I am doing research on a CarPC for my Mustang GT. I am looking to put a CarPC in the dash and have surround sound in the car. The CarPC would replace the head unit. I will have a touch screen in the dash.
Is there an amplifier that can take a Optical Digital Input and can drive a 5.1 speaker setup? I have seen a few but they have proprietary connectors that make them only work with their corresponding head unit. I have also heard about the PheonixGold amplifier but they must have discontinued it or never produced it since I can't find anything there that does what I am looking for.
How can the CarPC control the volume? Could it automate it using a IR emitter?

I would prefer not to use analog connectors because of possible interference problems and even then, I don't see any amplifiers that take 5.1 analog input either. Looks like it would have to be multiple amplifiers for the front left/right back left/right, center, and subwoofer but still have the problem with volume control and fade control, plus require alot of boxes and wires and power connections.

 

I've been looking for a similar setup for quite some time. Maybe not a 5.1 amp so much, but at least optical connections on amplifiers. It woul be nice if they made an optical reciever that you could mount in the trunk to cut up the sound and dish it out to each corresponding amplifier...I'd definately buy something like that to avoid running 3-4 sets of RCAS.

 

I found this one in my search
http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/product...model=MRA-D550

However, I don't know if it will work without their head unit. I would like the optical to go into this amp and use the controller plug to control the unit from a PC. Probably would need to be reverse engineered. I saw a demo of another unit at a store that had optical in but as soon as you disconnected the head unit cable, the sound stopped.