[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home Theatre
PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system doesn't
have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors for
left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line out
sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can support
up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug. However what
plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one end
supports more connections than the other?

For a similar example, on the smaller 2.5mm mobile phone sockets you can
use stereo headphones (3 conductor) or headphones and a microphone (4
conductor). How do you cope with both plugs?

Anyway.

For my set up the audio output from the card is plugging into the rear of
an old AV amplifier which has phono connectors. I am assuming that for the
front speakers I need a 3.5mm stereo jack plug to two phono plugs. I can
see these on t'Internet easily.

For the other connectors, I assume I need a 4 conductor 3.5mm jack to 3
separate phonos (for example side left, centre, sub). All the ones I am
seeing are marked "left, right, video". That is, old style pre SCART audio/
video cables. Are these O.K. for my set up or is there a magic search
phrase I haven't yet located?

Cheers


Dave R

--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

On 15/04/16 18:56, David wrote:
[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home Theatre
PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system doesn't
have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors for
left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line out
sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can support
up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug. However what
plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one end
supports more connections than the other?

For a similar example, on the smaller 2.5mm mobile phone sockets you can
use stereo headphones (3 conductor) or headphones and a microphone (4
conductor). How do you cope with both plugs?

Anyway.

For my set up the audio output from the card is plugging into the rear of
an old AV amplifier which has phono connectors. I am assuming that for the
front speakers I need a 3.5mm stereo jack plug to two phono plugs. I can
see these on t'Internet easily.

For the other connectors, I assume I need a 4 conductor 3.5mm jack to 3
separate phonos (for example side left, centre, sub). All the ones I am
seeing are marked "left, right, video". That is, old style pre SCART audio/
video cables. Are these O.K. for my set up or is there a magic search
phrase I haven't yet located?

should be just fine


Cheers


Dave R



--
The biggest threat to humanity comes from socialism, which has utterly
diverted our attention away from what really matters to our existential
survival, to indulging in navel gazing and faux moral investigations
into what the world ought to be, whilst we fail utterly to deal with
what it actually is.

On 15/04/16 21:40, pamela wrote:
Personally I really like the special effects channel and wouldn't
be without it.

Is that the channel with the cunning stunts on it?


--
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
someone else's pocket.

On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through
the description, but would still like to check my
understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a
Home Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker
system doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for
the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to
7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2
connectors - signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you
get 3 connectors for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone
plugs). However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone"
convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three
line out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels
for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you
can support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor
plug. However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want
only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where
one end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3
pole jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3
pole jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also
the special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third
3 pole jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of
these leads just lying around.

See page 22 he

http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...SD/12807/0x990
E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

For a similar example, on the smaller 2.5mm mobile phone sockets
you can use stereo headphones (3 conductor) or headphones and a
microphone (4 conductor). How do you cope with both plugs?

Anyway.

For my set up the audio output from the card is plugging into
the rear of an old AV amplifier which has phono connectors. I am
assuming that for the front speakers I need a 3.5mm stereo jack
plug to two phono plugs. I can see these on t'Internet easily.

For the other connectors, I assume I need a 4 conductor 3.5mm
jack to 3 separate phonos (for example side left, centre, sub).
All the ones I am seeing are marked "left, right, video". That
is, old style pre SCART audio/ video cables. Are these O.K. for
my set up or is there a magic search phrase I haven't yet
located?

4 pole jacks would work but are unnecessary.

If that old AV amp of yours supports optical then it makes
everything simpler and is also more reliable.

Personally I really like the special effects channel and wouldn't
be without it.


Americans call the poles tip ring and sleeve.
They even still call the conductors in a telephone wire pair T&R
because that's where they were connected in a manual telephone
exchange.



--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

In article ,
Graham. wrote:
Americans call the poles tip ring and sleeve.
They even still call the conductors in a telephone wire pair T&R
because that's where they were connected in a manual telephone
exchange.

The standard GPO plug - in the days of manual exchanges etc where you saw
the operator plug up a call - and also used for broadcast jackfields, was
called TRS. I assumed this was a UK device - although it might have
originated in the US.

--
*You! Off my planet!

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Indeed the only issues I've found with sound cards on board or otherwise has
been weird shushing noises when discs are accessed or lots of memory shoving
about goes on.
Iyt seems this is either due to the interference radiating to the audio or
its on the power lines on theh PC, so I do sometimes wonder why somebody
does not address this problem. Even a usb box seems to get it on the
playback sockets.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 15/04/16 18:56, David wrote:
[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre
PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't
have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors for
left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line out
sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support
up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug. However what
plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one end
supports more connections than the other?

