RPi Hifiberry SPDIF => USB Audio

[LK LAW]

I hope this is the right place to post it?

I'm planning on getting a TV with only optical audio out and hooking it up to a 5.1 set (that I already own) that is USB only (well it has AUX but it's not reliable, and I wouldn't be getting 5 channels). So my idea was to get an RPi 3B+ and a HifiBerry Digi+. Then connect the tv to the Digi+ and somehow output the sound from the RPi to the USB speakers.

I haven't really found anyone trying this though. would be different to any other DAC setup? Would I be able to configure ALSA via GUI or do I need mess with config files?

 

Cheers if you can steer me in the right direction

[tikker]

Sounds like a lot of workarounds that may or may not even work.

1 hour ago, LK LAW said:

5.1 set that is USB only

Why not save up and go for a proper setup?

[LK LAW]

My student budget doesn't really allow going all out.

1 hour ago, tikker said:

Why not save up and go for a proper setup?

 

[tikker]

2 hours ago, LK LAW said:

My student budget doesn't really allow going all out.

 

Ah yeah I understand. That's the general theme with audio unfortunately. Things get expensive quickly  

 

The first problem, reading on the HiFiBerry website, is that it's optical port is an output and so is your TV's. So you can't connect the two, because they're both outputting a signal and not receiving.

[LK LAW]

15 hours ago, tikker said:

Ah yeah I understand. That's the general theme with audio unfortunately. Things get expensive quickly  

 

The first problem, reading on the HiFiBerry website, is that it's optical port is an output and so is your TV's. So you can't connect the two, because they're both outputting a signal and not receiving.

The Digi+ I/O has input and output. I've just tried inputting my phone to Desktop MoBo and it works realtime with PulseAudioVolumeControl (though there's a lot of noise). So if there would any perceivable difference with SPDIF to USB and a less powerful machine (though the RPI 4 seems quite fast).

I guess the only way is to try?

The sound quality of my bose companion 5 is quite good and it's nearly 10 years old now, just wish the input options were more reliable.