b.n. <brullonulla <at> gmail.com> writes:
> Your suggestion makes me drool, but how much does a 5.1 setup cost? And > how much space does it take? It could be "best money I can spend", but > my Italian Ph.D. student wage is REALLY low. Well you can find a mobo with 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 audio chips onboard, for very little extra cost. Advanced audio chips usually support downward compatibility all the way to stereo (2 speakers). Make sure the board works well with Linux, Google a while, then when you find a board, ask on the list if the chipsets are supported. Many mobo sites list all chipsets on the boards, except for the proprietary SOC chips... Speakers. Well, since you are a grad student, you can use most any speakers as long as they are not too big and they have the small analog plugs (like what is found on a cheap set of stereo pc speakers). You can solder wires from speakers you find at a garage sale or just lying around, as long as they are not too big. Stay analog on the (speaker/chip)outputs to keep the costs low. Being a phd student/candidate this is right up your alley. Most Universities I've been around have lots of old gear (small analog speakers) around. Check the EE department or volunteer your services over at another part of campus, in exchange for old gear. Lots of Music departments throw away old amplifiers and such. Make sure the old gear is impedance matched on the speakers and the speakers are impedance matched or compatible with the audio card (mobo chip).... Ebay is also your friend (or the euro equivalent).... hth, James -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list
