AC3 sound from my laptop through my standalone 5.1 decoder?

[martynuk]

Hello everyone

I've tried looking for similiar topics but cannot find the answer to this.
any help will be appreciated.

I am fortunate enough to have a plasma screen display in my front room, i know i can easily connect my laptop to this for display purposes. I also have a standalone Sony Davs 550 digital decoder.

if i connect my laptop to my decoder via the headphone jack or similar connection and play a Divx with Ac3 sound, should i be able to get genuine dolby digital 5.1 or DTS through my decoder?

Thanks in advance

Martyn

[bugster]

To get the AC3 sound from your laptop to your Sony Decoder you will need either an optical or co-ax digital connection, does your laptop have one of these? I have seen optical out on many desktop soundcards these days, but have yet to find a laptop with this feature.

[martynuk]

Not sure if it has, i will look.

in the meantime,

I thought a digital decoder is capable of converting a stero sound into AC3 (or 5.1), the sound you receive from a standard headphone jack is normally stero, would this not do?

Thanks for your swift reply

Martyn

[bugster]

Not sure if it has, i will look.

in the meantime,

I thought a digital decoder is capable of converting a stero sound into AC3 (or 5.1), the sound you receive from a standard headphone jack is normally stero, would this not do?

Thanks for your swift reply

Martyn

No, you wont get 5.1 from a stereo signal. You can get Dolby prologic which is 4.1 (left, right, center, mono rears and Sub). So if you are happy with that, then great.

[martynuk]

Thanks for the help guys, much appreceiated!

Martyn