For a similar example, on the smaller 2.5mm mobile phone sockets you can
use stereo headphones (3 conductor) or headphones and a microphone (4
conductor). How do you cope with both plugs?

Anyway.

For my set up the audio output from the card is plugging into the rear of
an old AV amplifier which has phono connectors. I am assuming that for
the
front speakers I need a 3.5mm stereo jack plug to two phono plugs. I can
see these on t'Internet easily.

For the other connectors, I assume I need a 4 conductor 3.5mm jack to 3
separate phonos (for example side left, centre, sub). All the ones I am
seeing are marked "left, right, video". That is, old style pre SCART
audio/
video cables. Are these O.K. for my set up or is there a magic search
phrase I haven't yet located?

should be just fine


Cheers


Dave R



--
The biggest threat to humanity comes from socialism, which has utterly
diverted our attention away from what really matters to our existential
survival, to indulging in navel gazing and faux moral investigations into
what the world ought to be, whilst we fail utterly to deal with what it
actually is.

In article ,
Brian Gaff wrote:
Indeed the only issues I've found with sound cards on board or otherwise
has been weird shushing noises when discs are accessed or lots of memory
shoving about goes on. Iyt seems this is either due to the interference
radiating to the audio or its on the power lines on theh PC, so I do
sometimes wonder why somebody does not address this problem. Even a usb
box seems to get it on the playback sockets.

Think it depends on the quality of the sound card. I bought one used at a
BBC auction - ex Bush house - that has balanced inputs and outputs, as
well as unbalanced. That is as quiet as you'd wish. But IIRC, cost about
300 quid new.

Had a similar problem with an expensive Samsung TV. As is common these
days, no analogue output specifically for connection to an external amp,
so used the headphone socket. That had low level noise on it too. So had
to get a toslink to phono adaptor which is clean.

--
*Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors
for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone plugs).
However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone" convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line
out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one
end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3 pole
jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3 pole
jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also the
special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third 3 pole
jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of these
leads just lying around.

See page 22 he

http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...SD/12807/0x990
E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

snip

The link you provide is the one I was using to conclude that "4 pole"
jacks were required - that is, tip, two rings and a sleeve.

Look, for example, at Page 15 which shows a jack plug foe Line Out 3 and 3
RCA plugs to go into the AV equipment.

From this example, line out 3 carries sub/centre/side L which (as far as I
can see) requires 3 poles, one for each channel, plus a common ground/
earth making 4 poles in all.

So I would expect a 3.5mm four pole jack and 3 RCA plugs; one for each
signal channel and with ground/earth shared between the 3 * RCA.

Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left audio,
right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My main concern
is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm video cable
(yellow) are significantly different from the two audio cables (red and
white).

Cheers


Dave r



--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

On Sat, 16 Apr 2016 12:17:42 +0000, David wrote:

On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors
for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone plugs).
However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone" convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line
out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one
end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3 pole
jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3 pole
jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also the
special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third 3 pole
jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of these
leads just lying around.

See page 22 he

http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...SD/12807/0x990
E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

snip

The link you provide is the one I was using to conclude that "4 pole"
jacks were required - that is, tip, two rings and a sleeve.

Look, for example, at Page 15 which shows a jack plug foe Line Out 3 and
3 RCA plugs to go into the AV equipment.

From this example, line out 3 carries sub/centre/side L which (as far as
I can see) requires 3 poles, one for each channel, plus a common ground/
earth making 4 poles in all.

So I would expect a 3.5mm four pole jack and 3 RCA plugs; one for each
signal channel and with ground/earth shared between the 3 * RCA.

Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left
audio, right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My
main concern is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm
video cable (yellow) are significantly different from the two audio
cables (red and white).

Just to add the following link:

http://support.creative.com/kb/showa....aspx?sid=4699

which contains a nice colour picture of the cable I require.

I have raised a support query to ask where I can buy one since they don't
seem to be for sale in the store.

We shall see.

The feeling I am getting is that analogue is so last century and
everything is digital now.

However I am trying to avoid using the on-board DAC for the AV amp because
I am planning to connect the optical digital connection to the stereo amp
to use the on board DAC there for playing music.

Cheers

Dave R





--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

On 16/04/16 13:17, David wrote:
On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors
for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone plugs).
However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone" convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line
out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one
end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3 pole
jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3 pole
jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also the
special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third 3 pole
jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of these
leads just lying around.

