My monitor has no audio; what can I use with atv2 optical?

[howardweaver]

I have an old 42-inch Samsung plasma monitor that I like. It has no speakers, and I now use a system wired into a receiver that is in another room to power a surround system that was built into the house.

I connected atv2 with an HDMI>DVI cable and the picture quality is good. But of course there's no audio, and the monitor doesn't have an optical port.

I'd like to buy an inexpensive separate system to handle audio. Is there a way to watch atv2 on the monitor via HDMI>DVI and also have the audio delivered to a separate system (powered speakers? small receiver?) via optical?

The existing system doesn't allow the atv2 to connect both to the monitor and receiver directly (they are in different rooms). Any other ideas how I can salvage the atv2 without buying a new TV?

 

[cornbrown]

I have an old 42-inch Samsung plasma monitor that I like. It has no speakers, and I now use a system wired into a receiver that is in another room to power a surround system that was built into the house.

I connected atv2 with an HDMI>DVI cable and the picture quality is good. But of course there's no audio, and the monitor doesn't have an optical port.

I'd like to buy an inexpensive separate system to handle audio. Is there a way to watch atv2 on the monitor via HDMI>DVI and also have the audio delivered to a separate system (powered speakers? small receiver?) via optical?

The existing system doesn't allow the atv2 to connect both to the monitor and receiver directly (they are in different rooms). Any other ideas how I can salvage the atv2 without buying a new TV?

Buy a cheap receiver that has opti input. This unit has HDMI and opti in for $165 http://www.compsource.com/pn/STRDH510/Sony_416/

 

[howardweaver]

Installing ATV2 on an old flatscreen that doesn't have HDMI or speakers

Thanks for that simple, useful advice.

I bought a $98 "home theater kit" from RCA (five speakers, subwoofer and receiver) that has an optical audio input. My ATV2 is now hooked up to the Samsung plasma monitor with an HDMI > DVI cable and separately to the RCA system with the optical ports.

The surround sound certainly doesn't match my built-in Bose system is (it was installed during construction) but it's not bad.

The RCA is also useful for radio and can play CDs -- if I can find any I can't play DVDs on it because the audio comes only from the ATV2.

This was a relatively simple and cheap solution for installing ATV2 on an old flatscreen that doesn't have HDMI or speakers.