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How To Connect 5.1 Speakers To Your Computer

If you want to enjoy movies and games these days, you need a proper 6-channel sound system — all the latest games and DVD movies are optimized to deliver a natural surround sound experience. If you already own a surround sound setup and want to connect 5.1 speakers to your computer, we’ll walk you through some easy steps to do it the right way.

What Is A 5.1 Sound System?

The number 5.1 means that you have six speakers arranged so that two are on the front, two are on the rear, one on the front center (known as the voice channel), and one subwoofer to provide bass. So you have five speakers and one subwoofer — this is what makes a 6-channel sound system 5.1.

how to connect 5.1 speakers diagram

Difference Between Digital And Analogue Sound Systems

There are two kinds of 6-channel surround speakers: analog and digital. Analog speakers are cheaper compared to digital and can be installed on any PC, while digital speakers require that you have a SPDIF output on your PC. If your PC has a SPDIF output, you might want to use a digital system.

The steps described here will be just the same, but instead of connecting your PC to a home theater receiver, you will be connecting it to a digital 6-channel speaker system. You can learn more about audio output standards from Sound On Sound’s guide to surround sound basics.

Know Your 5.1 Speaker System Before You Connect

Before touching a single cable, it is important to identify which type of 5.1 system you have, because the connection process is completely different depending on the answer.

Powered PC 5.1 speaker kits are the most common type sold for desktop use. In these systems, the amplifier and control electronics are built into the subwoofer or a dedicated control pod. All the satellite speakers plug directly into that unit, and the whole system then connects to your PC using three 3.5 mm analog cables, a single USB cable, or a digital optical/coaxial input. The cable steps covered in this article apply to this type of kit.

Passive home-theater speakers — the kind sold by brands like Monitor Audio or used in a traditional living-room AV setup — have no amplifier of their own. They must be connected to a separate AV receiver or amplifier using speaker wire, and the powered subwoofer connects to the receiver via an RCA or LFE cable. Passive 5.1 speakers cannot be plugged directly into a PC’s 3.5 mm line-out jacks and will produce no sound if you try. If you are working with passive speakers, you need an AV receiver between the PC and the speakers; the PC then connects to the receiver via HDMI, optical, or analog outputs, and the receiver handles all amplification and channel routing.

The rest of this guide assumes you are using a powered PC 5.1 speaker kit unless you are routing audio through an AV receiver.

Generally, all the cables from the speakers are connected to the subwoofer, which comes with a set of wires that includes: a power cord to connect the system to the AC outlet, a power connector to feed the subwoofer, and the subwoofer wires. Your system should come with at least three sets of cables for connecting your speaker system to your PC. These cables are usually color-coded to help with the installation.

How to Connect 5.1 Speakers: Start Connecting the Cables

You should connect the cables by matching the colors on the jacks located on the subwoofer. After connecting all these cables, it’s time to connect the remaining cables for power, subwoofer, and speakers. This is straightforward if you pay attention to the subwoofer connection — the polarity is written directly on the connectors. In the end, all your cables will be connected perfectly.

ports.jpg

The above image shows all the ports to connect the wires to, with color-coded labeling for easy reference.

Knowing Your Computer’s Audio Outputs

All computers have at least three connectors:

  • Line-In.
  • Line-out.
  • Mic.

Computers with six-channel audio systems have two additional connectors:

  • Rear out.
  • Center/subwoofer out.

You’ll need to confirm whether you have these extra connectors by checking the back of your computer.

If your computer doesn’t have the two extra outputs — rear out and center/subwoofer out — you may have seen advice suggesting you use the line-in and mic-in jacks as substitutes for those channels. This only works on certain audio chipsets that support a feature called jack retasking, which allows the driver to reassign a physical jack to a different audio function. Many modern PCs, and virtually all laptops, do not support jack retasking, so this workaround will simply fail on those machines. If you try it and get no audio from your rear or center channels, the feature is not available on your hardware.

In that case, you have three reliable alternatives:

  • HDMI to an AV receiver: Connect your PC to a 5.1-capable AV receiver via HDMI. The receiver decodes and routes all six channels to your speakers without needing any extra PC hardware.
  • External USB 5.1 sound card: A USB audio adapter with dedicated 5.1 analog outputs bypasses your motherboard entirely and adds true multi-channel output to any PC or laptop.
  • Internal sound card: Installing a dedicated PCIe sound card with true 5.1 analog outputs gives you the full three-jack setup and generally delivers better audio quality than most onboard solutions.