See page 22 he

http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...SD/12807/0x990
E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

snip

The link you provide is the one I was using to conclude that "4 pole"
jacks were required - that is, tip, two rings and a sleeve.

Look, for example, at Page 15 which shows a jack plug foe Line Out 3 and 3
RCA plugs to go into the AV equipment.

From this example, line out 3 carries sub/centre/side L which (as far as I
can see) requires 3 poles, one for each channel, plus a common ground/
earth making 4 poles in all.

So I would expect a 3.5mm four pole jack and 3 RCA plugs; one for each
signal channel and with ground/earth shared between the 3 * RCA.

Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left audio,
right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My main concern
is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm video cable
(yellow) are significantly different from the two audio cables (red and
white).


Almost certainly not.

Indeed at that length I would doubt that any special effort to make the
75 ohm one '75 ohm' would be undertaken.

reflections would be so short in time as to be unnoticeable.


Cheers


Dave r





--
The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all
private property.

Karl Marx

In article ,
David wrote:
Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left
audio, right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My
main concern is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm
video cable (yellow) are significantly different from the two audio
cables (red and white).

Eh? A cable which can handle a high video bandwidth isn't going to have
any problems with audio. And unbalanced audio is generally low impedance
out, high in. So the typical cable impedance is neither here nor there.

--
*When did my wild oats turn to prunes and all bran?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sat, 16 Apr 2016 13:35:48 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 16/04/16 13:17, David wrote:
On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound
card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors
-
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors
for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone plugs).
However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone" convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line
out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one
end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3 pole
jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3 pole
jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also the
special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third 3 pole
jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of these
leads just lying around.

See page 22 he

http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...SD/12807/0x990
E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

snip

The link you provide is the one I was using to conclude that "4 pole"
jacks were required - that is, tip, two rings and a sleeve.

Look, for example, at Page 15 which shows a jack plug foe Line Out 3
and 3 RCA plugs to go into the AV equipment.

From this example, line out 3 carries sub/centre/side L which (as far
as I
can see) requires 3 poles, one for each channel, plus a common ground/
earth making 4 poles in all.

So I would expect a 3.5mm four pole jack and 3 RCA plugs; one for each
signal channel and with ground/earth shared between the 3 * RCA.

Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left
audio, right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My
main concern is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm
video cable (yellow) are significantly different from the two audio
cables (red and white).


Almost certainly not.

Indeed at that length I would doubt that any special effort to make the
75 ohm one '75 ohm' would be undertaken.

reflections would be so short in time as to be unnoticeable.

Thanks.

Possibly go for about 1 metre in length to allow some flexibility in
pulling out shelves to get at the back of the kit.

Is any significant shielding required?

Or will the "cheap as chips" cables be fine?

Lot of A/C power and other signal cables down the back of the stack.

Cheers


Dave R



--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

In article ,
David wrote:
Possibly go for about 1 metre in length to allow some flexibility in
pulling out shelves to get at the back of the kit.

Is any significant shielding required?

Phono cables are generally co-ax anyway.

Or will the "cheap as chips" cables be fine?

Lot of A/C power and other signal cables down the back of the stack.

Always best practice to keep signal and power cables separated. If they
must cross, do so at right angles.

--
*Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 16 Apr 2016 13:02:35 GMT, David wrote:

On Sat, 16 Apr 2016 13:35:48 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 16/04/16 13:17, David wrote:
On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound
card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors
-
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors
for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone plugs).
However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone" convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line
out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one
end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3 pole
jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3 pole
jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also the
special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third 3 pole
jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of these
leads just lying around.

See page 22 he

http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...SD/12807/0x990
E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

snip

The link you provide is the one I was using to conclude that "4 pole"
jacks were required - that is, tip, two rings and a sleeve.

Look, for example, at Page 15 which shows a jack plug foe Line Out 3
and 3 RCA plugs to go into the AV equipment.

From this example, line out 3 carries sub/centre/side L which (as far
as I
can see) requires 3 poles, one for each channel, plus a common ground/
earth making 4 poles in all.

So I would expect a 3.5mm four pole jack and 3 RCA plugs; one for each
signal channel and with ground/earth shared between the 3 * RCA.

Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left
audio, right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My
main concern is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm
video cable (yellow) are significantly different from the two audio
cables (red and white).


Almost certainly not.

Indeed at that length I would doubt that any special effort to make the
75 ohm one '75 ohm' would be undertaken.

reflections would be so short in time as to be unnoticeable.

