5.1 connection from my laptop to a 2.1

[maansingh169]

i have 5.1 speakers from creative (three wires connecting to a pc 5.1 sound card) and i got a laptop now....i dont really use the 5.1 feature for games or anything....i really mainly need it for music playback....so, i need to connect the speakers to my computer, but was not sure on how to do this....

now i have read, that i can buy like a PCMIA slot or USB connection, that will give me a 5.1 sound card connection....but they are about $15-$40......

i was just wondering, if i go to radioshack and just pick up a $5 3 way Y splitter, and just connect my computers to my laptop via 1 headphone jack split to 3 and to the speakers...still get stereo sound for music without noticable distortion....or should i just buy the 5.1 sound card?

[redwudz]

5.1 needs 5 speakers to really be 5.1, thus the designation. You have left and right stereo, center channel and left and right rear. I have a system that also adds a subwoofer.

Anyway, there is no simple way to get this from stereo. If you use a splitter you would end up with the same audio on all three speakers. No stereo even.

Check this site for more info: http://www.5dot1.com/how_to_listen_in_5_1.html

You would need a PCMCIA card if you wanted 5.1.

[greymalkin]

i would sell the 5.1's and get a good 2.1 set .

What kind of music are you listening to? The only 5.1 channel music would be DVD-Audio/SACD/DTS CD and your laptop does not have the capability to decode any of those formats.

If you want DVD-Audio capability then you can buy the Audigy 2 pcmcia card for around $100. Otherwise, Cd's/MP3's etc are stereo and were meant to be played back in stereo.