5.1 help

[DARBADARBZ]

I have a Vizio S4251w-B4 (5.1) that has one optical input. I want my TV and PC to be used by the soundbar (one at a time, one turned on at a time). If I use an ASUS XONAR SE and plug it and my TV to one end of the BlueRigger 1x2 Toslink Digital Fiber Optic Audio Splitter 1 and the other end into the speaker, will true 5.1 still work from the speakers from the TV and PC? My goal is 5.1 from TV and PC to one optical. Preferably without crazy dongles and adapters. I don't have the soundcard or splitter yet; I was just looking. Because my speakers can kind of make stereo 5.1, but it sounds better true 5.1 and I'm just using Bluetooth right now. 

 

[cmndr]

Optical will do compressed 5.1 signals. It'll be MUCH better than bluetooth. 
If the soundbar has HDMI, you should be using HDMI. 

[DARBADARBZ]

Just now, cmndr said:

Optical will do compressed 5.1 signals. It'll be MUCH better than bluetooth. 
If the soundbar has HDMI, you should be using HDMI. 

What about the soundcard and splitting between TV and PC? will it still be 5.1?

Doesn't have HDMI.

[johnt]

I would avoid trying to use optical for surround sound from a PC. It is not a supported protocol for most games or software. It will only provide a stereo signal no matter what you do. 

[cmndr]

On 3/8/2023 at 6:01 PM, DARBADARBZ said:

What about the soundcard and splitting between TV and PC? will it still be 5.1?

Doesn't have HDMI.

The only way to get full 5.1 or higher is HDMI/DIsplayPort. SPDIF can do compressed 5 channel or full 2 channel. 
I'm not sure what logic your sound bar has but it IS possible to take a 2 channel signal and to split it into 5 channels of output, though it's sub-optimal. This mostly happens behind the scenes without your doing anything special (there might be a few modes you can toggle through on the soundbar but it'll depend on the sound bar - chances are they leave it on 'auto' though).