Hello. I pasted below 2 sets of instructions for connecting a 5.1 set of speakers. They are for some of the older laptop models and I don't know if they apply to a new model like you have. Note that they are for 5.1, not 6.1, and they assume the speakers have stereo mini plugs, not mono RCA, so you will need adapters like you said.
To switch to 5.1 surround sound mode, you need to connect a speaker’s three differently colored cable connectors—green, yellow, and black—to the headphone and microphone connectors at the front of the computer.
NOTE: You must connect the speaker’s black cable connector first or the 5.1 surround sound mode does not work.
1 Connect the speaker’s black cable connector to the microphone/line-in connector at the front of the computer. A pop-up menu appears, giving the status of which connectors are plugged in to each jack.
2 Connect the speaker’s green cable connector to the left headphone connector.
3 Connect the speaker’s yellow cable connector to the right headphone connector.
I was just re-reading your post trying to figure out your connections as you describe them. I would say that if you want to duplicate the way you had it on your old laptop which did not have connections for 5.1, then you must configure your laptop for standard stereo output. Do not setup the software for 5.1 because that re-configures the jacks and you must insert speaker plugs into all 3 of them. It appears from your description that your speakers do not have 3 plugs so that will not work for you. So setup for stereo and (the mic jack will remain an input jack and not become a speaker output jack) and plug your speakers into one of the headphone jacks as you did with your 700m.
pretty informative jimco...I have a similar problem with my inspiron 1525 , cannot get the dialogues on 5.1 channel video files...so i guess similar problem, will try to see if this works..Never thought about putting the black cable first...I guess putting the green one first mutes the other two analog outs...Any idea how to use spdif on this laptop??
Never thought about putting the black cable first...I guess putting the green one first mutes the other two analog outs...
My guess is that black goes first -- into the mic jack -- because that jack has the impedance sensing mechanism to determine that you intend to use the surround configuration.
Any idea how to use spdif on this laptop??
The instructions begin on page 62 of the Inspiron 1525 Owner's Manual (English version), in a section entitled "S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio". On the rear of the laptop is a 7 pin jack that is improperly named the s-video port. It is actually a multi-function port ... one of the pins is for the spdif audio. Others are for s-video and component video.
In order to use the port you will need to obtain a special adapter cable from Dell or from 3rd party suppliers on the internet. The adapter is called by various names, "dongle", "component video adapter", and "composite video adapter". The name and model of the adapter varies with the type of video one wants to pass through. There isn't an adapter for solely audio that I know of. When the adapter is installed, you can connect a coax cable to the digital audio jack and connect the other end to your digital audio device. You don't have to connect to a TV. The adapter looks something like this:
If you have the HDMI feature (optional on your model) you can in theory use that for digital audio, but from all reports it is extremely tricky to get to work with a digital receiver.
Thanks for the info Jimco, Well I solved the problem with my analog outs. Actually I had selected Dolby Prologic for surround on my Logitech Z5500, which needs to be set at 6 channel direct to get the analog outs working, otherwise it was not taking the signal at all...Regarding the SPDIF, the adapter is not available on dell website, there is one one amazon, i wonder if it will work...
Here is one that ships for free. I imagine any of them will work if there are 7 pins on one end and spdif on the other. Getting the right connectors for the video is probably the tricky part, for those who need that.
yeah the amazon one is also available for $4 (+5$ shipping), in one of the alternate sellers...so I think that will be fine...Have you any idea about the Machina site, I hve not used that one before...Is it reliable..
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
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June 6th, 2011 06:00
Hello. I pasted below 2 sets of instructions for connecting a 5.1 set of speakers. They are for some of the older laptop models and I don't know if they apply to a new model like you have. Note that they are for 5.1, not 6.1, and they assume the speakers have stereo mini plugs, not mono RCA, so you will need adapters like you said.
********************************************************************************
To switch to 5.1 surround sound mode, you need to connect a speaker’s three differently colored cable connectors—green, yellow, and black—to the headphone and microphone connectors at the front of the computer.
NOTE: You must connect the speaker’s black cable connector first or the 5.1 surround sound mode does not work.
