Computer/Stereo question

[grw4w34]

I know there is a way to connect a computer to a stereo. I need a converter that would go from usb to the audio input. Do these even exist? Currently im running a converter that plugs into the headphone jack, which is an improvement from my laptop speakers, but it could be a clearer sound.

[Mango]

The only real way is to either

A.) Use one of these 1/8" headphone jack to RCA wire cables and hook it up to an availible input on the back of the stereo http://monstercable.com/computer/pro...r.asp?pin=1731

or
B.) The way you currently have it. There is no way to go USB to RCA input for a stereo UNLESS you use an external soundcard like the Creative Labs Audigy external units. This way, however, you are just complicating things further.

You should just be able to use the cable in the link I provided. Of course, you do not need that EXACT cable but Radio Shack sells similar, cheaper cables. Just go out from the headphone jack and into an input on the stereo. I have my system hooked up this way into a couple thousand dollar home audio rig.

[BD_Paintball]

or go to like best buy or Circuit City. they have the cables there for like 20 bucks. i bought one and it works great for playing music on your stereo from your comp

[Target Practice]

I hacked together something with my laptop using the headphone out to the phono in on the reciever. This setup coupled with a remote viewer, lets my play music on the laptop from across the room while sitting on my desktop. It's not really that difficult to do.

[Mango]

I hacked together something with my laptop using the headphone out to the phono in on the reciever. This setup coupled with a remote viewer, lets my play music on the laptop from across the room while sitting on my desktop. It's not really that difficult to do.

You do know that by using the phono input on your receiver you run the risk of permentantly damaging it dont you? The phono input can be seriously overdriven since it runs at a much lower voltage range (we're talking milliamp range) and the outputs from other sources are much higher. The Phono imputs generally have preamps built into them to accomodate for the output from analog record players. Just a word of caution. Use any other input BUT that one. I wouldn't use it at all unless it was for a record player.

[WickeDKlowN]

or go to like best buy or Circuit City. they have the cables there for like 20 bucks. i bought one and it works great for playing music on your stereo from your comp

Or go to RadioShack and get the same thing for like $8.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=42-2483

[MarkM]

The sound is bad because you are running from an amplified socket, all the cables linked to will work but the dirty sound will still happen if you use the headphone socket you need to come out of the line out socket which isn't on many built in soundcards. The only way to avoid this is the external Creative unit, damned expensive way to do things but your only option if you want cleaner sound.
I have a version of the leads above going into a switching box, actually meant for expanding inputs to a single line in socket but I wired it in reverse so one setting powers the line signal to my PC speakers the other setting feeds the sound to my TV so I can play back DVD's through my TV (I also have a S-VHS and composite out Video card). I did this because at the time standalone DVD players were a heck of a lot more than PC DVD drives plus my PC is close to my TV, the S-VHS lead cost more than the switching box but the composite socket was a real bad picture. Since my TV has a full surround sound amplifier built in just left and right sound input was all I needed.

[Warewolf50]

im sure if u dug threw your house u could find atleast one 8th inch to rca i mean when i tried to find one i came out wiht like 3, they come with alot of electronicla audio products.

[Target Practice]

You do know that by using the phono input on your receiver you run the risk of permentantly damaging it dont you? The phono input can be seriously overdriven since it runs at a much lower voltage range (we're talking milliamp range) and the outputs from other sources are much higher. The Phono imputs generally have preamps built into them to accomodate for the output from analog record players. Just a word of caution. Use any other input BUT that one. I wouldn't use it at all unless it was for a record player.

Mango, in looking at it a second time, I was mistaken. I had plugged it into the tape input, or something like that, because I was getting dirty sound. But thanks for watching out for my butt anyway!

[blackclown]

You can get one at radio shack they are awsome if u got good speakers i love mine!

[Bluestrike_2]

More Permanent System

First off, Monster cable is junk compared to other good, reputable companies at the same price range. See a previous post of mine discussing Monster. It's the Bose of the Cable world...

Second, this might not help you, but help others.

Apple has it's Airport Express. It's a base station that can also output music from iTunes via AirTunes. Coupled with a wireless card, people could be set. It would allow a wireless network, and wireless music. It's around $129 and can also give you wireless printer sharing on Mac networks(I'm unsure of Windows).

Oh yeah, it connects via a mini jack to either an analog RCA L/R cable or optical TOSLINk.

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

It's fully compatible with Windows XP. Of course, I'm going to be flamed because it's Apple...

On another note, I'm typing this down in my basement on a hundred inch projector, testing a presentation. A lot of sound cards have optical audio out now a days, at least my PowerMac does...

I'll tell you one thing though. Lugging a 50 pound monster down hear because you don't have a Macintosh laptop and don't feel like losing the Mac optimizations for a presentation is a pain in the rear...

[Steelrat]

Unless you have a very good sound card, and you rip your own music at high bitrates, it'll sound mediocre through any decent quality home system. I tried hooking up my ipod to my system, and it made me want to cry. Same thing happened when I hooked up my Sennheiser headphones to the ipod, though I suspect the output section of the Ipod wasnt helping there.

[psychoreaper_666]

Use one of these 1/8" headphone jack to RCA wire cables and hook it up to an availible input on the back of the stereo

forget running it into the stereo, i ran the reg. wire from my sound card to the speaker w/ volume/treb/bass control on it. from there i ran one of the previously mentioned adapters into a 350watt amp. out of that i have 2 15" subs, 2 6"mids and 2 2" tweeters

yeah it thumps!

edit: its so cool to play vidio games on!!!!!