Topic: Computer > Receiver playback

[newscane]

I have a Linux box in my living room with a huge hard drive, storing most of my recently-downloaded FLAC sets.  I'd like to setup playback through my Denon AVR-1603 receiver (about 8 years old) on the other side of the room (about 13-15 feet), in the most cost-effective way possible.  I don't really want to buy a piece of hardware that will tap into the network.  I'm guessing I can't get an optical cable to run that far (and I don't even have an optical out on the computer at the moment).  If I went 1/8" > RCA and ran that, how would that sound?  Or is that too far a run for that kind of cable?

[live2496]

According to wikipedia 5-10 meters is ok.

[newscane]

According to wikipedia 5-10 meters is ok.

I think that may be the route I go.  I found some long RCA cables...now I'll just need to find the right adapters to make everything plug in together.

And I gotta make sure my soundcard works under linux... hmm...

[live2496]

I didn't read your post carefully enough. I though you said you were using toslink. SPDIF over coaxial should be fine up to 10 meters. Be sure to use good coaxial cable.

[newscane]

I didn't read your post carefully enough. I though you said you were using toslink. SPDIF over coaxial should be fine up to 10 meters. Be sure to use good coaxial cable.

My receiver has optical ports open, but I'm pretty sure my current sound card doesn't have an optical out.  And I'm guessing that a long optical cable would be really expensive.  I don't think it has SPDIF coax either.  The computer is probably a good 10 years old (but works like a charm for my purposes!).  That's why I'm probably going to wind up using 1/8" > RCA...

[phanophish]

I run my current system over optical about 10 feet, but a longer optical cable is not that expensive and would work fine.   You could pick up a inexpensive sound card for $20-30 with Optical out and be good to go....


Cable
http://www.amazon.com/RiteAV-Digital-Optical-Toslink-Cable/dp/B000V06UIK/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1246281642&sr=1-31

or

http://www.amazon.com/RiteAV-ULTRA-Digital-Optical-Toslink/dp/B000V06ULC/ref=sr_1_51?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1246281683&sr=1-51

Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829126006

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829118105

[crazifyngers]

^^ will the optical work with linux?

[phanophish]

^^ will the optical work with linux?

Maybe not.  I run Windows on my media box and it works great. 

[live2496]

It's more of a question of whether or not the drivers work with linux.

I looked at both cards you mentioned. The first one seems like windows only. On the Turtle Beach card one reviewer mentioned that he got it to work with linux.

[phanophish]

It's more of a question of whether or not the drivers work with linux.

I looked at both cards you mentioned. The first one seems like windows only. On the Turtle Beach card one reviewer mentioned that he got it to work with linux.

Turtle Beache's site says they don't support linux.  I'd bet you can get the card working but not the SPDIF out

[live2496]

According to this guy Alsa drivers work with it. And SPDIF.  -gg

5.1 Passthough for MythTV/Linux

    Reviewed By: Ryan on 12/13/2006
    Rating + 5
    Tech Level Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
    This user purchased this item from Newegg

    Pros: Alsa under Linux recognized it without incident. 5.1 optical pass through to my receiver works very well. I only have the optical hooked up and Linux knows to use it for standard stereo sound, as well as 5.1
    Cons: None that I've noticed.
    Other Thoughts: Getting 5.1 spdif pass through to work under some applications is not always painless under Linux, but that is not limited to this card.

    I've not tried it at all under Windows, so I have no input related to the Turtle Beach drivers, or included software.

[phanophish]

According to this guy Alsa drivers work with it. And SPDIF.  -gg

5.1 Passthough for MythTV/Linux

    Reviewed By: Ryan on 12/13/2006
    Rating + 5
    Tech Level Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
    This user purchased this item from Newegg

    Pros: Alsa under Linux recognized it without incident. 5.1 optical pass through to my receiver works very well. I only have the optical hooked up and Linux knows to use it for standard stereo sound, as well as 5.1
    Cons: None that I've noticed.
    Other Thoughts: Getting 5.1 spdif pass through to work under some applications is not always painless under Linux, but that is not limited to this card.

    I've not tried it at all under Windows, so I have no input related to the Turtle Beach drivers, or included software.

Nice find, looks like the low budget solution for Linux!

[newscane]

yeah, I'm definitely liking that Turtle Beach card if I decide to go that route.  I saw a card with optical out this weekend at Best Buy for $25, but it looked like one that might not have Linux drivers.  If someone got it to work with MythTV... that's a very good sign.  And then maybe I can start downloading 24/96 shows

Thanks for all the help!

[Neilyboy]

Monoprice is the best bang for your buck..

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=2766&seq=1&format=2

$8.40 for a 35' optical.

or

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021802&p_id=5581&seq=1&format=2

$4.75 for 25' 3.5 to m/m rca.

I love monoprice cables. very nice cables.

Neil