Can I not use this Surround Sound system with my setup?

June 26, 2010 12:37 PM

I was just given an older model Surround Sound System that doesn't have digital inputs. Can I fit this into my current setup?

I have an LG Plasma TV connected to a Dell Zino. The audio out jack (1/8" headphone sized ) on back of the Zino connects to audio in on back of TV.

Today I was given a a Panasonic SC-HT670 Surround System and when I got it home I realized it doesn't have any digital inputs but rather just RCA jacks. My TV only has a digital out jack with no RCA outs so I assume I can't connect the TV to the receiver at all.

I'd still like to connect the Zino to the reciever though so I can at least play my mp3s and AVI's through the speakers. But I'm already using the one audio out of Zino to go to the TV. The Zino does has an HDMI plug though so could I connect the HDMI to the HDMI on TV and then get an adapter to connect the Zino 1/8" audio out jack to the left and right RCA jacks on the receiver? Will I blow up my Zino using both audio out and HDMI? Will it all sound like crap? Or am I going about this all wrong and missing something?

posted by gfrobe to technology (4 answers total)

Use the HDMI to the TV and the audio out to your receiver. Nothing will blow up and it will sound fine. Enjoy!
posted by torquemaniac at 3:11 PM on June 26, 2010

You might have to configure your Zino to send the audio out through the 1/8 audio out instead of the HDMI. Right click the speaker in the lower right hand corner and select "volumn control options." Then select the 1/8 jack as your default output.
posted by WhiteWhale at 4:06 PM on June 26, 2010

IIRC, Zinos don't have analog 5.1 out, only digital. You probably won't be able to get surround sound (just L/R) from anything but the DVD player in the surround system, but it should still sound better than your TV speakers.
posted by wongcorgi at 10:28 PM on June 26, 2010

If you'd like true surround and the receiver has multichannel RCA inputs, you can try a USB audio adapter like this one. This setup has the advantage of being able to send multichannel audio from formats other than AC3 and DTS (eg. AAC, Vorbis).
posted by smammy at 1:16 AM on June 27, 2010