If jack retasking is unavailable and none of these alternatives are in place, the workaround using line-in and mic-in will not produce working surround sound. This is why it is recommended to buy a motherboard with a 5.1 system built in, or to use one of the alternatives above.

Configuration Of Computers With 5.1 Supporting Motherboards

  • Front cable: To Line out.
  • Rear cable: To the Rear-Out.
  • Center/Subwoofer cable: To Center/Subwoofer Out.

Configuration Of Computers Without 5.1 Supporting Motherboards

  • Front cable: To Line-out.
  • Rear cable: To Line in.
  • Center/Subwoofer cable: To Mic-in.

Software Configuration

Once all the cables are connected, you need to tell Windows that a 5.1 system is attached. Here is how to do that using the built-in Windows sound settings, which works on Windows 10 and Windows 11:

  • Open Settings and go to System > Sound.
  • Click More sound settings (Windows 11) or scroll to the bottom and click Sound Control Panel (Windows 10).
  • In the Playback tab, find your speakers or receiver in the list, right-click them, and select Set as Default Device.
  • With the device selected, click Configure.
  • Choose 5.1 Surround from the list of speaker setups and click Next.
  • Follow the on-screen prompts to identify which speakers are present in your setup, then click Finish.
  • Back in the Playback tab, click Test to send a tone to each channel individually and confirm everything is working.

If your center channel or rear speakers are silent after completing these steps, work through the following checks:

  • Make sure the playback device selected in Windows is actually your 5.1 output — not a separate stereo device or HDMI monitor audio.
  • Check that the game or application you are using has surround sound enabled in its own audio settings. Many apps default to stereo even when the Windows device is set to 5.1.
  • If you are using an AV receiver, confirm that its speaker configuration is set to a 5.1 speaker pattern, not a stereo or virtual surround mode, which can suppress discrete channels.
  • For USB 5.1 adapters, check the manufacturer’s companion software for a channel mapping or speaker test tool, as the Windows native configurator sometimes does not fully control USB devices.

If you are using a Realtek onboard audio chip, you may also have access to the Realtek Audio Console or the older Realtek HD Audio Manager. These are vendor utilities — not the default method for everyone — but they offer a dedicated Speaker Configuration tab where you can select 6 channel mode for 5.1 speaker output and run a per-channel test. Check Only surround-kit if your PC has the separated rear and center/subwoofer outputs, or leave it unchecked if you are using the line-in and mic-in workaround.

realtekscreenshot

Speaker Placement and Channel Test

Getting the wiring right is only half the job. Where you place each speaker has a significant impact on how convincing the surround effect actually sounds. Here are practical placement guidelines for a standard 5.1 setup:

  • Front left and right: Position these at roughly 22–30 degrees to the left and right of your listening position, ideally at ear level or angled slightly upward toward you.
  • Center channel: Place this speaker directly above or below your screen, aimed at the listening position. It carries most dialogue, so keeping it close to the screen helps voices feel anchored to the picture.
  • Surround left and right: These should sit to the sides or slightly behind your listening position, at approximately 90–120 degrees, and raised a little above ear level. This height difference helps the brain separate surround effects from direct sound.
  • Subwoofer: Bass is largely non-directional, so the subwoofer is more flexible in placement than the other speakers. Common starting points are in a front corner of the room or near the front wall. If the bass sounds boomy or thin, try moving it to a different position — even a small shift can make a noticeable difference.

Once everything is placed, run through this quick channel-check checklist to confirm your wiring and software configuration are correct:

  • Use the Windows speaker test (Playback > Configure > Test) and listen for each tone in the correct physical speaker.
  • Confirm the front left tone plays from the speaker to your left, and front right from the speaker to your right.
  • Confirm the center tone comes from the speaker above or below your screen.
  • Confirm the surround left and right tones play from the speakers behind or beside you.
  • Confirm the subwoofer produces a low rumble from its physical location.
  • If any channel plays from the wrong speaker, revisit the cable connections at the subwoofer hub or check the channel mapping in your sound card’s software.

Once the software configuration is complete, you are fully ready to enjoy a true surround sound experience. If you found this guide helpful for learning how to connect 5.1 speakers to your computer, feel free to leave a comment below.

