Home Theater Cabling Setup

Very soon, I will be migrating to a 64-bit install of Vista--and my computer audio will be coming from a Harman Kardon receiver in a 5. setup. This will be wired from an X-Fi XtremeGamer. How can I configure this to cause the fewest possible problems? Should I use optical out, or the sound blaster home theater cable? Can anyone comment on the reliability on surround sound output of their X-Fis?

If you want to take advantage of any of the Creative multichannel features then spdif is a no go (cmss/EAX). It will only pass through DTS/DD from source, and all other media will be stereo only. You will need to use the analogue outputs which as you can imagine will be some considerable bulk if you're going to use decent quality pairs (4 pairs for 7.) and finding 3.5 to RCA in lengths over .5m will be a chore unless you opt for cheapo 5m. My advice would be to forget Creative an opt for a manufacturer with a better support track record, better driver support track record, and a card with Dolby Digital Live via digital.
Message Edited by OG on 03-24-2008 07:56 PM

Similar Messages

SB Home Theater Cable vs. Audigy 2 Platinum Ex incompatib

Hi all,?I need to connect my good ol' Audigy 2 Platinum Ex to a 6. speaker setup. I noticed that Creative has the Home Theater Cable, but the cable seems to be for a 7.-able sound card, not a 6. (see link)http://www.creative.com/products/pro...duct=4309&nav=. Is this true that the cables we can buy from Creative are only for the newer 7. cards? If so, where could I get/what kind of cables will I need for the Audigy 2 Platinum Ex to a 6. speaker setup?Thanks!Message Edited by bizsar on 07-09-20072:56 PM

leif99 wrote:
I tried to paste the picture on the front page of this manual. Here you can see that the card does in fact not have the connection you circeled red. I have also seen the sketch with this aux connection. The drawing is wrong. The card does not have the aux 4 pin connection. It seems like this type of card has been supplied as a "clean" version with no aux input, and a version as you describe. The manual following my card includes a sketch where the aux is not shown. I am quite puzzeled. Is there any other way of solving this? I am reluctant to by a new sound card.
If there are no 4-pin input connectors onboard, then you need to use one of the line-ins on I/O Console. You mentioned that the sound becomes distorted when connected through line-in (which one have you tried?)
--> can you control the output level from VCR ?
--> have you tried to set input level in Surround Mixer (Wave and Line-In sliders, .rec (AnalogMix(), Line-In n when recording))?
--> have you tried usie Line-in 3 (Aux-In, back of the I/O Console) or Line-In 2 instead of Line-In which is a 'FlexiJack' type jack connector (holds both, mic-in/line-in sources)?
jutapaMessage Edited by jutapa on 08-2-2006 0:22 AM

Getting 5.1 from Fatal1ty with "Home Theater Cable"

I have the "Home Theater Cable" but my reciever "Denon 205" only have 5.1 EXT.in so the "side left and the side right aren't pluged. When i test the different speakers, i hear sound from "center, FR, RR, FL and SW. But I dont hear anything from RL?Can anyone tell me why?

Worked fine.Given all the problems I've been reading about<i can't believe how easy it was. Set up was breeze!
Thanks

X-Fi 7.1 "Home Theater Cable": Where to buy?

Hello.
I am looking very desperately for a 7.1 "Home Theater Cable" for the X-Fi:
CReative Labs 7.1 "Home Theater Cable"
Where can I find it's
Do you know buying sources?
Thanks,
Tobias Claren

Tobias,
Despite the CL Store's accessories page still having a picture of that cable:
http://us.creative.com/products/welc...asp?category=3
it looks like they've stopped making/selling it. It's always been sort of a speciality item. However, you can substitute 3 common AV cables. You need one stereo minijack to dual RCA and two Sony-type camcorder AV cables. I'm not recommending Parts Express, per. se., but I find them useful for illustrating simple, basic cables of this type. It shouldn't be that hard to locate equivalent cables locally, though they can get pretty fancy and expensi've if that's your bent. If I had easily found the camcorder ones without gold contacts, I'd show that.
So, that said, you need one of this sort:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...tnumber=240-35
for the sub/center jack. If I recall correctly, the red connector is the sub and the other the center.
And two of this sort:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...tnumber=240-42
for the front and rear jacks. Again IIRC, for the front jack, white is left, red is right, and yellow is rear left. For the rear jack, white is side left, red is side right, and yellow is rear right. If I don't recall correctly, you should be able to figure it out using the channel test.
I beleve this scheme applies to the PCI 7. cards and the PCIe 7. ones use 4 stereo jacks instead (in that case you need 4 of the first type of cable).
-Dave
[email protected]

ATV with home theater cable question

Just bought the ATV, I have HDMI on the TV but not the home theater (Harman Kardon AVR7300 ) but it does have Optical audio jacks.
My plan was HDMI from ATV to TV & Optical audio from ATV to Home Theater.
Does this sound complete & correct ?

