5.1 systems on a PC

Roadkillv1 · 27 Nov 2010 at 22:16

i've got a full 5.1 setup on here now, but stuff is only coming out of 1 speaker on most things i do. i've gone into the sound settings and changed it to a 5.1 setup and ticked all the right boxes, but still on things like spotify, media players and games etc it just comes out of the main one. any idea on how to set this thing up properly? i feel a bit dumb having 5 speakers, 4 of which are just for show atm.

King Damager · 28 Nov 2010 at 13:16

Have you plugged everything in correctly? This sounds a bit of a stupid question but still.... Check your input cables on the back of the sub. Most systems for pc seem to go from pc to sub and then the surround is taken out from the sub to the other speakers.

I have 5.1 currently on my laptop, and because the laptop only has one sound out I actually had to get a splitter so that I could split it into 2 outs and have enough outs to plug into enough ins to get all the speakers working if that makes sense?

kd

Roadkillv1 · 28 Nov 2010 at 21:29

yeah i did the err..."test" or whatever, where windows makes a noise through all 5 speakers, and all 5 work fine. but when you actually use a program or something to play it, it just comes out of the 1

cmndr_andi · 28 Nov 2010 at 21:48

Hi there.

May I ask what specific speakers and sound card you are using? Also how are the the speakers connected to the sound card and what sound card software are you using?

Roadkillv1 · 28 Nov 2010 at 22:19

well that sounds complex. err, just bought logitech x-530. i just plugged them into all the matching colours on the back, as i assumed was obvious.

sound card...isss...i don't know

Name ATI High Definition Audio Device
Manufacturer ATI Technologies Inc.
Status OK
PNP Device ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_1002&DEV_AA01&SUBSYS_00AA0100&REV_1002\5&637203E&0&0001
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\atihdw76.sys (7.11.0.7710, 114.02 KB (116,752 bytes), 24/09/2010 13:46)

Name Realtek High Definition Audio
Manufacturer Realtek
Status OK
PNP Device ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_10250427&REV_1001\4&8EB72F0&0&0001
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\rtkvhd64.sys (6.0.1.6045, 2.16 MB (2,269,600 bytes), 18/09/2010 09:53)

that mean anything to you?

Roadkillv1 · 28 Nov 2010 at 22:20

if you can't tell, i'm really not a hardware person. i'm more the "software" guy at the shop i work at

Marsman · 28 Nov 2010 at 22:36

If the sound test was ok, then you have connected them correctly. What I can't make sense of, is that sound comes through 1 speaker. If it were the left and right fronts, then that would make sense, but for it to only to come through 1 speaker is strange.

Which speaker is the sound coming from when you play anything? Centre?

cmndr_andi · 28 Nov 2010 at 22:41

When you say the main one, do you mean the one with the power knob? Are all the connections on the back of the sub woofer correct and secure?

As for matching the colours - did you plug all three 3.5mm stereo (green, black, orange) into the matching plugs on your PC?

As for only playing out of one speaker - with a direct speaker connection it is understandable if only two speakers were in use for most of the time, since most music and video content is presented in stereo. Hence only the two front side speakers would be working. To get full use of all the speakers you want to run software (or get better hardware) that splits up the signal to make use of more speakers (specifically the centre one) or play a DVD that you know has 5.1 sound - if it still only plays with one speaker then you the problem is not the audio source.

Do you have another PC you can test these speakers with? If not - plugging the different colour 3.5mm stereo plugs into a mp3 one at a time will allow you to test if the speakers are working correctly.

Roadkillv1 · 29 Nov 2010 at 00:26

Marsman said:
If the sound test was ok, then you have connected them correctly. What I can't make sense of, is that sound comes through 1 speaker. If it were the left and right fronts, then that would make sense, but for it to only to come through 1 speaker is strange.

Which speaker is the sound coming from when you play anything? Centre?

yeah centre- the one with the volume control and the on/off switch. the other 4 are useless (sub ofc is doing what it's meant to)

Marsman · 29 Nov 2010 at 00:41

That's bizarre, centre speaker doesn't have any controls. :/

Centre is the one on the sub.

Roadkillv1 · 29 Nov 2010 at 08:34

oh. well ok, i've been meaning the one with the controls. i just assumed as it had the controls, it was the centre one. i should look at the back of the hub to see which it actually is.

front right!? (also why does it use a vga)

jellybeard999 · 29 Nov 2010 at 09:28

What are you trying to play? Is the source multichannel?

The Deuce · 29 Nov 2010 at 18:07

you need to disable you gfx card sound, and make sure all of your programmes are using trhe realtek as default sound device.

Roadkillv1 · 29 Nov 2010 at 20:57

jellybeard999 said:
What are you trying to play? Is the source multichannel?

*anything* games video clips music etc. i've changed it to 5.1 in the settings but still, only the one

angela · 30 Nov 2010 at 14:18

Roadkillv1 said:
oh. well ok, i've been meaning the one with the controls. i just assumed as it had the controls, it was the centre one. i should look at the back of the hub to see which it actually is.

front right!? (also why does it use a vga)

Hi, it DOES NOT USE VGA - it must be connected to the back of Subwoofer!
All speakers must be connected to the subwoofer and vga look-a-like connector too from main right speaker with volume control, second cable must be connected to soundcard or motherboard!

as someone mentioned, make sure you set as DEFAULT realtek device! plus set to 5.1 in realtek settings and in main Control Panel -> sound settings-> and set Realtek as default!

Roadkillv1 · 30 Nov 2010 at 14:49

heh, sorry i use the term vga loosely i suppose. it just looks the same. but this one that looks like it goes from the main speaker with the volume, into the back of the sub woofer.

and also coming out of the same speaker, are the pink green and black wires, which are plugged in correctly in the back of the comp

now i've set windows to 5.1, and as you said gone into CP and changed it to realtek as the default. still, no changes

Roadkillv1 · 30 Nov 2010 at 14:52

i'm beginning to think these coloured ones aren't in right tbh. did i mention i know nothing of these sorts of things?

cuz the pink symbol is the microphone symbol. that doesn't sound right, why would one of my cables go in there....but there's no other sockets on the back, just the 3 normal ones in a row

edit- and now just to make things worse, after fiddling with settings, i've lost sound in my browser. videos are still working, but i just tried listening to a flash i know has sound and got nothing.

Marsman · 30 Nov 2010 at 15:11

Well this is very bizarre. I was thinking of a possible fault with the speakers, but if there were one, the test tone would not sound through all speakers. If you have 5.1 set in the Realtek control panel, and 5.1 in Windows sound properties, and Realtek is set as default in the sound properties, it should work.

Maybe updating your Realtek drivers, if there are new ones, or just re-install the ones you are using if there aren't. Also try disabling your ATi GFX audio, if you haven't already.

Marsman · 30 Nov 2010 at 15:12

Oh! It's just hit me, so to speak. It sounds to me as though your board does not have 5.1/7.1. :/

angela · 30 Nov 2010 at 17:00

^^ same here, get cheapo Sound card, just make sure you got spare PCI slot,.. on the bay something like x-fi extreme music for £15-£20, great sound for a bargain!