X-Fi brain fart problem!

[Oyeve]

Ok, Heres the deal. I have recently moved and had to disconnect my main PC and the 150lbs of peripherals and cables and all sorts of crap. For those of you who just keep expanding on your PC you know where I am coming from. Anyway, on my main PC I had just about everything connected to it. From lowly USB connections to a full-fledged 7.1 receiver and even a hi-end turntable hooked up to it. I finally got around to connecting the essentials to it but for the life of me I cannot get the analog 5.1 to work on my receiver. I have an X-fi extreme music card and use the flexi-jack from the output of my receiver so I can use and make mp3s from my vinly collection (long project, on its 3rd year now), but I cannot get the analog connections working and it used to until I disconnected everything to move. I have 3 mini-RCA cables that go into my receiver 5.1 direct-in but I cannot get all but the 2 fronts to work. I have a huge box of cables and am wondering if I had a special cable set up before but cant remember. Is the set up correct? Mini to RCA for front/center, mini to rca for rear plugged right into the 5.1 direct input to the receiver, right? All I hear when I hit the direct 5.1 on my receiver is the front L and R and I know sound is missing as I barely hear centered vocals and surround ambiance. I went to CLs website and the diagram shows cables that have 4 rings on the cable instead of the usual "headphone" 3 ring. Help. Confused. Thanks.

 

[PurdueRy]

Wait so your saying that only the fronts are playing when your playing your MP3s? That would be how stereo sources are supposed to play.

 

[Ghouler]

hi Oyeve,

You do use correct cables: stereo jack to double RCA. This is all you need for analog 5.1

It is true that 2 out of 3 analog X-Fi outputs have four rings but this is for 7.1 (4 + 4+ 3 = 11 i.e. 8 x signal paths + 3 x ground - one for each jack).

If you had 7.1 speakers you would indeed need special cable.

But you are at 5.1 configuration so no need for this. You do use correct cables: stereo jack to double RCA

I'd say some settings are messed up. Perhaps verify following things:

For 5.1 source (e.g. movies)
1) Speaker settings: 5.1
2) Power DVD, WinDVD or similar software for DVD playback: under Audio settings select SPDIF (so that signal is not decoded in software but is passed on to X-Fi hardware for decoding)
3) Decoding settings in Creative Audio console --> Decoder --> Use built-in decoder

For stereo source (mp3, turntable thru line in etcetera) when you want to upmix it to 5.1:
1) Speaker settings: 5.1
2) CMSS - enable CMSS-3D surround in e.g. entertainment mode and select Stereo Expand there.

It should work now.

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: Ghouler
hi Oyeve,

You do use correct cables: stereo jack to double RCA. This is all you need for analog 5.1

It is true that 2 out of 3 analog X-Fi outputs have four rings but this is for 7.1 (4 + 4+ 3 = 11 i.e. 8 x signal paths + 3 x ground - one for each jack).

If you had 7.1 speakers you would indeed need special cable.

But you are at 5.1 configuration so no need for this. You do use correct cables: stereo jack to double RCA

I'd say some settings are messed up. Perhaps verify following things:

For 5.1 source (e.g. movies)
1) Speaker settings: 5.1
2) Power DVD, WinDVD or similar software for DVD playback: under Audio settings select SPDIF (so that signal is not decoded in software but is passed on to X-Fi hardware for decoding)
3) Decoding settings in Creative Audio console --> Decoder --> Use built-in decoder

For stereo source (mp3, turntable thru line in etcetera) when you want to upmix it to 5.1:
1) Speaker settings: 5.1
2) CMSS - enable CMSS-3D surround in e.g. entertainment mode and select Stereo Expand there.

It should work now.

Thats what I figured. I have done all of the above. Maybe the CL drivers got corrupt. Happend before. I will try removing them and reinstalling them again. I recall this set up working last year and was stumped as to why it wasnt working now. I'll also check the cable, maybe they got damaged when I wrapped them up to move. Thanks Ghouler


PurdueRy,

I am aware that a standard stereo source is 2.0. 🙂 The 3D-CMSS was only playing the front even when set for surround which would upmix to 5.1 which is not working at the moment. I will try reinstalling the drivers as they always seem problematic.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Oyeve

Originally posted by: Ghouler
hi Oyeve,

You do use correct cables: stereo jack to double RCA. This is all you need for analog 5.1

It is true that 2 out of 3 analog X-Fi outputs have four rings but this is for 7.1 (4 + 4+ 3 = 11 i.e. 8 x signal paths + 3 x ground - one for each jack).

If you had 7.1 speakers you would indeed need special cable.

But you are at 5.1 configuration so no need for this. You do use correct cables: stereo jack to double RCA

I'd say some settings are messed up. Perhaps verify following things:

For 5.1 source (e.g. movies)
1) Speaker settings: 5.1
2) Power DVD, WinDVD or similar software for DVD playback: under Audio settings select SPDIF (so that signal is not decoded in software but is passed on to X-Fi hardware for decoding)
3) Decoding settings in Creative Audio console --> Decoder --> Use built-in decoder

For stereo source (mp3, turntable thru line in etcetera) when you want to upmix it to 5.1:
1) Speaker settings: 5.1
2) CMSS - enable CMSS-3D surround in e.g. entertainment mode and select Stereo Expand there.

It should work now.

Thats what I figured. I have done all of the above. Maybe the CL drivers got corrupt. Happend before. I will try removing them and reinstalling them again. I recall this set up working last year and was stumped as to why it wasnt working now. I'll also check the cable, maybe they got damaged when I wrapped them up to move. Thanks Ghouler


PurdueRy,

I am aware that a standard stereo source is 2.0. 🙂 The 3D-CMSS was only playing the front even when set for surround which would upmix to 5.1 which is not working at the moment. I will try reinstalling the drivers as they always seem problematic.

make sure "digital out only" is not selected in the windows volume control panel.