Need Audo Connection help!!

[evilKat]

Hi guys, I'm trying to setup a HTPC of sorts at home, but I'm having some trouble figuring out the audtio connections for it. Basically I have a PC with a 7800GT and an Audigy 2 Zs.

The Audigy has the following connections:

Sound Blaster® Audigy™ 2 ZS On-Board Connectors

* Line level out (Front / Rear / Center / Subwoofer / Rear Center)
* Digital Out for 5.1 support(6-channel SPDIF output to Creative digital speakers
* Line in
* Microphone in
* FireWire® (IEEE® 1394)
* Telephone Answering Device in
* Analog / Digital CD Audio in
* 15-pin MIDI / Joystick port extension header
* Internal IEEE® 1394 header to Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Internal Drive (Upgrade Option)
* AD_EXT extension header to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Internal Drive (Upgrade Option)


Now what I really want to do is quite simple. I'm planning to buy an HDTV and I want to hook up the TV to my computer via DVI and be able to watch DVD/Movies on the TV. So the video connection part seems straightforward enough. But I'm not sure what to do about the audio. I want to use the SB because it's got some spiffy audio processing going on in it and possibly output it through the TV or a seperate 5.1 speaker system.

But I also want to retain the 2.1 system that I currently have for my computer and switch to the 5.1 system if I am watching the TV. Can this be done using only the equipment I have? Do I need to buy a a receiver?

I'm quite confused about it...if anyone can help me out by either telling me what else I need or how to hook it up, that'd be great! I don't want to drop $2000 on a nice TV to find out that I can't get decent audio

 

[IDversusEGO]

so this isn't a dedicated HTPC I guess? if it was, I would say just do the optical output to a receiver and be done with it.

 

[evilKat]

No definitely not dedicated by any means! It's my main PC..but I want to be able to watch vids on the big screen when I want to. I don't have optical outs on my sound card. I seem to have one on my mobo, but I mean I have a decent sound card...I'd like to use it if at all possible. So I would definitely need a receiver no matter what?

 

[IDversusEGO]

well, what speakers are you using if you don't have a receiver? youmentioned switching to the 5.1 for movies and 2.1 for all else. and I meant to say digital out, not optical. digital coax works just as well.

 

[evilKat]

well, what speakers are you using if you don't have a receiver? youmentioned switching to the 5.1 for movies and 2.1 for all else. and I meant to say digital out, not optical. digital coax works just as well.

I haven't even bought the speakers or the TV yet. I suppose if I get discrete speakers I will need a reciever to handle all the inputs or I can get logitec speakers and and use it's digital co-ax.

Actually since the money I have saved up will be used for the TV, would it be possible to do a crazy setup where I use the TV's speakers for front L/R and use the 2.1 Desktop Speaker's subwoofer for bass in conjunction with the TV's front L/R speakers? Would such a scheme be possible based on the specs of my audigy card? Just need a temporary solution to hold me over till i get the cash for a decent speaker set....