What's new

Windows 7 5.1 error (1 Viewer)

Gábor Major

Auditioning
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
2
Hi guys!

My problem is a very strange one, I have absolutely no idea what could be wrong. So, I have a 5.1 surround system at home hooked up to my PC with Windows 7. I'm using Realtek driver, but the problem is not that. In the options panel for the driver, when I test the speakers, they all work, and make good sounds. Same happens, when I test them from Control Panel/Sounds. They work perfectly, when I play a song on Youtube. But, when I play a song from my hard drive, only the front and center speakers work. No bass sounds, and no rear speakers. I tried several players, and none of them works. I tried changing audio output, because I had several choices, like 'Default', 'Realtek Digital Output', 'Realtek High Definition Output', but no luck there. I downloaded a video in mp4 format, and there are two audio files attached, one with 2 channels, and one with 6, but there's hardly any difference, maybe the quality is a bit better on the 6-channel version. But it doesn't change the fact, that no media player on my computer can use my 5.1 sound system properly, but youtube can. What could be wrong?

Gabe,
newbie
 

mattCR

Reviewer
HW Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2005
Messages
10,897
Location
Lee Summit, Missouri
Real Name
Matt
OK. There are lots of factors in effect here... and there are two ways to solve this. But it highlights a problem with Windows7 (and 8s) handling of Dolby Digital as well as multi-track audio.

Configure Speakers.png


Once you select your audio output device, you can choose "Configure Speakers"

Here's your options:

IF you chose 2-channel audio, then HDMI bitstream of AC3 (Dolby Digital 2/5.1/TrueHD) will be output to your receiver in that format. HOWEVER, all multi-channel audio in any non-bitstream format (FLAC, etc) will be output only as straight stereo. DTS will still output as DTS/DTSMA.

IF you chose say, 5.1 as your speaker type, then all of your multi-channel audio will be correctly output; however, Dolby Digital will be decoded by Microsoft's inbuilt decoder and will not output as bitstream. DTS/DTSMA will still output as bitstream.

Does this make sense to you?
 

Gábor Major

Auditioning
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
2
I don't know... My speaker configuration is 5.1, and they are connected with RCA cable. I'm not using HDMI. Also, I don't understand this bitstream thing.
 

mattCR

Reviewer
HW Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2005
Messages
10,897
Location
Lee Summit, Missouri
Real Name
Matt
OK.. so you are using all of the analog jacks on your PC to create the front/center/rear and sub, correct? That's fine. Then make sure that in the speaker configuration a 5 channel configuration is chosen.

Depending on what player you are using to play that, it may (or may not) expand stereo audio to a mix that anything beyond the source material. To do that, you may have to choose modes.

Open the Realtek control panel, and you can choose to use Dolby ProLogic IIx, etc. Or, if you are using a player like MediaPlayer Classic/etc. it can be set to decode in multi-channel format.

But if you're using analog speakers straight out of your PC, it will (most of the time) stay exactly true to the source material.
If you're really stuck, send me a PM, I offer most people on here a remote connect where I can login (you will need to be there so we can go through it) and check your options.

Thanks!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,810
Messages
5,123,561
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top