Thanks.

Possibly go for about 1 metre in length to allow some flexibility in
pulling out shelves to get at the back of the kit.

Is any significant shielding required?

Or will the "cheap as chips" cables be fine?

Lot of A/C power and other signal cables down the back of the stack.

Cheers


Dave R

I've always used short thin audio phono leads for component
interconnects from DVD players with no adverse affects.


--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 16/04/2016 19:56, pamela wrote:

I used to neatly coil my main power leads and then secure the coils
with a cable tie. Would 5 or 6 turns be enough to cause
interference?

The electrons will get dizzy if you do that.

You could do half coiled one way then half the other :-)

On Sat, 16 Apr 2016 19:52:54 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 13:30 16 Apr 2016, David wrote:

On Sat, 16 Apr 2016 12:17:42 +0000, David wrote:

On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 21:40:38 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 18:56 15 Apr 2016, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound
card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors
- signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3
connectors for left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

Wikipedia calls them conductors but I call them poles.

There are some conventions about how the poles are used which gets
followed for compatibility (eg headphone sockets and heaphone plugs).
However Creative doesn't follow this "headphone" convention.

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line
out sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one
end supports more connections than the other?

Creative sends the signals for the 2 front channels through one 3
pole jack.

It sends the signals for the 2 rear channels through a second 3 pole
jack.

Finally it sends the signals for the centre front channel and also
the special effects channel (which you don't want) through a third 3
pole jack.

These are ordinary 3 pole stereo jacks. You might have some of these
leads just lying around.

See page 22 he


http://files2.europe.creative.com/ma...s/TSD/12807/0x
990 E8CD3/Audigy%205_Rx%20UG%20English.pdf

snip

The link you provide is the one I was using to conclude that "4 pole"
jacks were required - that is, tip, two rings and a sleeve.

Look, for example, at Page 15 which shows a jack plug foe Line Out 3
and 3 RCA plugs to go into the AV equipment.

From this example, line out 3 carries sub/centre/side L which (as far
as I can see) requires 3 poles, one for each channel, plus a common
ground/ earth making 4 poles in all.

So I would expect a 3.5mm four pole jack and 3 RCA plugs; one for each
signal channel and with ground/earth shared between the 3 * RCA.

Four poles to three RCA is a common very old video standard - left
audio, right audio, composite video. These cables are dirt cheap. My
main concern is if the electrical characteristics of the yellow 75 ohm
video cable (yellow) are significantly different from the two audio
cables (red and white).

Just to add the following link:

http://support.creative.com/kb/showa....aspx?sid=4699

which contains a nice colour picture of the cable I require.

In that diagram I see 8 RCA phone plugs and that means 8 separate signal
paths. Perhaps that diagram is for 7.1 speakers.

However you want a diagram for 5.1. (5.0 and disregard the .1 signal).

snip

As far as I can see I need those cables because the 3.5mm plugs match the
line out sockets with regard to the number of poles/conductors.
[Please look back to my original query about a mis-match between the
number of conductors in the socket and the number of conductors on the
plug.]

I don't need to connect all the RCA plugs - just the relevant 5.

Cheers

Dave R





--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

In article ,
pamela wrote:
Are 5 or 6 turns of mains lead sufficient to cause interference with
regular line level audio in neighbouring meads or am I fussing over
nothing?

By far and away the highest level audio signal carried by mains wiring is
50 Hz. So that is the most likely one to be heard. There may also be more
spikey interference from dimmers and SMPS, etc. But it's more likely to be
picked up by things like an LP cartridge, or analogue tape recorder etc
than the wiring. Easiest way to check is to turn off the sound source (TV
or whatever) and turn up the power amp to max, and see if you can hear any
nasties.

People fussing over nothing is what keeps Russ Andrews in business
and I don't want to join them.

Russ Andrews appears to hear things no one else can. Or could just be
lying. Of course unscrupulous business separating money from the gullible
is exactly what many want to preserve. Wouldn't do to stop it by
regulation. ;-)

--
*A plateau is a high form of flattery*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 15:44:52 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 12:47 17 Apr 2016, Huge wrote:

On 2016-04-17, pamela wrote:

[123 lines snipped]

1 If the AV sockets are RCA then scratch what I said.
We've come almost 2 full circle!

Sigh.

*plonk*

Huge, not all long re-posts have no purpose. I've left in the text of
previous posts because a number of technical points have been raised in
them and their relevance is still being discussed.

