5.1 Surround in the car

**Vijindr** · 07-27-2004, 03:08 AM

Hi all, sorry if this question has been addressed before, but I've searched the forums and spent about 6 hours on google without finding the answer to my question.

I'm building a mini-itx using an EPIA MII, and I'd like to use a Soundblaster Audigy2 as my 5.1/6.1/7.1 surround sound decoder. How can I connect this thing to the audio system in my car? I mean seeing as the card has 1 digital out and 3 lines out, and in the manual for it, in the section "connecting to speakers" the setups they show both for digital 5.1 speakers and analog 5.1 speakers seem to have another device between the card and the speakers which further splits or decodes the signal.

Ok I hope that made sense, I'm so tired I'm not really thinking straight...

**Maugnara** · 07-27-2004, 05:51 AM

Ok first of all what kind of setup are you using?

For my setup I have a Panasonic head unit that has Auxillary Inputs that allows me to run the sound from my computer through the head unit as it distributes the sound evenly through my speakers, this way it also amplifies the sound too.
I too also am going to put in an audigy card into my car, and am wondering about how to make it 5.1
Im not sure if this is possible by running the sound through the headunit because it only has 2 rca plugs and theres over 6 speakers in the car. So this give us a bit of a problem. How ever to just use the speakers off the sound card you can get an adapter that converts your plug from 3.5 to RCA.
In saying this there might not be alot of point in getting a audigy. But I guess you could try anyway.

**98explorerxlt** · 07-27-2004, 11:20 AM

Only problem I've had is finding a way to optical out from this card. It seems that you can only use thier speakers with the digital out. I just want to hook up my audigy to my surround sound reciever. It only has optical in though. The front has optical out, but it has never worked for anything but a minidisc.
I think the best think would be to get a card that breaks down the channels into seperate outputs.

**Vijindr** · 07-27-2004, 12:50 PM

Maugnara --

I haven't changed from the stock system in my 350Z (its the p.o.s. one that comes with the track pack.) I know that I could just output analog sound to its head unit using an FM Mod or Tape adapter or something along those lines (or even an AUX input if I got a different head unit,) but then it wouldn't do the surround sound.

**IcedC** · 07-27-2004, 01:20 PM

I personally haven't ventured into the realm of in car computers (YET) however I have been doing audio for a while, and am very skilled with computers. I would suggest putting it on hold for a while until you get a new HU. If it may be a long while till you get a HU then you should get an FM modulator. That is the most practical way to do it.

**TheKingPlaza** · 07-27-2004, 05:11 PM

I have the same audiocard.. had to because my (dell gx50) onboard card gave a noice. It works pretty fine.. the quality of the sound is awesome. This is my setup..
use 3 jacks:
1. front speakers
2. rear speakers
3. subwoofer (and center speaker)

allthough i don't have the front speaker the sound is fabulous..
Whats a real pain in the as.s is that the soundblaster card is too big for the housing(small desktop) but im currently designing a new housing and rebuild my front with glasfiber..
I'll finish my installation soon.. pictures coming up!

**CHUPACABRA** · 07-27-2004, 08:53 PM

You will have to bypass your head unit to tkae advatige of 5.1.
youll have to run it directly to the amps from the sound card.
this will give you the best quality sound anyway.

**Vijindr** · 07-27-2004, 09:04 PM

Ok but there's still one thing I don't understand... the Front right/Front left are mixed in one signal output, the Rear Right/Left in another, and the Center/Sub in the third. How does one separate these three into 6? Are there amps that will do that? Or is there something fundamental about 5.1 that I'm just not getting... it's possible.

**Vijindr** · 07-27-2004, 09:12 PM

Ahh ok I got it -- the amp decodes the signals as well as amplifies them... I googled that phoenix amp.

**MrSpace** · 07-28-2004, 01:25 AM

well the best is to take your digital signal,s end it to a decoder that will split it into separate 5.1 or 6.1 channels with a pair of RCA outs for each of the channel.

Then you run this to your amps.

Or the Phoenix Gold 6 channels amp has a pre built decoder so you can plug directly your SPDIF (digital) signal into it, but it's not very flexible has having a separate decoder.

Etienne