, an Intel Pro/Wireless 4965AGN wireless LAN with Bluetooth is optional and HP Wireless Laser Mini Mouse (White) and Mobile Stereo Headset (1 pair, White)"

So from what I understand I have a mic in, a headphone in, and another headphone in with S/PDIF ^^.

 

That is correct, that is what most fairly new laptops have. Mic, Headphone, Headphone #2/SPIDF. The green connection should go in the #1 Headphone port, (green is the front left and right speakers), orange connection in the mic port (orange center and sub), and then the rear speakers connect to the #2 Headphone/SPIDF port. Now, it is important that you take about a half an hour or so and place the speakers in an optimal position so that you get the best quality, so play around with it for awhile. Also make sure in either windows or your other laptop software that you select the correct output or the rear speakers will not work, so don't freak out, you just have to spend sometime setting everything up. I think they mine were a great upgrade over my 2.1 system, for the price I paid for them. If your looking for an even better sound than I would suggest purchasing the sound card you were looking at, that will give you true 5.1 surround sound. But for what I use the speakers for the are excellent, games, music, and movies where the best. I have to go back and watch every movie again in surround sound and hd, because I had no idea what I was missing. Hope this helps.

 

You really know what you're talking about

So I'll try out what you said without the sound card, and then with the sound card to see if there is a real improvement in the audio. But I do have a problem on what you said: I went in the Sound panel on Windows Vista, right click to configure my default Audio Output and there is only an option for Stereo, and when I open Realtek High Definition Audio Driver, there is also just "stereo" as the Speaker Configuration But when I use use SRS Audio Sandbox, I can configure it on the Windows Vista sound panel to make it be 5.1, but I don't think it'll make it work

I get this: http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/2273/problemds6.png

 

Hey, I will have to get back to you tomorrow bc I have to head to work. I will see what I can find to help. Later

 

After searching "Realtek ALC268", I saw some info about the audio no my lappy:
"The ALC268 series are 4-Channel High Definition Audio Codecs with UAA (Universal Audio Architecture), featuring two stereo DACs and two stereo ADCs. The 4 channels of DAC support stereo sound playback on the rear panel and independent stereo sound output on the front panel simultaneously (multiple streaming)."

So, as I understand, It's only a 4 channel audio chip... So only front and rear stereo, with no sub/center channel :s...

I think i'll just get the external sound card.

Thanks again all for your help .