The Loose Change

Surround Sound Insights

August 26th, 2006

Recently I drank alot of green tea and decided to hook up 2 surround sound systems  - 1 for my TV and 1 to my computer system.  For my TV, I have a digital cable box and a digital video recorder as well as a HDTV.  In order to get true ‘digital’ surround sound, then you’ll need a 5.1 or better surround sound receiver WITH a fiber optic digital sound input (many stereo receivers these days are also DVD players - just make sure your DVD home theater system has a digital fiber optic cable input option).  My receiver has the fiber optic input, but didn’t come with the cable. 

So after reading the instructions for the 4th time, I went out and bought the fiber optic cable at Radio Shack for $20, not knowing why exactly I was buying it.  My surrround system (5 speakers hooked up to my receiver and cable box sounded great already.  I was just using the red and white sound in cables).  But an interesting thing happened, when I hooked up that fiber optic cable from my cable box to my stereo receiver the quality instantly and dramatically improved.  And a little light came on telling me I was now receiving ‘digital’ surround sound.  And wow, the sound quality is awesome.  Who knew.  Combined with hi def channels, the result is that I am going to be spending a lot more time than I already do vegging in front of the TV.  Great

So if you are hooking up a surround sound system and have ‘digital’ cable and want true ‘digital’ sound then make sure your receiver has the fiber optic input and go get the cable.  It’s a nice addition to a home theater and it’s only $20.

Now, my computer didn’t have the fiber optic option, and I wasn’t going to hook up a digital reciever to my computer, but maybe someday when I have nothing better to do.  Right now, I just have the Creative Labs 5.1 speakers (under $50) and a sound blaster live 5.1 surround sound card and it’s pretty good.  The 3-d sound I experience from sitting at the computer is very cool, games are great and music, espcially from Yahoo, is really amazing.

I wonder what they’ll think of next….

Entry Filed under: Music, The Loose Change