Speakers Question?

[BassKozz]

A buddy of mine is building a new house (yah, I know in today's economy), and I told him I'd save him some $$$ by setting up his entertainment system for the house for free (besides I get to make him the guinea pig for when I buy a house and setup my own system). So I plan on using Mythbuntu, and the setup I have in mind is:
Server -> Q6600, 4GB Ram, 4x1TB Raid-5 array, 4 Tuners (or 2x dual-tuners)
Clients (x6) -> Dell Studio Hybrids (http://www.dell.com/hybrid) w/ Blu-Ray Drives

So the Server will be in the basement, and the clients will be at each TV in his house (yes 6 of them, luckily for him his occupation is recession proof).

The builder has a guy who can pre-wire and install an A-Bus (http://www.a-bus.com/) speaker system in his house so that each room w/ a TV will have flush ceiling mounted speakers (hidden in the ceiling), and my friend is anal about aesthetics (he doesn't want to see any wires anywhere). I might be able to persuade him against using this system if I can find a sound alternative (pun intended) that he can still hide in his ceiling.

So now for my question, what sort of speaker setup can I use to setup surround sound that will get it's input from the Dell Studio Hybrid's "S/P DIF Out" port, w/out costing an arm and a leg?

In a perfect world we could just setup a Receiver at each TV and have the Toslink cable run from the Dell Studio Hybrid to the Receiver, and the receiver would run the speakers, but we can't go that route for 2 reasons:
1. Cost, it would cost alot to buy a receiver for each TV (x6).
2. Aesthetics, it took me long enough to convince him he needs a Media Center PC (Dell Studio Hybrid) at each TV, I don't think I could ever get him to agree to have a Receiver at each TV.

So how can the clients interface with the speakers ?
I know there has to be an intermediary of some sort to go from speaker cable to Toslink, but is a whole receiver necessary?
What if I use computer speakers, like these: Logitech Z-5500 505 Watts 5.1 Speaker (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121120)
Then I can connect these directly to the computer via a Toslink cable correct?
Can I mount computer speakers in his ceiling if his builder pre-wire's speaker cables?
What's the difference in quality between Computer speakers vs. home A/V speakers?

TiA for any/all comments/suggestions,
-BassKozz

[volkswagner]

Things to consider.


PC speakers may have special cables. They are probalbly not code compliant to be roughed into sheetrock wall.
Any reciever/Home theater in a box solution-You will want to be able to use one remote for the whole system. Some systems don't play well with learning remotes.
Do all rooms need 5.1? Is the sound on the TV good enough?
Some of the cheaper home theater solutions have cabling go to the sub woofer/amp and not the head unit. May affect rough wiring.
Do the speakers need to be flush, or can they be bracket mounted with hidden wiring?

[fatmonk]

Not sure about the driver situation, but something like this might potentially do the job...

USB 5.1 Audio adapter (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00062JCZQ?ie=UTF8&tag=gonmad-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B00062JCZQ)

Not sure what the levels would be like either, but it looks like it would do the decoding of the digital audio to discrete analogue mini-jacks which is what the hybrid PCs look to be missing from your requirements.

-FM

[Caps18]

I can tell you that my Mythbuntu (or linux mint) computer did not like my usb audio adapter at all.
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Labs-Blaster-External-System/dp/B000095IMS

What's the difference in quality between Computer speakers vs. home A/V speakers?

Computer speakers are usually powered, A/V speakers have powered receivers. I would bet that my A/V speakers could play louder and still sound good.

Make sure you wire everything you could want now and in the future before the drywall goes up. Look at at least running wires for a 6.1 or 6.2?(two subwoofers) setup.