Windows Media Player 12 only plays from front speakers

[dancinbr]

This is really weird.

I have my Windows 7 Pro SP1 installed.

I have surround sound 5.1

The sound tests good via the Windows 7 tools.

Skyrim plays on my surround sound correctly.

However, Windows Media Player 12 only plays out of front speakers.

I look into the device tab in Windows Media Player and it say 5.1 surround, but....

So I think lets just reinstall Windows Media Player.

Well wonderful Microsoft goes no you already have it and there are no updates.

Used to be able to uninstall and reinstall; well no more.

Any thoughts?


Thanks in advance,

Ralph

 

[Slugbait]

- audio source?
- audio connection (coaxial/toslink or analog)?
- audio chip (creative, realtek, c-media, etc)?
- audio system (amp or computer speakers)?
- audio settings?

 

[Gooberlx2]

You're playing music or actually a video with 5.1 sound? Music is likely only stereo (2.1). There might be an option to upmix the stereo content to 5.1 in your control panel settings somewhere, depending on the drivers for the audio chip/card in your system.

So yeah, answer slugbait's questions and you'll get better answers.

 

[ImDonly1]

Go to control panel, then hardware and sound, then sound. Right click on speakers in the new box that comes up and configure it for 5.1. Or do the test to see if all are working.

If you are using separate codecs, you will have to configure it too. Example, video codec AC3filter uses a separate configuration tool.

 

[dancinbr]

Hello,

Thank you all. As indicated in my initial post the surround sound works with hardware and sound as well as Skyrim.

I researched further and found that everyone is having the issue. The older versions of Windows Media (ver 11 for XP) would take a stereo sound and fill the back speakers of surround sound.

In Windows 7, Windows Media no longer does this. Realtek may in fact have a "feature" module at their site to add so that this can happen again.

Thanks again,

Ralph

 

[corkyg]

If the source does not have 5.1 rear channels, they should not be faked. That would have to be an added feature. You should hear sound as it was recorded.

 

[Gooberlx2]

In Windows 7, Windows Media no longer does this. Realtek may in fact have a "feature" module at their site to add so that this can happen again.

Windows Media Player never did this. The upmixing/faking is done on the part of the audio chip.

Make sure you actually have the correct drivers installed. Realtek's option is called "speaker fill". Make sure you have that selected through either the sound control panel or realtek's manager.

http://www.image-share.com/upload/242/60.png

 

[Slugbait]

Agreed with Goober. Mo info: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/...definition-sound-and-music-from-your-computer

This whole time I thought you were complaining about not getting surround sound to work, but it's obvious now that you weren't using a surround sound source.

 

[dancinbr]

Thank you all.

What I never realized is that Windows Media Player 11 in Windows/XP was doing this feature or perhaps it was the way the options were set for realtek in Windows/XP.

I will go back and look.

Next I need to go look for the Realtek sound manager and put it back into Windows 7 Pro SP1.

I am slowing building up my Windows 7 environment while I continue to use my Windows/XP system for now.

Thank you,

Ralph

 

[reallyscrued]

I sometimes like to hear the room filled with music too, even on a 2.1 recording. If Skyrim is giving you true surround sound (ambient sounds on the surround speakers and the action happening on the fronts) you indeed have your 5.1 discreet channels. Now lets make the audiophiles cringe.

On your realtek control panel, if you have "connector retasking" as a feature on your audio chip, you should be able to right click the colored back panel 3.5 mm icons on the right.

Retask the one set for "side speaker out" as "front speaker out"

Your sound chip will now mirror all sounds going to your front speakers to your rears/surrounds.

Don't forget to set it back when playing games or you'll be losing the benefits of having 5 channels.

Hope this helps. (I have an ALC889A, my friend who has a newer version doesn't have the connector retasking option, just a heads up)

 

[reallyscrued]

Btw, as a response to 'speaker fill', I don't have it since my chip supports Dolby ProLogic II but on my friend's pc (like I've mentioned) it absolutely sucks. It tries to take a stereo recording and upmix it to 5.1 so that the vocals come through the center channel and ambient instruments come through the surrounds, which sounds awesome on DLPII but sounds terrible using Realtek's algorithm. Leave it turned off. Even the "matrix" plug-in for winamp does a better job.

OP, if you can click the little "i" at the bottom of the Realtek Audio Manager and look at the audio chip you have (it will be listed next to 'Audio Codec'), you can look up a chart that lays out all the special features of your sound 'card'.

Cheers.

 

[dancinbr]

Thank you everyone.

I haven't gotten to this task yet. However, all this input will help tremendously.

I now have my Windows 7 Pro 64bit running as my primary system.

I switched over my critical tasks from XP such as mail feeds, etc.

I can see that the 64 bit is more responsive than the old 32 bit XP.

I am also awaiting delivery of a SSD, which will really make the system very responsive; no more latency delays loading up apps and using system functions, etc., etc.,

Now back to getting my sons PC an older XP system updated. I am moving my former graphics card into his system, which will allow him to enjoy his new Christmas present Railworks 3.


Thanks again,

Ralph