How to Hook Up Your Surround Sound Speakers to Your Video Game Console

If you have surround sound speakers set up in your home, you should take full advantage of the benefits that they convey. Hooking your video game system up to them is one way to do this. While your video games might contain dramatic moments with your current sound setup, in surround sound the effect will be even greater. What follows should give you everything you need to know about hooking up a video game system to a set of surround sound speakers.

Step 1: Setting up

Before you begin to work on connecting your surround sound speakers to your video game system, determine what type of cables you need. This is relatively straightforward. Check the back of your video game system. The sound output should be labeled clearly. Chances are it will be one of the two most common types. More likely than not it will require a digital optical audio cable. RCA stereo cables are also a possibility.

Alternatively, you could check your particular system's manual to see what type of cables are necessary to hook it up to surround sound speakers. In fact, doing this anyway to check your observations is a good idea.

The cables may have come packaged with your video game system. If not, you will have to purchase them.

Step 2: Connecting to the Speakers

Now that you have determined what particular type of cables you need, get them out and set up your video game system as you would normally. Plug the cable into the appropriate location on your game system.

Plug the other end into the receiver for your surround sound system. Alternatively, you may need to plug it into the amplifier. Whichever you choose, make sure you take careful note of  the particular input you plug your cable into. Adjust your surround sound system so it is receiving from that particular input.

If your system does not have a receiver or amplifier, you will have to connect your game system to your speakers directly.

Step 3: Adjusting the Settings

While your video game system is now physically connected to your surround sound system, it is not ready to use just yet. Turn your video game system on normally, and enter the preferences or settings. From there, you should have access to the sound controls. Set your system output to surround sound. At this point, your video game system is thoroughly set up, and you are ready to take full advantage of your surround sound system.

It is important to note that not every game will actually output to surround sound. Many are merely stereo. However, you should be able to determine if a game is configured to work with a surround sound system by checking its packaging. Most games should be compatible with surround sound, and from now on you can allow your purchasing and renting habits to be informed by whether the games you choose are surround sound capable.