I would normally apologise if I inadvertently make an excessive repost
(as I sometimes do) but this is not one of those times.

I'd say this is *especially* not one of those times (this posting was
his one and only contribution to this thread).

Why he picked on you to have a go at over the matter of failing to
'trim' the attributions when there have been so many others 'committing
the same sin', escapes me right now.

At least if and when the question of "Should I trim or not trim?" comes
up again, you no longer have to consider his feelings in the matter. :-)

--
Johnny B Good

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 18:52:53 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 15:44:52 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 12:47 17 Apr 2016, Huge wrote:

On 2016-04-17, pamela wrote:

[123 lines snipped]

1 If the AV sockets are RCA then scratch what I said.
We've come almost 2 full circle!

Sigh.

*plonk*

Huge, not all long re-posts have no purpose. I've left in the text of
previous posts because a number of technical points have been raised in
them and their relevance is still being discussed.

I would normally apologise if I inadvertently make an excessive repost
(as I sometimes do) but this is not one of those times.

I'd say this is *especially* not one of those times (this posting was
his one and only contribution to this thread).

Why he picked on you to have a go at over the matter of failing to
'trim' the attributions when there have been so many others 'committing
the same sin', escapes me right now.

At least if and when the question of "Should I trim or not trim?" comes
up again, you no longer have to consider his feelings in the matter. :-)

A request for information. :-)

Are people who only join a thread to post *Plonk* by definition plonkers?

Or is there another more technical term?

Cheers

Dave R

--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 19:27:07 +0000, David wrote:

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 18:52:53 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 15:44:52 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 12:47 17 Apr 2016, Huge wrote:

On 2016-04-17, pamela wrote:

[123 lines snipped]

1 If the AV sockets are RCA then scratch what I said.
We've come almost 2 full circle!

Sigh.

*plonk*

Huge, not all long re-posts have no purpose. I've left in the text of
previous posts because a number of technical points have been raised
in them and their relevance is still being discussed.

I would normally apologise if I inadvertently make an excessive repost
(as I sometimes do) but this is not one of those times.

I'd say this is *especially* not one of those times (this posting was
his one and only contribution to this thread).

Why he picked on you to have a go at over the matter of failing to
'trim' the attributions when there have been so many others 'committing
the same sin', escapes me right now.

At least if and when the question of "Should I trim or not trim?"
comes
up again, you no longer have to consider his feelings in the matter.
:-)

A request for information. :-)

Are people who only join a thread to post *Plonk* by definition
plonkers?

Or is there another more technical term?


I think you've "nailed it". :-)

--
Johnny B Good

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 03:05:27 +0100, Clive George wrote:

I used to neatly coil my main power leads and then secure the
coils
with a cable tie. Would 5 or 6 turns be enough to cause
interference?

The electrons will get dizzy if you do that.

You could do half coiled one way then half the other :-)

As far as the current flow is concerned you have that. The fields
will tend to cancel. Running your audio cable through the coils is
still not a good idea though.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article ,
pamela wrote:
Dave P suggested I cut the mains leads to length but I'm reluctant to
do that in case I need to move equipment. Anyway, a lot of mains
leads these days have moulded plugs at each end which I would like to
keep.

Buy a spare lead and cut that, then. They're pretty cheap on Ebay. See if
you can find one with a removable plug.

Coiling one way and then another means the leads are not as tidy and,
if I have understood it correctly, would have repeated kinks.

If you want it to look tidy, cut the leads to length. ;-)

--
*It ain't the size, it's... er... no, it IS ..the size.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 11:20:54 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 20:27 17 Apr 2016, David wrote:

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 18:52:53 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 15:44:52 +0100, pamela wrote:

On 12:47 17 Apr 2016, Huge wrote:

On 2016-04-17, pamela wrote:

[123 lines snipped]

1 If the AV sockets are RCA then scratch what I said.
We've come almost 2 full circle!

Sigh.

*plonk*

Huge, not all long re-posts have no purpose. I've left in the text
of previous posts because a number of technical points have been
raised in them and their relevance is still being discussed.

I would normally apologise if I inadvertently make an excessive
repost (as I sometimes do) but this is not one of those times.

I'd say this is *especially* not one of those times (this posting was
his one and only contribution to this thread).

Why he picked on you to have a go at over the matter of failing to
'trim' the attributions when there have been so many others
'committing the same sin', escapes me right now.

At least if and when the question of "Should I trim or not trim?"
comes up again, you no longer have to consider his feelings in the
matter. :-)

A request for information. :-)

Are people who only join a thread to post *Plonk* by definition
plonkers?

