Center channel won't work when playing dvd's. Please help. Details included.

[GreenLantern]

The gist of it is that I've made every setting within hardware and software I can think of but I just can't get that center channel to kick in in 5.1 mode during dvd playback.:disgust:

And the facts be:

I'm running winxp pro.

I've got my altec lansing 5100's set up properly with my sb audigy gamer - driver version: 5.12.1.253.

In CtrlPanel/Sound and Audio Devices in the Audio tab I've selected SB Audigy Audio [9400] "Default service" of "Playback device" and clicking Advanced, I've selected the 5.1 configuration.

I can go into SB's AudioHQ/Speaker to test and it works fine. 5.1 is selected and all speakers shout out their names properly during the test.

The 5100's have a remote with mode selector for:

• Stereo (which spans stereo over all 5 speakers),
  4.1 Gaming (nuff said)
  and 5.1.

An mp3 thru winamp will not use the center channel with 5.1 but does with 2.1 and 4.1
DVD's behave the same way. (the altec lansings span sound throughout all speakers in stereo mode but I have no idea why they use the center channel in 4.1)

I'm using ATI DVD v5.0 to view movies.
I've selected "English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound" in the movie's set up options. And under DVD setup within the app I've selected Dolby Prologic under the Audio tab instead of the only other choice of stereo.

If I use Windows Media Player 9, I go into options, DVD tab, Advanced button and there is only one tab: iviaudio. There are 4 radio buttons:

• 2 speaker mode
  4 speaker mode
  6 speaker mode (5.1 channel)
  Enable S/PDIF output

but 4 and 6 speaker modes are greyed out so here I choose 2 speaker mode. (this is why I use ATI). And Current Audio Track is greyed out and says
Format: AC3
Attributes: 16bit/48k/2ch

But the DVD obviously is 5.1 capable (TwinPeaks Fire Walk With Me)

Anyone know what's wrong?

 

[GreenLantern]

Thursday morning bump:clock:

 

[GreenLantern]

 

[GreenLantern]

 

[GreenLantern]

Sorry 'bout that double post there.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[GreenLantern]

~

 

[bassoprofundo]

It sounds to me like you need to use DVD software that is capable of outputting 5.1 sound using analog outputs (i.e. PowerDVD, WinDVD). Neither Dolby Prologic (attempts to simulate 5.1 sound from a stereo source) or Stereo ('nuff said) will give you true 5.1 output. I use WinDVD 4.5 Platinum, and I have the option of selecting all the way up to 7.1 sound with the analog option checked.

 

[GreenLantern]

Is that to say that ATI DVD player is incapable of AC3 and so is MS Mediaplayer 9? Mediaplayer has the option for 5.1 but it is greyed out.

I'll give PowerDVD or WinDVD and see. May not be able to get to it till Monday though.

Thanks for the response bassoprofundo.

 

[GreenLantern]

Well, PowerDVD worked like a charm.

What in the heck would be wrong with ATI or MS?

Oh well, guess I'm making a switch.