Worked fine.Given all the problems I've been reading about<i can't believe how easy it was. Set up was breeze!
Thanks

HOW LONG IS THE HOME THEATER CABLE BY CREATIVE FOR 14

I want to know the length of the cable for my home theatre by creative for sound blaster for 4.99.
Its on backorder so i have to assume that someone here has it and knows!!!
Thanx
FTNON

What a good read. The Apple iPhone warranty is freely available in the public domain. Whatever it says.

Sound Blaster Home Theater Cab

I saw this Sound Blaster Home Theater Cable
on the site and was wondering does any one know when it will be released in the US it seems to already be availabe in the UK web store but not here.Message Edited by protogenxl on -28-2005 06:46 AM

I also want to buy the HT cable for my Sony STR-DE898, too, but from CompUSA since I have a CompUSA Gift Card.
Edit: I didn't notice the thread posted date (which is located below member's information) but I've posted it anyway...a month old.Message Edited by GraysonPeddie on 2-30-2005 :43 PM

Question about connect X-Fi Xtreme Music with 5.1 Home Theater (analog inp

I want to connect my X-Fi to new speaker. (exact model : EACAN A200 5.)
but it has only 6 analog input ( center,sub,front l/r,rear l/r )
if i connect it with Creative Home Theater Cable
( http://asia.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=3&subcategory=55&product=4309 &nav=0 )
will it work perfectly? because i think this cable made for 7. speaker, will i miss sound that came from side l/r channels ?
If i can't use this cable, How can i connect X-fi to a new speaker?
Message Edited by chunbogbog on 04-09-2008 06:0 AM

since u are using 5. speaker, you only need to directly connect the cable from ur speaker to the sound card output, no need to use Creative Home Theater Cable.
and remember to set your sound card to 5. no matter u use what cable, since ur speaker is 5. only...if u play 7. content movie, the side L/R will directly map to the rear speaker, so no "miss sound" issue...understand?

Samsung LED HDTV + Samsung BlueRay Home Theater Setup...

I just bought the systems listed above - and I'm trying to figure out how to get the TV setup to play through the Home Theater components. I can get the Radio to play, through the speakers but I am not that familiar with setting these things up. Much better at computers than TV/theater systems. So, with that said - I got all the correct HDMI cables from necessary - 2 of them But can anyone tell me where to go to show (better than the documentation provided by the manufacturer) how to put these together and get them to work???????
Hope someone can help me!
thanks in advance....

Thanks for the Cable Box connection instruction. I am sure I would have banged my head on that one.
Just bought the same TV-HT (only difference being the TV is the 55" 7100).
I have one more Q regarding this setup. How do I connect an XBOX360 w/ HDMI output to this system? My first thought was that I could take the XBOX360 HDMI out and connect it to the HDMI input on the receiver, but that was my first thought with the set top cable box
Thanks in advance,
Hatch

NEED HELP --- hooking up tv, cable box, home theater

60" Samsung smart TV --- contains several HDMI inputs
Time Warner HD cable box --- contains 1 HMDI input; components as well
LG Home Theater in a box, Model #BH6820SW --- contains 1 HDMI output, red/white aux input, & yellow video output.
Very simple...... I want to turn my TV on, change channels with cable box remote & have my sound from TV come out of this home theater in a box I just bought.
I've been at this for hours and I'm ready to take it back because of the ongoing frustration. I have 3 HDMI cables to use (which obviously I won't need all of them), I have a red/white audio cables and a yellow video cable to use if needed.
Can someone out there PLEASE explain how this can be done?????????
Thanks.

You may be able to do it by running a Digital Optical cable to the Digital optical input on the LG from the TW Cable Box, and a seperate HDMI cable to the TV from the TW Cable box.
Honestly though, I'd take it back and get a an AVR with HDMI switching, a set of speakers, and a standalone Blu Ray player. It'll cost more, but you'll get a better feature set, better performance, and more flexbilty to add more devices down the road.

My HD TV has two HDMI inputs which are being used by a home theater system and my RCN cable box. i want to be able to use my appleTV as well as those but do not have another HDMI input. How can i connect it so that i can use any 1 of the 3 at any time?

