Surround sound

[Craqon]

Hi all

If I have a 5.1 or 7.1 soundcard, and connect all the sets of speakers in each appropiate plug, will Winamp or mediaplayer or whatever program use all the speakers, or will sound only come out of the front channels? (As it is now with with my NForce2, even though when I do a speaker test, all speakers work)

Will only programs that have the setting of more than 2 speakers work?

Or must I only use the front out that splits and have stereo only on my 5.1 speakers?

Most games I've seen have stereo, EAX and EAX2, etc settings. (Obviously all Creative) But if I'm to buy, let's say a Chaintech 7.1, will I again only have stereo, coming only from the front channel?

Sorry for all the questions, but someone here must have at lease a 6 channel soundcard (2x front, 2x rear, sub/mid)

I just see it as pointless using a 5.1 speaker system, ending up using the line-out on the card that splits into 6 channels. It's like putting retread tires on a Ferrari...

 

[biostud]

You can change speaker setup in the control panel-> sounds

 

[CJP]

I have an Audigy card and a 4.1 Logitech speaker setup. Any program I run has the sound come out of all the speakers. Like Biostud says, make sure you set up your speakers in Control Panel, Sounds and Audio Devices, Advanced, to Quadrophonic or Surround (depending on what you have) along with your soundcard drivers (in the case of Creative in the Surround Mixer).

 

[Ronin]

Make sure you check both the Control Panel in Windows and the Speaker Settings config for your sound card (should come with some sort of speaker calibration tool when you install the drivers). This will ensure that you're getting sound out of all speakers, rather than just the front ones (sounds like your settings are for a 2/2.1 setup, rather than a 5.1/7.1 setup).

 

[bunnyfubbles]

yes, it depends on the soundcard's drivers as well. I know my Audigy 2 NX gives me a few options on how to treat a stero signal when pumping it through more than 2 speakers.

 

[Craqon]

It's just an odd one...

My NForce baord is enabled for 6 channel out. I have even configured the sound with Nvidia's NVSwap, and sound comes out of all the speakers with the test. Everything is enabled as it should be, or at least the way I've read about it.

 

[robcy]

When you set it to true surrond, only programs or files that are encoded to be true surrond (DVD Movies, CD's, DIVX's, Latests Games) will play thru all speakers. If its something that is not true surrond you can still hear it thru all speakers by selecting something like quadraphonic that divide the track into left and right, and reproduce it equally thru all speakers.

When you put a home movie into a VCR and play it, the sound comes only from the front speakers in the HT system because it was made that way, now when you put in The Matrix it plays in Surround Sound, Just an example.

 

[Craqon]

Ahhh. That's the answer I didn't want to hear. But it sounds like the answer. Pity though.

So I can settle with my onboard sound and only use the front line out, let them split into the 2 RCA's, connecting to my sub... Lovely stereo.

I would've thought by this time DirectX would have something build in already for surround/multiple line- outs.

Thanks, you saved me in buying a new soundcard. can spend the money on a cordless mouse and keyboard now.