Klipsch 5.1 Ultra--Console Hookup

[astralsolace]

Hi. I recently purchased a Klipsch 5.1 Ultra system.
(http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=712)

I'm trying to hook it up to my consoles--PS2, Gamecube and X-Box. It appears that the 5.1's only accept:

"INPUTS:
6 analog discrete channels (3 stereo miniplugs), Auxiliary stereo miniplug music input."

Since PS2/Gamecube/X-Box only have digital out, and my system only takes in analog, I need a "Digital Decoder," right?

I found one that seems to do the job at:
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=136&product=9468&nav=features

The Creative DDTS-100. It seems to do what I need it to do, but it's expensive ($149.99).

Does anybody know any other solutions/decoders I can use, as opposed to this one? If not, I'll just have to swallow the expense.

Thanks in advance,
~Astral

 

[viperc0n]

There is a cheaper solution for the ps2 and xbox. I dont know about gamecube but supposing your 5.1 soundcard has a spdif\Digital Coax input there is a way. Get the optical to coax convertor from here http://www.trianglecables.com/pof-830.html or froogle something like that and it takes your signal from xbox or ps2 via Optical cable and converts to Coaxial. So you will also need to buy a digital coaxial audio cable and optical (toslink) cable from radioshack or wherever. This will only work if you have spdif/Digial Coax INPUT on soundcard. If your sound card doesnt then you may want to get one that does or just the Creative Decoder you found.

You will also need to make sure you have the High Definition av packs or whatever is needed to output optical 5.1 from the consoles.

Edit: You would have to leave your computer on at all times to use the Toslink to SPDIF convertor in order to input and then output through yoru soundcard. That may be an issue for you with a Decoder you dont need to. I beleive Klipsch also sells a decoder similar to the Creative one but its more pricey i think. But they both do the same thing.

 

[astralsolace]

There is a cheaper solution for the ps2 and xbox. I dont know about gamecube but supposing your 5.1 soundcard has a spdif\Digital Coax input there is a way. Get the optical to coax convertor from here http://www.trianglecables.com/pof-830.html or froogle something like that and it takes your signal from xbox or ps2 via Optical cable and converts to Coaxial. So you will also need to buy a digital coaxial audio cable and optical (toslink) cable from radioshack or wherever. This will only work if you have spdif/Digial Coax INPUT on soundcard. If your sound card doesnt then you may want to get one that does or just the Creative Decoder you found.

You will also need to make sure you have the High Definition av packs or whatever is needed to output optical 5.1 from the consoles.

Edit: You would have to leave your computer on at all times to use the Toslink to SPDIF convertor in order to input and then output through yoru soundcard. That may be an issue for you with a Decoder you dont need to. I beleive Klipsch also sells a decoder similar to the Creative one but its more pricey i think. But they both do the same thing.

This sounds like an interesting idea, certainly cheaper than the decoder. I'm using an Audigy2, so I do have an SPDIF in port--but are you sure this converter would do it, if I also buy the Digital Out cords for PS2/X-box?