Login at Kodi Home

lukasz · 2013-01-23, 16:04

Hi

I'm going to configure new setup and I'd like to hear your advice.
TV: SHARP Aquos LC-40LE630E
Home Video: PIONEER BCS-717
Laptop (ancient): Toshiba Satellite A300 (no HDMI!) running Ubuntu 12

How would you approach problem of connecting these devices and configuring XBMC on them?

Lukasz

ConfusedTA · 2013-01-23, 16:08

Your only options appear to be VGA for display into your TV, and stereo sound into the audio system.

lukasz · 2013-01-23, 16:33

Thank you for advice. How would you connect laptop with TV? VGA-VGA cable? Does this make sense to use VGA-to-HDMI?
From inputs available in audio system - which one would you chose?
• 2 x HDMI in
• 1 x Optical In
• 1 x RCA Audio In
• 1 x Portable Audio In (front)

Is headphone output on laptop the only option?
Could you recommend any cables?

Does this make sense to add something extra here? UBS-to-HDMI to the laptop?

ConfusedTA · 2013-01-23, 16:37

VGA->VGA seems your only option for video.

For audio, you've either got stereo from the headphone output into the RCA in on the back, or the portable audio in on the front, or you could look at getting a USB->Optical converter - you will need to search for one that has drivers for your operating system.

lukasz · 2013-01-23, 16:55

Maybe I should go for some external sound card? Anything you could recommend?

nickr · 2013-01-23, 20:58

Turtle Beach make external USB sound cards which will connect to your amplifiers spdif input.

Centorix · 2013-01-23, 22:47

I had a similar problem but not only did the laptop not have HDMI, the TV didn't have VGA either. I ended up buying one of these so I could use HDMI.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1080P-PC-VGA-t...337841e5a7

It's cheap and I didn't really expect it to work but it did the job fine. I expect it's not the best solution out there but I've no complaints so far so might be an option for you.

lukasz · 2013-01-24, 15:10

(2013-01-23, 20:58)nickr Wrote: Turtle Beach make external USB sound cards which will connect to your amplifiers spdif input.

Thanks for suggestion Nickr. I took a look into the Turtle Beach offer and found what I'm looking for: http://www.turtlebeach.com/product-detai...icro-ii/31
I have just one concern - is this going to work on Linux?

nickr · 2013-01-24, 23:10

Well I can't find the damn thread where another user used one and it worked fine, so I can't tell you what model he used, or direct you to him to ask.

However

1. I know many people have used turtle beach usb devices for this purpose in linux and never seen anyone say it doesn't work;

2. usb audio seems to work well in linux

3. If it doesn't work I guess you can flog it on ebay.

Also, just found this, he seems to be using it fine

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...#pid594166

lukasz · 2013-01-25, 10:54

Thanks Nickr. Just to make sure I've send out an email to Turtle Beach support. Waiting for reply

rizjuan1 · 2013-02-24, 21:32

I have the same problem. No VGA on my main TV, no HDMI on my laptop. Was going to buy a VGA->HDMI adapter, but it's basically the price of a RasPi. So I ordered a RasPi (backordered might take a few months...) for my main TV and am using the laptop on a different TV.