1 Connect the speaker’s black cable connector to the microphone/line-in connector at the front of the computer. A pop-up menu appears, giving the status of which connectors are plugged in to each jack.
2 Connect the speaker’s green cable connector to the left headphone connector.
3 Connect the speaker’s yellow cable connector to the right headphone connector.
**************************************************************************
Different set of Instructions:
Setting up the 5.1 Audio Connections
Click Start →Control Panel→Additional Options. Run IDT Audio
Control Panel. In the Jacks tab, there are three connector icons. Follow the
instructions to finish the setup.
1 Click the microphone icon, select Device: Rear Speakers, and plug your
rear speaker cable to the audio in/microphone connector.
2 Click the middle headphone icon, select Device: Center/LFE Speaker,
and plug your center/woofer speaker cable to the middle audio
out/headphone connector.
3 Click the right headphone icon, select Device: Front Speaker, and plug
your front speaker cable to the right audio out/headphone connector.
****************************************************************************************
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
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June 6th, 2011 07:00
I was just re-reading your post trying to figure out your connections as you describe them. I would say that if you want to duplicate the way you had it on your old laptop which did not have connections for 5.1, then you must configure your laptop for standard stereo output. Do not setup the software for 5.1 because that re-configures the jacks and you must insert speaker plugs into all 3 of them. It appears from your description that your speakers do not have 3 plugs so that will not work for you. So setup for stereo and (the mic jack will remain an input jack and not become a speaker output jack) and plug your speakers into one of the headphone jacks as you did with your 700m.
vikrantgohil
3 Posts
0
September 7th, 2011 03:00
pretty informative jimco...I have a similar problem with my inspiron 1525 , cannot get the dialogues on 5.1 channel video files...so i guess similar problem, will try to see if this works..Never thought about putting the black cable first...I guess putting the green one first mutes the other two analog outs...Any idea how to use spdif on this laptop??
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
0
September 7th, 2011 05:00
My guess is that black goes first -- into the mic jack -- because that jack has the impedance sensing mechanism to determine that you intend to use the surround configuration.
The instructions begin on page 62 of the Inspiron 1525 Owner's Manual (English version), in a section entitled "S-Video and S/PDIF Digital Audio". On the rear of the laptop is a 7 pin jack that is improperly named the s-video port. It is actually a multi-function port ... one of the pins is for the spdif audio. Others are for s-video and component video.
In order to use the port you will need to obtain a special adapter cable from Dell or from 3rd party suppliers on the internet. The adapter is called by various names, "dongle", "component video adapter", and "composite video adapter". The name and model of the adapter varies with the type of video one wants to pass through. There isn't an adapter for solely audio that I know of. When the adapter is installed, you can connect a coax cable to the digital audio jack and connect the other end to your digital audio device. You don't have to connect to a TV. The adapter looks something like this:
If you have the HDMI feature (optional on your model) you can in theory use that for digital audio, but from all reports it is extremely tricky to get to work with a digital receiver.
vikrantgohil
3 Posts
0
September 8th, 2011 01:00
Thanks for the info Jimco, Well I solved the problem with my analog outs. Actually I had selected Dolby Prologic for surround on my Logitech Z5500, which needs to be set at 6 channel direct to get the analog outs working, otherwise it was not taking the signal at all...Regarding the SPDIF, the adapter is not available on dell website, there is one one amazon, i wonder if it will work...
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
0
September 8th, 2011 05:00
Is this the Amazon one? It seems to have a high shipping fee.
www.amazon.com/.../B000YDJ7AC
Here is one that ships for free. I imagine any of them will work if there are 7 pins on one end and spdif on the other. Getting the right connectors for the video is probably the tricky part, for those who need that.
www.svideo.com/7pinwspdif.html
and this
www.machinaelectronics.com/.../RJ089
vikrantgohil
3 Posts
0
September 8th, 2011 07:00
yeah the amazon one is also available for $4 (+5$ shipping), in one of the alternate sellers...so I think that will be fine...Have you any idea about the Machina site, I hve not used that one before...Is it reliable..
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
0
September 8th, 2011 08:00
I got that Machina address from the last post in this thread from last year:
en.community.dell.com/.../19681347.aspx