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133 Comments

  1. This is completely useless you skipped over the speaker connections and how to amplify the sound, you cannot just plug a cord into a hi-fi system and go as those don’t have built in amps. I am looking for a site which I could refer folks too so I don’t have to repeat myself to everyone who asks. A real disappointment to me.

  2. How do I connect my turntable (with built-in amp) to a 5.1 pc surround system?

  3. Awesome, I did not know i could change the rear mic into my sub out. I can plug mic into the front and it still works.

  4. Hi I have connected Philips 5.1 speakers to my desktop, i have connected speakers to PC as per mentioned in “Configuration Of Computers Without 5.1 Supporting Motherboards”….In realtek Audio manager (windows 10), i have selected 5.1 speakers, later i tested, but i m listening sound only from front speakers but not all speakers PLEASE HELP

  5. look at it this way this is how the computer comes with Stereo settings blue input green output and pink microphone , when u set to 5.1 it sets them accordingly to blue rear , pink is center OR sub. Green as front. Now if u have a rear and center i believe u just buy a merge so u can have 2 plugs on the pink connection

  6. In my realtek there is only headphone and 2ch speaker option.There was noting as you shown on picture Iam using acer travelmate laptop

  7. I have the Gigabyte Z97M-DS3H Intel Z97 motherboard with 3 audio ports only and Windows 10 Pro. Will I be able to do this and if I connect my headphones to the front Mic port (separate from the 3 audio ports at rear) will this mute the speaker system when plugged in?

  11. hi i have lenovo mother board and i recenty bought 5.1 speakers in that only 2 chanels are woking plse give suggestion

  12. ok guy here is the one problem which i cant get solution.

    ( with my 5.1 in-built sound card on my motherboard )

    i cant get 5.1 effects from my speakers .

    my setup goes like this.

    I have

    Sony DVD player cant remember which model but have all connectivity on it ..

    back side of the dvd normal speaker connection & one HDMI connector & one red withe out.

    40″ sony bravie t.v

    My T.v is connected to my pc with HDMI cable which i get audio video both from it .

    an Aux port on tv is connected to my dvd. red withe cabel which is connected to my DVD player. from that i can listen all my speaker if turn to tv mode on dvd player. when i listen music or watch 5.1 format movies on my pc. but the thing is that sound is equally distributed to all speaker. cant have 5.1 experiences while watching movies.

    so any one out there with this kind of problem . or any solutions for it ….

    basically i want my pc to give 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound out while watching movies. from my dvd player

    is there any cable or convector or anything els.

    how can i do it any help………

    • Answer: Ok Please Note Couple of things very clear.

      You need to have internal 5.1 channel card for desktop.

      Always buy same company sound card and speakers.

      For laptops you need to have external usb 5.1 sound card but again of same company.

      Once you install sound card software it gives you configuring options use them

  13. ok guy here is the one problem which i cant get solution.

    ( with my 5.1 in-built sound card on my motherboard )

    i cant get 5.1 effects from my speakers .

    my setup goes like this.

    I have

    Sony DVD player cant remember which model but have all connectivity on it ..

    back side of the dvd normal speaker connection & one HDMI connector & one red withe out.

    40″ sony bravie t.v

    My T.v is connected to my pc with HDMI cable which i get audio video both from it .

    an Aux port on tv is connected to my dvd. red withe cabel which is connected to my DVD player. from that i can listen all my speaker if turn to tv mode on dvd player. when i listen music or watch 5.1 format movies on my pc. but the thing is that sound is equally distributed to all speaker. cant have 5.1 experiences while watching movies.

    so any one out there with this kind of problem . or any solutions for it ….

    basically i want my pc to give 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound out while watching movies. from my dvd player

    is there any cable or convector or anything els.

    how can i do it any help………

  15. hi i have a problem. i have a assembled pc i followed these steps correctly but whenever i turn off and restart only one set speakers are working.what could be the reason? any solution for it?

  20. Wow this was really helpfull, thanks! It is verry clear with the pictures. Thanks a lot!

  25. Excellent. Very Useful. Keep teach others who doesn’t know these kind of informations. Congrats.
    Maris Ramiah

  26. Exactly what i was looking for. But I have a query, this article is regarding a computer and realtek audio, but my laptop envy 15 has beats audio and there is no setting other than stereo. Is this laptop not capable of multi channel audio or i have to do some work around to make it play 5.1 audio for my 5.1 philips speaker?
    P.S. my laptop has three ports, two for headphones and one for mic.

