[stl blade]

First of all let my describe my room. I've got a tv on a stand at one wall where i can see it from both my bed and my desk. My xbox is hooked up to to the tv. I want a system that can play from the optical cable from my tv and a usb from my computer. so i need a dac. but i also want it to be an amp for my speaker which would be on the stand to each side of the tv. I would run the usb cable from my computer to the tv stand where my dac/amp would be. I want to hear tv, music and games from the speakers. My wishlist is smsl q5 version 3 and micca mb42c's. If there are better alternatives or a whole setup altogether that would be better for around the same cost please let me know. I would appreciate any criticism/remarks/recommendations. Thank you

 

[ProtegeManiac]

You might as well get an HT receiver and hook up the XBox to it via HDMI. Then an HDMI output from the receiver feeds the TV the video signal. 
 
If your laptop has HDMI then hook it up that way; otherwise, if you're buying new anyway, might as well get one of those Network receivers. They can access music files from any HDD hooked up to your wireless network at home. At that point unless you're working on your laptop, you won't even need it to listen to your locally stored music.
 
Also if your TV has HDMI 1.4, then buy a receiver that has the same spec. v1.4 has the ARC or audio return channel - that means that any source that goes into the TV without passing through the receiver can still have the audio from it routed to the receiver. No need for the additional optical cable.

 

[stl blade]

Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any good receivers that are good for the price and if I used the network received would I have to use an ugly dlna player app?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any good receivers that are good for the price and if I used the network received would I have to use an ugly dlna player app?

 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=network+receiver
 
You'll have to use the manufacturer's player app. I don't know why they'd be "ugly" since I for one just like looking at a dark back ground with the album art and track listing all there along with player controls, or why it even matters given the real question is whether it's intuitive and responsive.

 

[cel4145]

For the same cost as the SMSL Q5, you won't be able to buy a brand new receiver. Your best bet is to look on your local Craiglist. Look for Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Harman Kardon, and Pioneer.

 

[stl blade]

I just said ugly because I used a 3rd party dlna app to send music to a smart TV and it was very lady and fuzzy. But I'm sure any 1st party app would be fine. I'll keep an eye on craigslist

 

[stl blade]

Laggy*