Or is there another more technical term?

Cheers

Dave R

Let's not be too hard on Huge. He probably opened my post to see what
this thread was about and got a lot of quoted text with just a few new
words at the bottom. Understandably, rather than work out what's been
going on here, he probably just posted about this frustration.

By the way, how are you getting on with the audio connections? I'm
hoping it's all sorted out now.

Awaiting a re-work of the shelving (another thread) and a reply from
Creative about their special leads.

Looks like being a very slow job, and one amongst many.


Cheers


Dave R



--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box

On 19/04/2016 11:06, pamela wrote:

Coiling one way and then another means the leads are not as tidy and,
if I have understood it correctly, would have repeated kinks.

Bundling rather than coiling is the answer to that.

On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 13:00:33 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Anyway, a lot of mains leads these days have moulded plugs at each
end
which I would like to keep.

Buy a spare lead and cut that, then. They're pretty cheap on Ebay. See
if you can find one with a removable plug.

Or open end ...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 11:06:13 +0100, pamela wrote:

You could do half coiled one way then half the other :-)

As far as the current flow is concerned you have that. The fields
will tend to cancel. Running your audio cable through the coils is
still not a good idea though.

My audio cables don't run through the coiled main leads but run near
them. There's sort of a big jumble of lots of leads from the PC and
associated equipment.

I thought I would tidy the mains leads by coiling them but then I
thought that may strengthen any interference.

Coiling one way and then another means the leads are not as tidy and,
if I have understood it correctly, would have repeated kinks.

That depends on what you mean by "one way and then another". The
proper way to coil a cable is to put the twists in in opposite
directions. Sometimes known as "under over":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLwwB29uQRg

There is a less kack handed way of handling the reverse twist (which
is the method I use) and I did have link to a YouTube video of that
method but that video has disappeared. B-(

I can't get my head around which direction the cable actually runs in
each turn. I think it's opposite the adjacent ones as you are
creating a figure of eight.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article l.net,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Tue, 19 Apr 2016 13:00:33 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Anyway, a lot of mains leads these days have moulded plugs at each
end
which I would like to keep.

Buy a spare lead and cut that, then. They're pretty cheap on Ebay. See
if you can find one with a removable plug.

Or open end ...

Quite. But if spending lots of money on decent gear is it really asking
too much to cut down the mains leads to the right length?

--
*Reality? Is that where the pizza delivery guy comes from?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 15 Apr 2016 17:56:15 +0000, David wrote:

[I think I'm answering most of my questions as I work through the
description, but would still like to check my understanding.]

I'm trying to put together a home audio system based around a Home
Theatre PC (HTPC).

I'm only planning to use 5:1 (well, 5:0 because the speaker system
doesn't have a sub) and I'm looking at the diagram for the sound card.

This has wiring options for various configurations from 2:1 to 7:1.

Now as far as I know 3.5mm jack plugs have a minimum of 2 connectors -
signal and ground for mono. If you go to stereo you get 3 connectors for
left signal, right signal, and ground.

If you go to a connection with a microphone you get yet another
connector.

[Looking at Google these are being referred to as conductors.]

With this sound card (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX) there are three line out
sockets to serve all the speaker channels (8 channels for 7:1).

For example Line Out 3 can support centre, sub, and side left.

So, the thing that is causing me mental indigestion; where you can
support up to 3 channels I presume you need a four conductor plug.
However what plug do you use if you are on 5:1 and want only centre?

Is there some scheme for connecting 3.5mm sockets together where one end
supports more connections than the other?

For a similar example, on the smaller 2.5mm mobile phone sockets you can
use stereo headphones (3 conductor) or headphones and a microphone (4
conductor). How do you cope with both plugs?

Anyway.

For my set up the audio output from the card is plugging into the rear
of an old AV amplifier which has phono connectors. I am assuming that
for the front speakers I need a 3.5mm stereo jack plug to two phono
plugs. I can see these on t'Internet easily.

For the other connectors, I assume I need a 4 conductor 3.5mm jack to 3
separate phonos (for example side left, centre, sub). All the ones I am
seeing are marked "left, right, video". That is, old style pre SCART
audio/
video cables. Are these O.K. for my set up or is there a magic search
phrase I haven't yet located?

Finally received a response from Creative asking for more details about
their own cable.

Sent them

http://ask.creative.com/wwimages/aud...atre_cable.jpg

as a link.


Cheers


Dave R


--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box