  27. For the people asking about the 5.1 computer speakers that they want connected to their laptop. I believe the cheapest way to get the actual (not faked) 5.1 is to use a PCI slot for HDMI (with audio) out with a HDMI to (probably your 3 color jacks) or whatever needs to go in your speakers. Or if you have an HDMI out you have 5.1 right there. You just need a cable from HDMI to the jacks you need.

    If this helps you. Be thankful to the website that i could post here without having to sign up or become a member or something. Because i would have been too lazy to post an answer.

  28. Thanks so much its working really well and i will get a Motherboard with surround sound in the future
    Ross Tauranga

  29. Thanks so much its working really well and i will get a Motherboard with surround sound in the future
    Ross Tauranga

  31. My question was, how to connect 2 extra speakers to a 5.1 Home Theater system.
    Many thanks.
    Nel.

  32.  please some one help me, i am antony from chennai bought sony ID7000 5.1 speaker after seeing this page to connect it to my desktop computer, my system config : intel 55tc motherboard, I3 intel processor, when i connect my speakers into desktop as they given above, bought three pair of 3.5 mm male to stereo RCA cable, i connect into my system line out and line in and mic in, to front, rear, center & subwoofer in dvd option, but front left and right only working, when i enquired this into sony they said u can connect only inthe option of AUX mode and u ll get only 2.1 channel effect, its not possible to connect spealers into system line IN and mic in as u given above….

    please assist me all the person who are in ths page please please

  37. I really appreciate…the information in this article!!!!

    its been of soo much help to me!!!
    i almost searched the entire internet…and no where could i find such an informative and easy with pictures, solution!!!

    thank you!!!

  40. how to connect (Creative SBS A520 Multimedia 5.1 Speakers System Sub Woofer)to LCD with single pin. pls. give me name of the pin so i can Purchase in market.

  42. i have 5 spekers & subwoofers of sony with me…..can i connect this to my pc in 5.1 configuration??????……the home theater system doeasnt have any 5.1 input to it…..so i want to connnect the speakers independently…..how can i do this….

  47. I have Creative SBS 500 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speakers System.It has 3 inputs for Front + Sub-woofer, Center + Sub-woofer & Rear + Sub-woofer(as normal).Whenever I connect all these three cables at appropriate jacks to my PC, I could get sound output only from the 2 Front Speakers & Sub-woofer.This means that the other two inputs do not work.I also had changed the settings to 5.1 channels output option in the Audio Configuration Manager but still it doesn’t work.Please help me to find the solution for my this problem.
    Thanking You in Anticipation !!!

  48. I have Philips dvd player(dvp3588) with dts option & Philips Multimedia speakers(dsp6500) with 6500 PMPO watt. When I am trying to change the audio option from DOLBY to DTS, the speakers are not showing any difference in the audio even the disc has DTS option. Inorder to show difference in the audio, what i have to do? Kindly suggest. Do I need to change my system to HTS model in Philips itself.

  49. I purchased SBS A520 5.1 but my computer is 2.1 which has one output and one mice slot. Kindly tell me how to make subwoofer + speakers work together.

  52. I purchesed new PC but problem with home theatre there is a only one pin for home theatre as green my Laptop plays a home theatre but PC with win7 wont work there are three port for CPU at back and two at front I connected to all but it not working but PC shows as working a DIGITAL AUDIO DEVICE please help me ////I really in problem………..

  53. i m nt hvng 5.1 sound card on my pc……if i would buy it how much it will cost and what i will do with that old 2.1 sound card……it will remain there or it will be removed….?????? Is there any 5.1 external sound card like ext hard drives…….PLZ reply///i really need help///

  54. i don’t know motherboard suported 5.1 sound card ya not.
    how can i check?????

  55. Can you anyone help me on this?

    I have a problem with my creative speakers; that power controler is not working; so the speakers not getting power supply. Can i work the speakers with out power controler? is there any option to connect the speakers directly?

    Thanks in advance

    Shankar

  56. i just bought myself a sound card for my pc and it make the quality of you system so much better that without the card, i never thought it would make such a big difference.

