What should I use to connect my PC to A/V receiver?

[3rdeye]

I've got an older PC without an HDMI port.

I read that I could connect my pc to a receiver with a 3.5 mm stereo plug or an optical cable.

Are there other options? Which option is considered the optimal method?

In case anyone was interested why I want to do this, I'm going to be buying some monitors for my PC which is in my den, and since this isn't my home theater setup, I figured it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to just connect the monitors to my old receiver that I won't be using for my home theater and just have the TV and the pc pull off of them.

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[lovinthehd]

I'd try the optical first but I prefer hdmi

 

[NINaudio]

I've got an older PC without an HDMI port.

I read that I could connect my pc to a receiver with a 3.5 mm stereo plug or an optical cable.

Are there other options? Which option is considered the optimal method?

In case anyone was interested why I want to do this, I'm going to be buying some monitors for my PC which is in my den, and since this isn't my home theater setup, I figured it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to just connect the monitors to my old receiver that I won't be using for my home theater and just have the TV and the pc pull off of them.

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OK, it seems like you want to route the audio and video from your pc through your receiver, correct? An optical or 3.5mm plug will only handle the audio output. You'd need to run a cable from you video card to your receiver as well in order to also get video output. Since you don't have HDMI on your pc you would probably need a VGA cable or displayport cable.

 

[lovinthehd]

Had to reread, thought he was talking audio only with the connections offered. Really hard to know without knowing more about the details of the connectivity of the gear, too (what are make/models?); I've used a vga cable with at least one avr, not sure that's even an option on the others I have...it had resolution limitations IIRC so stopped using it.

 

[TLS Guy]

I've got an older PC without an HDMI port.

I read that I could connect my pc to a receiver with a 3.5 mm stereo plug or an optical cable.

Are there other options? Which option is considered the optimal method?

In case anyone was interested why I want to do this, I'm going to be buying some monitors for my PC which is in my den, and since this isn't my home theater setup, I figured it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to just connect the monitors to my old receiver that I won't be using for my home theater and just have the TV and the pc pull off of them.

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How old and what OS are you running? This all sounds like trouble.

If you are running XP shut is down. That opens up all kinds of security issues. In addition support from all the browsers for XP is ending imminently. I think the same fate will follow 7 & 8 soon. I have just shut down my last XP computer. The writing is on the wall for those now.

You can use an optical cable for audio. Receivers are designed to work with TVs and not computer monitors. I think you will have big trouble with the video.

We need to know everything about that old computer and receiver before we give you false hope.

I think the days of not using Windows 10 or a Mac OS and having HDMI connections are getting shorter fast for what you want to do.

 

[3rdeye]

I only want to play music from my PC onto the speakers connected to my A/V receiver. Not video necessary

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[TLS Guy]

I only want to play music from my PC onto the speakers connected to my A/V receiver. Not video necessary

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That should send the audio OK. If you are using a non supported OS though don't, especially not in an office, or you might end up a poor man. The only way you can use an outdated OS is to NEVER connect it to the Net.

 

[3rdeye]

Just so I'm clear I'm referring to speakers that are called monitors...not a monitor the visual device.

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[lovinthehd]

Just so I'm clear I'm referring to speakers that are called monitors...not a monitor the visual device.

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That doesn't really define the speakers, some mean monitors to be active speakers, but there are passive ones as well

 

[NINaudio]

Just so I'm clear I'm referring to speakers that are called monitors...not a monitor the visual device.

Ahh, that is where my confusion came from. When you said monitors for the PC I immediately thought of the visual device.

 

[3rdeye]

I'm leaving to get the JBL 305s.

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