Sasha_G
April 17th, 2003, 2:12 PM
At the Tech Expo this weekend we demonstrated the use of a "true subwoofer" with a computer. Most PC speakers only have woofers that they call "subwoofers". These often only go down to 75 Hz.
Computer games, especially first person shooters such as Counter Strike, Unreal Tournament, and Battlefield 1942 are really fun with a subwoofer.
The following method of hooking up a sub will work for people with a Sounblaster Live! card.
You will need an adaptor or adapter cable. Radioshack has a perfect Y Adaptor Audio Cable (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=&product%5Fid=42%2D2551). You can also use your own RCA type cable with a plain Y adapter (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=&product%5Fid=274%2D369).
Most soundcards will have a subwoofer output that you can use, like the Soundblaster Liver. You will probably have to switch the computer to 5.1 to use the subwoofer output, depending on your soundcard and operating system.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_1.jpg
Then open "Advanced Speaker Settings" ...
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_2.jpg
Hook up the subwoofer to the subwoofer output on the sound card.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_3.jpg
Now you should be able to enjoy games.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_4.jpg
An alternate, and probably better method, is available if you have a receiver next to your computer. You can run the audio signals in analog format to the receiver, and let the receiver do the bass management by fiddling with the "SMALL" and "LARGE" settings for each speaker. "SMALL" will send the bass to the subwoofer. This makes it easy to use your current audio setup for multiple sources in addition to the computer.
Computer games, especially first person shooters such as Counter Strike, Unreal Tournament, and Battlefield 1942 are really fun with a subwoofer.
The following method of hooking up a sub will work for people with a Sounblaster Live! card.
You will need an adaptor or adapter cable. Radioshack has a perfect Y Adaptor Audio Cable (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=&product%5Fid=42%2D2551). You can also use your own RCA type cable with a plain Y adapter (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=&product%5Fid=274%2D369).
Most soundcards will have a subwoofer output that you can use, like the Soundblaster Liver. You will probably have to switch the computer to 5.1 to use the subwoofer output, depending on your soundcard and operating system.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_1.jpg
Then open "Advanced Speaker Settings" ...
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_2.jpg
Hook up the subwoofer to the subwoofer output on the sound card.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_3.jpg
Now you should be able to enjoy games.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/images/cs_4.jpg
An alternate, and probably better method, is available if you have a receiver next to your computer. You can run the audio signals in analog format to the receiver, and let the receiver do the bass management by fiddling with the "SMALL" and "LARGE" settings for each speaker. "SMALL" will send the bass to the subwoofer. This makes it easy to use your current audio setup for multiple sources in addition to the computer.