  59. Even i am having a same problem that in window 7, 5.1 speaker is not working, only two speaker is working that also in rear right and rear left, but not in other hole. And also Speaker Configuration tab i am not getting in window 7 like in xp Speaker Configuration tab is automatically install when i install audio driver so please kindly help me with the images or diagram

    Thank you

  60. I do not have a 5.1 supporting motherboard, I do however have a 5.1 system, I did not know you could plug the different cables into ports such as Line-in and Mic-in, surely that wouldn’t work? Hmm, I will try this tomoro and let you guys know.

  63. Let Me check this configuration wheather this will work out … I ll check and live a good comment!!! ONthis

  64. I purchased intex 4650 elegant 5.1 but my laptop is 2.1 which has one output and one mice slot. Kindly tell me how to make subwoofer + speakers work together.

  65. hi i have lcd tv with optical pin but i have normal 5.1 home theater so how can i connect optical to home theater is there any option for optical to 5.1 channel output

  66. Solved! As always the instructions on the speaker pamphlet were next to useless – your explanation and photos sorted it out quickly. Thanks.

  67. Hey, the idea that u gave helped me very much & with the idea i connected my 5.1 with the computer.

    Thank’s a lot

  69. I read the complete artical , Q n A . I learnt , if I buy creative t6100 which has 3 cables , it will work with my dell N5010. This laptop has only two 3.5 ports . One for mic as i/p and other for headfones as o/p.
    So if I connect two cables on these two ports , will the creative t6100 home theater work? And if I plug in only green cable into headphone out , will all the speakers (six) work?

  70. hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop

  71. hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop,,,,,,,,,,plz help me very soon
    thanks

    • Hi to hook your laptop up to your 5.1 system take the three cables from the speakers, place the green one in your headphone socket, the black one in line out and the orange cable into the mic in socket. This should work but i’m not sure if this gives Digital Output, does anybody know if it does?

  72. You can’t get the best 5.1 channel sound experiences except your computer have proper sound card on your CPU that support for 5.1 or 7.1 channel output.

    Find out the best surround sound headset on http://www.surroundsoundheadset.net

  76. Same Problem……………………
    hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop. somebody told me purchase one usb sound card,
    and some body told me you can t able to connect. and somebody told me that you can connect easily with the help of connector. but you may get only 2.1 out put. due to theese reasons i am totally confused. weather we can able to connect or not? can you help me plasae……

  77. how to connection cable in 5.1 sound card. I have software 3 types. which is software use in my computer.

  80. thank uuuuuuuu sooooooooo muchhhhhhhhhh……………………..i thought to buy sound card..but u made it very simple……….great work carry on…………..

  81. 1st of all , thank u for the information but my problem is, my 4.1 speakers were working while I had installed windows XP but when I installed windows7, two speakers are working and rest are not and I tried a lot to fix this problem but dint succeed. So can you please suggest how to fix this problem?

  83. Hi
    I have 5.1 speakers that I’m trying to connect to my pc, but the only input sockets are “Left” and “Right” – no Front In, Rear In or Center/Sub In. How would I connect this to a Realtek sound card with only the three Pink, Green and Blue sockets?

  84. hai

    how i connect to creative 5.1 speaker in intel 41rq mother board, because creative speaker inspiron 6160 model is 3 connectors but i connected woofer is not working please give me a tips
    thank u

  85. Hi,
    i tried all the possible guidelines provided above , however was unsuccessful.
    i have Philips DSP 2500, 5.1 Channel speaker system and the PC has 3 outputs on the back side. i purchased the cables mentioned above 1-1 but no luck. please guide to a resolution.

  86. where can download this realtek https://www.addictivetips.com/app/uploads/2008/09/realtekscreenshot.jpg please!!!

  87. thnx thnx thnx a lot 🙂
    searching for a long time how to connect the speakers 😀 thnx a lot.

  88. Read all this but i haven’t found an answer to this question:
    I have an Acer 5738g laptop that has HDMI and SP/DIF outputs. I want to connect to my Sony STR-DE875 AV Amplifier which is old but does decode DTS and Dolby Digital Sound. It has digital coaxial and optical digital toslink connections (along with the regular phonos of course).
    I have some Mission 5.1 surround speakers connected to the speaker terminals on the amp.
    These are not PC speakers, just regular Hi-Fi speakers.
    Now, what cable can I use to connect the laptop to the amp and get DIGITAL 5.1/DTS sound?
    The SP/DIF sockets on the laptop are 3.5″ headphone types coloured blue, pink and black.
    I can get analogue sound via just the headphone jack which comes thru all 5 speakers but this is not Digital.
    I wanna get the DTS processor in the amp to decode the sound from the laptop but i need the right cable. I think i can figure out the software settings once I have that.
    Any ideas greatly appreciated!!

