Optical to Pro Media 5.1 speakers question

[Rconte2112]

Hi all,

 

My neighbor is offering me his Pro Media 5.1 computer speakers set and I am wondering if I can get it set up for my TV surround sound instead of a computer. 

I think what I would need is a converter box that takes in the optical cable from my TV and then splits that into 6 RCA outputs (Front L/R, Back L/R, Center, Sub) then I need to run a few RCA to 1/8" out of that into the sub. My questions are:

 

1) Is there actually a decent converter box that does conert into true surround sound? All of the ones I have found have comments about instead of separating the channels, it just sends the same signals to all of the speakers. 

 

2) It looks like the sub as 3 inputs on the back: Front L/R, Back L/R, and Center/Sub? Is this right? Can I run a stereo RCA from the Center and Sub output on the converter box right into this input? Or is that really just a mono input for the center speaker?

3) If there is no sub input, is the sub just taking all of the sub frequencies from the other channels and getting it's sound that way? If that is the case, will doing this conversion make me miss out on some sub-specific sounds?

 

I have a Promedia 2.1 system on my PC already and absolutely love it so I really wanted to get this for my TV since it would be a bargain if I can get it to work.

 

Thanks everyone!

[theplummer]

Did you ever get this resolved?  

 

I did exactly what you are asking.  

I found a Pro Media 5.1 on Facebook for cheap.  $60.00  

There's a problem with using digital anything out from your television to the Pro Media.  That being that you won't be able to control the volume with your TV remote.  It will send a full signal out of any digital or HDMI source.  You'll do what I have to do... Get off the couch, walk across the room, and twist the volume knob on the controller... Unless you can figure out how to put the sub near your seating area, so you can reach the volume from there.

 

There is a solution though & I'll get to it, after I link the things necessary to make this happen.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088JX61XF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

This is not available, but there are other, similar ones available.  This is to convert from HDMI ARC to digital.  You may not need this if you have digital out on your TV. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X94PF4D?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

You'll definitely need something like this.  But again, no volume control

 

Or, you could find an old DD-5.1 controller, but I've not found any with a remote.  There is a way to make your control box connect to a remote, using an arduino box, if you know how to do electronics.  Here's a blog page that shows how.  https://christopherzurcher.blogspot.com/2012/05/klipsch-promedia-51-volume-control-pod.html