My HD TV has two HDMI inputs which are being used by a home theater system and my RCN cable box. i want to be able to use my appleTV as well as those but do not have another HDMI input. How can i connect it so that i can use any 1 of the 3 at any time?

Get an HDMI switcher. Plug in the ATV directly to the TV and then use the switcher on the other input.
Example
http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-High-Performance-Switcher-Switch/dp/B0015YWKYY/ref=s r_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316918064&sr=8-1

Connecting HDTV/Dig Cable/Wii/Home Theater Receiver

I have a Samsung 600series HDTV, Yamaha Home Theater Receiver, AT&T Uverse Digital cable box and Nintendo Wii. What is the best way using HDMI and an optical audio cable(s) to route everything through my Receiver? I want to minimize the amount of cables running behind the wall up to my TV.
Right now I have:
- HDMI from Digital cable box up to HDTV
- HDMI from Receiver to HDTV
- Optical audio from HDTV to Receiver
- Wii not currently set up b/c I when connected to the Receiver I couldn't find the proper setting to get this to work
In the current set up, I get full audio out of all 5.1 surround sound speakers with the radio, but when the TV/Cable is on I only get sound from the front L & R. I'm sure it has something to with with my set up because I know all 5 speakers work...
thanks for your help,
Solved!
Go to Solution.

We use the second set up. Works just fine for us. Routes everything neatly to the receiver with one easy to conceal hdmi cable to the t.v.
Crystal
Superuser
Forum Guidelines | Terms & Conditions | Community Guidelines | What is a Superuser?
*Remember to mark your questions solved and click the star to give kudos to show your thanks!*
While I used to be a Best Buy Employee, I no longer have any affiliation with Best Buy.
My opinions do not in any way shape or form represent Best Buy's Official decisions.

Received apple tv as gift, my tv/home theater situation has no HDMI input capabilities. My only option is an optical connection, please give me some inexpensive optical cable suggestions???

Received apple tv as gift, my tv/home theater situation has no HDMI input capabilities. My only option is an optical connection, please give me some inexpensive optical cable suggestions???

Welcome to the Apple Community.
HDMI is required to connect the Apple TV to a TV or through a receiver. The optical connection is for audio only.

Correct cable for connecting MBP to home theater?

I have a toslink to mini plug cable to conect to a home theater. Hoever, the mini plug won't fit the headphone jack.
I have this cable:http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=2001&sku=27017.
Any advise?

I have a toslink to mini plug cable to conect to a
home theater. Hoever, the mini plug won't fit the
headphone jack.
I have this
cable:http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=2
001&sku=27017.link to
Any advise?
Go to Radio Shack and ask for a Toslink to Mini-Jack Adapter. About 5.00 bucks.
Looks like this:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=180-968
William

Add Wireless Bridge to TC Setup for Home Theater?

Hi, I'm admittedly green at this topic and not exactly sure how to ask the question. I have a 2nd generation TC in my basement connected to a cable modem for internet access. I have a budding home theater on our first floor and a new A/V receiver with internet capability, but it has to be Ethernet connected. It also seems to me that it would be more reliable and have higher speeds if I used Ethernet for my Apple TV and Oppo Blu ray player. What piece of hardware should I be looking to buy that can wirelessly connect with the TC in the basement and provide Ethernet connections to my home theater? I don't know what to look for and need some direction.
Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Performance wise, the best choice by far would be to run an Ethernet cable from the TC location to the home theater location and then connect a 5-port or 8-port Ethernet switch to provide the wired connections that you need.
Next choice would be to add an AirPort Extreme to connect using wireless back to the TC and configure it to "extend" a wireless network. You will have up to 4 Ethernet ports to connect wired devices to the AirPort Extreme and you will also have more wireless signal coverage as well in the home theater area.
Don't be fooled here though....although the A/V receiver, Apple TV and Blu-Ray player will appear to be connected as wired devices.....the connection to all of these devices will be limited by the quality of the wireless signal "hop" between the TC and AirPort Extreme.
To get an idea of whether this might work satisfactorily, move your MacBook Air to the same location as the home theater components and log on to the Internet. If you can get a good, fast, reliable wireless connection on the Mac, then the AirPort Extreme will likely deliver the performance that you need at that location.
Best of all worlds would be to run an Ethernet cable from the TC to the AirPort Extreme. This would provide wired connections for all devices all the way back to the TC and also provide more wireless signal coverage in the home theater area.

Home Theater Cabling Setup

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for