Question about connecting audio receiver and speakers to PC

MoonlightSylv · March 4, 2019

So my dad has a pretty great audio setup that we used to use on the basement TV, the subwoofer blew out recently so he doesn't use it anymore and he said I could use it if I could hook it up to my computer. It's pretty old and the receiver is meant for a TV however it has an optical input. Would I need anything special to convert optical to a standard 3.5mm audio cable? It also has RCA and probably some other things (maybe a 1/4in stereo jack but I'm not sure, that would make things easier now that I think about it) but assuming it doesn't and only has optical, how would I go about setting this up?

homeap5 · March 4, 2019

You may buy cheap soundcard with optical output and optical cable. If I good understand what you're saying.

It will be much easier to understand if you write more details like:

1. what output do you have in your PC.

2. what input do you have in that audio set and what exactly it is - you're talking once about subwoofer, then about receiver, so...? Do you have av amplifier + speakers without subwoofer (as I understand is not working) or you have only subwoofer?

If you have av amplifier + speakers and your computer has no optical output, then just use minijack to RCA cable and that's all you need.

Pasi123 · March 4, 2019

How many speakers you have? If you have only two speakers then just get a 3.5mm to RCA stereo cable.

MoonlightSylv · March 4, 2019

1 hour ago, Pasi123 said:

How many speakers you have? If you have only two speakers then just get a 3.5mm to RCA stereo cable.

They use speaker wire (no connectors on end)

1 hour ago, homeap5 said:

.

The speakers and subwoofer plug into the receiver. The receiver has optical and RCA inputs that I would connect to my computer in order for the speakers to output sound. A sound card is kinda what I was thinking. Any relatively inexpensive recommendations?

Edit: I just read the comment about 3.5mm to RCA. Would that work? I may have one.