  89. right now, there is mainboard with 5.1 dedicated sound card, so its getting easier to get hi def multimedia from your pc

  91. Hey, I have a new Dell Studio 15 laptop, with 3 audio outputs (one for mic). But when I plug in my Creative 5.1 speakers’ 3 jacks onto this all the speakers do not work. I presume this is because one of them is mic port. How to rectify this?

  92. @arun : select 6chspeaker under the Audio I/O tab in realtek. Then u wil find all 5 speakers working ..:-)

  93. Now that the 5.1 speakers are attached to my computer, I would like to run the audio out from my TV and from my Blu-ray player into the computer to play over the 5.1 speakers.

    What methods can transport all of the channels from the player and/or TV to the PC? I only have a 3.5mm line in on my old Creative Audigy 2ZS card, but maybe I can repurpose some of the other inputs (e.g. mic) as was done here?

    The TV has outs for optical and for RCA (the standard red/white 2-plug RCA) while the Blu-Ray has optical, 2-plug RCA, and 6-plug RCA for 7.1, and HDMI outputs.

    I have some 2-plug RCA to 3.5 mm cables–if I run sound out from the Blu-ray into the TV via HDMI, that should get all the channels from the Blu-Ray to the TV, but then can I just use a 2-plug RCA connection from the TV into the single 3.5mm line-in on my sound card and get all of the channel data?

    Any advice appreciated.

    • hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop. somebody told me purchase one usb sound card,
      and some body told me you can t able to connect. and somebody told me that you can connect easily with the help of connector. but you may get only 2.1 out put. due to theese reasons i am totally confused. weather we can able to connect or not? can you help me plasae……

  94. Connecting the headphone OUT of laptop to AUX input on creative WOOFER with single cable is the easiest solution to connect home theatre to a LA

  95. This advice was helpful, but there is a but :s.. I have a HP Pavilion dv7 notebook Laptop. And there are three 3.5mm inputs on my computer. Mic in, headphones, and another I don’t know what is for. And the computer has an IDT Audio Driver.
    My problem is that I’ve tried every single combinations of inputs, plug ins and driver options, but still my Logitech X-540 5.1 speaker won’t work. Ive checked for driver updates etc , but It says that all drivers are up to date. what am I going to do to get them work ?
    Thank you.

  96. I’ve been looking for the answer to the question: how do I assign the Line in and Mic in ports? You partially answered the question with your Realtek Picture, but the Realtek i have doesn’t have that part which assigns the Mic and Line in to speakers. I have an Acer aspire 5920G notebook and i had Vista originally and then wiped my computer and installed 7 because something was wrong with it. Do you know how i can get any program that will assign those two ports to be speakers? Thanks.

  97. Question: I have an antique laptop with (4) USB Ports and only a blue (computer component) and round (also computer component) jacks on the back. I see that connecting a subwoofter to the phone jack is not ideal as the subwooffer is used primarily to boost the base. However, in the interim, will this work to get more powerful sound out of my laptop for now until I win the lottery or something? Is there any other option that I am missing? I would like to use the music on my laptop (or MP3) for dancing at parties.

  98. hey… i formated my pc… but i dont have my driver disk… i downloaded most of them and its working perfectly except for my 5.1… which driver should i install..??.. right now the realtek i hav shows only upto 2 speaker configuration… and as a result only 2 of my 5 speakers r working… pls do reply soon..

  99. guys this portal is helpful, i connected my 5.1 hometheater to my Mac desktop using this idea. Thanks a lot

  100. hi i was wondering if anyone knows the wiring diagram for a 3 plug 5.1 surround sound card so i can make my own cables as long as i need so i can plug my desktop into my 5.1 surround sound system. my computer has the 3 plugs blue green and pink and i read the manuel and found out that the sound cards is a 6 channel sound card but i need to find out the wiring for each one one plug is front the other is rear and the last plugin is for center/sub. please help

  101. hi i was wondering if anyone knows the wiring diagram for a 3 plug 5.1 surround sound card so i can make my own cables as long as i need so i can plug my desktop into my 5.1 surround sound system. my computer has the 3 plugs blue green and pink and i read the manuel and found out that the sound cards is a 6 channel sound card but i need to find out the wiring for each one one plug is front the other is rear and the last plugin is for center/sub. please help and msg me back r_n_r at live dot ca

  105. This board is kinda old, I know but… I got one question… Should subwoofer have sound in 5.1 configuration ? As I don't hear any sound from it, just enormous bass. I guess it's fine though, I'd like to fix it so that subwoofer would have sound with bass.

