TiedUpInSpeakerWire Posted August 9, 2001 Share Posted August 9, 2001 Hi, I have a set of promedia v.2-400 speakers that I got for my computer. I have given up on video games and am looking to use these speakers for audio on a tv/cable/dvd player setup. (I dare not call it a home theater) I am sorry for the complete lack of knowledge here, but does any one know if this is possible? I am thinking 1/8" port converter to be able to hook them up to my DVD. Is this possible? will the converters ruin the left\/right channels? etc... etc... please be kind, for I am not an audiophile or ever even thought of a home theater before. I guess you got to start somewhere..... thanks for any suggestions M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eq_shadimar Posted August 9, 2001 Share Posted August 9, 2001 If your DVD has regular RCA line level outs (I have never seen any that do not) you can certainly get a cable from Radio Shack and pipe the sound into your ProMedia's. The output is no different than what comes out of your PC with the exception of the type of connections. However be aware that you will only be getting stereo sound not dolby surround or 5.1 home theater sound. It will be a big improvement over the tv thou. I used to have my cable box hooked up to my Voodoo 3500 card and I used the PC for DVD's. With the ProMedia 4.2's and my 21" monitor I didn't need anything else. If you need a switch box to handle more inputs again look at Radio Shack and just get the cables to hook it all up. This is not a high end solution by any means buy it will give you much improved sound until you can get other equipment later on. Heck I didn't get all this neat stuff till recently hehe Hope that helps. If you have any more questions post em here. BTW I can't type need sleep :-) ------------------ Main System - CORNWALLS (circa '79 yippe) RC-3 RS-3's (white) SVS 20-39CS Harman Kardon AVR 510 Hafler P505 (running bridged 800W/4 ohms for sub) ProMedia 4.2 for PC Bedroom - KG4's or RF-3's (haven't decided yet) Harman Kardon AVR 20 MKII This message has been edited by eq_shadimar on 08-09-2001 at 11:28 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiedUpInSpeakerWire Posted August 10, 2001 Author Share Posted August 10, 2001 Thanks alot for the info! One last question tho' My new DVD player has a built in Dolby digital decoder and virtual surround sound. It can handle surround sound but I think what I am getting from your reply is that once you use a y connector to merge the front left and right channels into the front 1/8" connector of the promedia you lose the channel distinction?? (same applies for the rear channels) Is this correct? Thanks again M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eq_shadimar Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Ah ok well now that is more complex. Can you tell me what brand/model of DVD player you have? The cable you want from Radio Shack is a Left and Right RCA to stereo 1/8" adapter shown in the link below. http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F002%5F001%5F001%5F000&product%5Fid=42%2D2475 Now you have 2 choices. The first and easist would be to simply use one of the cables and take the normal L and R out of the DVD (not from the 5.1 outputs) and run it into the front input of the ProMedia's (you can do this via a switch box if you want to run a VCR or MP3 player or other sources into the ProMedia's also). This will supply full range signals to the ProMedia and then you can use the ProMedia's surround knob for the effect you like. In this case the DVD player would provide a downmixed 5.1 soundtrack in Dolby Surround to the ProMedia's and the ProMedia's will be doing all the surround effct and bass management. The second would be to take two pairs of the cables and do as you suggested and run the Front L/R to the front input on the ProMedia and the surround L/R to the rear input on the ProMedia's. If you do this you may not get any bass. It depends on the setup inside the DVD player. On mine I can tell it to use the 5.1 outputs and then it asks for the speaker setup. In my case I would tell it that I did not have a center channel or a subwoofer and it would route all the information to the other channels. If you have this option make sure to set all the speaker sizes to large (the ProMedia's will take care of routing the bass to the sub). Then what would happen is that the DVD player would decode the 5.1 mix, process any surround modes that you have selected and output that mix via the 5.1 outputs (in this case FL FR RL RR channels). I hope that makes sense. Tyr both and see with one sounds better. If not post again and we can take another stab at it. ------------------ Main System - CORNWALLS (circa '79 yippe) RC-3 RS-3's (white) SVS 20-39CS Harman Kardon AVR 510 Hafler P505 (running bridged 800W/4 ohms for sub) ProMedia 4.2 v400 for PC Bedroom - KG4's or RF-3's (haven't decided yet) Harman Kardon AVR 20 MKII Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiedUpInSpeakerWire Posted September 14, 2001 Author Share Posted September 14, 2001 Hey Eq_Shadimar Sorry It took so long to post my results. (I didn't get around to trying it out until now heh heh can you say L-A-Z-Y!) I went with the second approach and it works like a dream!! You are right, with no subwoofer in the DVD multi-channel set up the promedia's pick up the slack and route the bass to the subwoofer. IT SOUNDS AWESOME especially since it cost only $16.00 for wires from radio shack. The only problem now is with the DVD's and CD's sounding as good as they do right now I am starting to dream of a REAL home theater. HMMM.....soundproofing, maybe wireless....Klipsch or Bose.....OH GOD, My wallet is groaning already heehee THANKS A TON for your advice Peace M This message has been edited by TiedUpInSpeakerWire on 09-14-2001 at 04:42 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted September 15, 2001 Share Posted September 15, 2001 As I can see your first problem is solved.Let me tell you to stay in a galaxy far far away from Bo$e. Klipsch makes speakers so superior to Bo$e it hurts if you ever compared a Acou$tic Me$$ system with say a set consisting of two pairs of SB-2's,SC-1 center and KSW12 sub. Bo$e is taboo here,as all Klipsch owners know,Acou$tic Me$$ is all about marketing and more marketing.Sound what sound?Is colored as a rainbow. Just a warning,its for your own good. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwK Posted September 16, 2001 Share Posted September 16, 2001 Please..... please dont go B(l)ose Look into Klipsch or Paradigm. They will be your best bets for quality products at a good price. www.paradigm.com I personaly am looking into a 2 Channel setup (with my Pro Medias) Either paradigm Monitor 5's or RF-3's. They are about the same... but the Monitors cost less. If I had the money I would deffeniatly go RF-3's If I cant go that high Paradigm Titans for about 240, or Atoms for 180, or Klipsch SB-1 or 2's With a higher end, but not real expensive 2 channel amp. Hope that gives you some ideas. ------------------ Living Room: Yamaha Natural Sound A-500 Stereo Amplifier 2 Klipsch Heresys on A switch 2 Fisher STV-873 on B switch My Room: Klipsch Pro Medias 2 Fisher Surrounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eq_shadimar Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 Glad everything worked out for you and that my advice actually worked hehe!! Laters, ------------------ FOR SALE OR TRADE COMPLETE R*3 SYSTEM FOR 3 HERESY'S Main System - Cornwalls (L/R main) RC-3 RS-3's (white) SVS 20-39CS Harman Kardon AVR 510 Hafler P505 (running sub) ProMedia 4.2 v400 for PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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