    • Terrano, a subwoofer IS a bass speaker. it's not intended to play all audio ranges. just bass. it's meant to make that bass audio really thump out and be loud enough to be felt.

  106. Connecting the headphone OUT of laptop to AUX input on creative WOOFER with single cable is the easiest solution to connect home theatre to a LAPTOP.

  107. Connecting the headphone OUT of laptop to AUX input on creative WOOFER with single cable is the easiest solution to connect home theatre to a LAPTOP.

  108. Connecting the headphone OUT of laptop to AUX input on creative WOOFER with single cable is the easiest solution to connect home theatre to a LAPTOP.

  109. I have a lenovo G550 laptop. I already own an INTEX IT-4800 5.1 home theatre. The laptop has only one output for headphone, one input for mic.The 5.1 has two modes, a single wire input or a 3-wire input. In both modes we can have SONGS ON ALL SPEAKERS.Surprisingly, the jacks are same 3.5 mm like the headphone.Yes, It is possible to connect directly, but The question is, is there any damage to my laptop if I DIRECTLY CONNECT my LAPTOP to the home theatre ?

    • no
      THere is no return signal. you can hook the wire from your laptop to any input on any piece of equipment and have no problems.

  111. “Since we had Realtec drivers on our PC, Double clicking it opened up Speaker Configuration tab. ”

    What version of Realtek drivers was this demonstration done with?

  112. I have search the internet for soooooo long and this by far is the best / ultimate answer for the BIG QUESTION……HOW TO CONNECT 5.1 SPEAKER TO A LAPTOP ? ….. some suggested to buy USB Sound Card others say not possible due to only one output (headphone) is available in the laptop. The confusion arises on how to connect the three cables ( Front, Rear, Center/Subwoofer) from the 5.1 speakers to only one available output ( Headphone output )while the other 2 are input ( Mic input and Line In) in the laptop. Your solution was when you mentioned that the other2 inputs of the laptops can be configured as 2 outputs also….EUREKA ! ! !…., so the result is after configuring, there will be 3 outputs available instead of the original 1 output only. After the speaker config (REALTEK) the three outputs will now be FRONT, REAR, and CENTER/SUBWOOFER….problem solve. Thanks a lot…..no more buying additional gadgets/USB whatever. From the lonely deserts of KUWAIT CITY…Desert Rat Patrol over and out.

    • hi i am having one lenovo laptop.it is having only two out puts. that is one haed phone out. and one microphone out. unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system.it is having three cables. then how i connected this home theatre system to my laptop. somebody told me purchase one usb sound card,
      and some body told me you can t able to connect. and somebody told me that you can connect easily with the help of connector. but you may get only 2.1 out put. due to theese reasons i am totally confused. weather we can able to connect or not? can you help me plasae……..

    • Hi, i am having laptop and OS is Vista Basic, it is having only one mic input and one audio output. . unfortunately i purchased one creative 5.1 home theatre system with three cables. My question is how to connect this to laptop. Can it be able to connect or not? Please help.
      Thanks

    • i bought creative sound blaster 5.1 for my 5.1 creative speaker system. i installed the sound blaster software in the laptop. i checked through the app channel, all speakers responding correctly. but whenever i play any audio in the laptop, only 2.1 sound only coming. can you please help me

    • kabayan talagang OK ba ang 5.1 sorround mo kahit laptop ang gamit, paano mo na connect sa laptop dalawa lang ang jack 1 for headphone 1 is for mic, kasi tatlo yong jack ng 5.1 green yelow at saka black yong isa e disable mo saan po ang hindi e connect?

    • If you dont want to have the highest quality you can at least make 4 speakers and sub work by simply connecting cables from sub to the easy switch that people use for phones to listen to music with two pairs of headphones. Don’t know but it should work fine with all 3 cables if you find that kind of switch that has 3 inputs 🙂

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