Problem with sound card and or speakers.

corus · 04-18-2009, 09:16 AM

Hi firstly sorry if this is in the wrong area, I'm new to this forum and this seemed like the right place to put this thread. I'll try and write this so it's easy to understand but I'm not great with computers so sorry if it's confusing.

I have logitech 5.1 surround sound speakers, when I test them they all work fine individually as they should do.

However when I go off the configuration bit and play a song on itunes for example the front left and front right speaker work but the side left and right, middle and woofer don't work even though they do when they're being tested.

Is there anything I've done wrong or haven't done that is causing this problem or do any of you guys know how to sort it? I've installed the right drivers for the sound card.

If anyone can help me I'd appreciate it loads as it's driving me mad at the moment lol.

**Pauldo** · 04-18-2009, 11:00 AM

Sounds like you have windows set for just two speakers.

What options do you have in Control Panel >> Sounds >> double click on your sound card.

My Vista machine is a laptop so it doesn't have an option for 5.1 speakers but there should be something along those lines in there. That's were it is in XP.

Let us know how it goes.

Pauldo

corus · 04-18-2009, 11:18 AM

When I double click on the sound card in the control panel and configure it the speakers work fine individually when I test them, but whenever I use a program or something after that that requires sound there's only two speakers working. I've double clicked on the soundcard icon in the tray and set that to six speaker analogue output and still nothing. :(

**Pauldo** · 04-18-2009, 01:51 PM

Non surround sound audio sources are supposed to only come out of the front 2 speakers by default. It is odd that you aren't getting anything out of your subwoofer, though.

In theory, to get stereo audio sources to play over all of your speakers, you will need to enable upmixing through your audio manager (you haven't stated what that is). Some 5.1 speaker systems also have this option on the speakers themselves. My Logitech x-620's have this option (a switch on the back of the front right speaker). It doesn't work for all audio, however. For example, audio from sources like Youtube don't play on all the speakers unless I enable an equalizer funtion like hall (I have a generic function that doesn't seem to distort too badly).

Have you tried to play a DVD with surround sound on it?

As I said, that is the theory. If you have already done that or it doesn't work than maybe post your system specs (make/model#, graphics card if it was added on, audio card if it was added on, speakers, stuff like that) and maybe we can troubleshoot it further.

Pauldo

corus · 04-18-2009, 02:50 PM

Ok, when you say audio manager what do you mean exactly, sorry if this is a really dull question

. I've been configuring my speakers through the control panel if thats what you mean. Another apology now as the subwoofer is working with the front 2 speakers when I play music so I assume that will just be a case of using an audio manager to enable the surround sound?

However

I just tried a dvd and it got really weird. I put one film in and the side and front speakers worked and not the middle speaker. I put another film in and only the subwoofer worked.

How does that work haha?

Cheers.

Sam.

**Pauldo** · 04-18-2009, 03:08 PM

Ok, that is weird with the DVD's.

For the audio manager, it sounds like you are using one. What are you clicking on in Control Panel? Realtek, Sigmatel, Creative? Any of those would be the audio manager. Or are you going thru Control Panel >> Sounds?

Let me know what you have and I should be able to point you in the right direction.

For the DVD's, it might be that you have a setting on in your equalizer that is messing things up. I know that for my system that runs Realtek it has some pretty funky EQ settings (stone corridor, sewer, castle) that makes things sound really weird.

Pauldo

corus · 04-18-2009, 03:17 PM

I'm going through control panel >>>> sounds.

**Pauldo** · 04-18-2009, 03:27 PM

Yeah, look for Realtek or Creative or something along those lines.

If you can't find it than let me know what the make/model # of your computer is, or motherboard make and model # if it is a custom build, and any add-on cards that you installed and I can look it up. It's highly likely that you don't have the right drivers installed if you can't find it.

Pauldo

corus · 04-18-2009, 03:35 PM

Yeah my soundcard is creative but I can't find anything saying that in the control panel?

Motherboard: Gigabyte p35 s3g
graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT

I did take it to a shop recently to try and sort this out and they said they had installed the right drivers but I guess they might have screwed me about a bit?

**Pauldo** · 04-19-2009, 06:19 PM

They may not have installed the Audio Console, as Creative calls it.

Depending on when you took it to the shop there might be a newer set of drivers and usually, with Creative, they like to bundle the Console with those drivers. Install that and see what happens.

You can go here to download the newest drivers: http://support.creative.com/Products...s.aspx?catid=1

If you don't see your card on that page there is a text link at the bottom for legacy cards. Click that and you will be taken to a page were you can choose Audigy, Live!, and other older cards.

Hope that works.

Pauldo

04-18-2009, 09:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
corus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista	Problem with sound card and or speakers. Hi firstly sorry if this is in the wrong area, I'm new to this forum and this seemed like the right place to put this thread. I'll try and write this so it's easy to understand but I'm not great with computers so sorry if it's confusing. I have logitech 5.1 surround sound speakers, when I test them they all work fine individually as they should do. However when I go off the configuration bit and play a song on itunes for example the front left and front right speaker work but the side left and right, middle and woofer don't work even though they do when they're being tested. Is there anything I've done wrong or haven't done that is causing this problem or do any of you guys know how to sort it? I've installed the right drivers for the sound card. If anyone can help me I'd appreciate it loads as it's driving me mad at the moment lol.

04-18-2009, 11:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
Pauldo Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 1,444 OS: winXP Pro sp3 My System	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. Sounds like you have windows set for just two speakers. What options do you have in Control Panel >> Sounds >> double click on your sound card. My Vista machine is a laptop so it doesn't have an option for 5.1 speakers but there should be something along those lines in there. That's were it is in XP. Let us know how it goes. Pauldo __________________ SystemSpec \| Power Supply Info \| How to Post a Screen shot \| Speedfan[/center]

04-18-2009, 11:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
corus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. When I double click on the sound card in the control panel and configure it the speakers work fine individually when I test them, but whenever I use a program or something after that that requires sound there's only two speakers working. I've double clicked on the soundcard icon in the tray and set that to six speaker analogue output and still nothing. :(

04-18-2009, 01:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
Pauldo Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 1,444 OS: winXP Pro sp3 My System	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. Non surround sound audio sources are supposed to only come out of the front 2 speakers by default. It is odd that you aren't getting anything out of your subwoofer, though. In theory, to get stereo audio sources to play over all of your speakers, you will need to enable upmixing through your audio manager (you haven't stated what that is). Some 5.1 speaker systems also have this option on the speakers themselves. My Logitech x-620's have this option (a switch on the back of the front right speaker). It doesn't work for all audio, however. For example, audio from sources like Youtube don't play on all the speakers unless I enable an equalizer funtion like hall (I have a generic function that doesn't seem to distort too badly). Have you tried to play a DVD with surround sound on it? As I said, that is the theory. If you have already done that or it doesn't work than maybe post your system specs (make/model#, graphics card if it was added on, audio card if it was added on, speakers, stuff like that) and maybe we can troubleshoot it further. Pauldo __________________ SystemSpec \| Power Supply Info \| How to Post a Screen shot \| Speedfan[/center]

04-18-2009, 02:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
corus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. Ok, when you say audio manager what do you mean exactly, sorry if this is a really dull question. I've been configuring my speakers through the control panel if thats what you mean. Another apology now as the subwoofer is working with the front 2 speakers when I play music so I assume that will just be a case of using an audio manager to enable the surround sound? However I just tried a dvd and it got really weird. I put one film in and the side and front speakers worked and not the middle speaker. I put another film in and only the subwoofer worked. How does that work haha? Cheers. Sam. Last edited by corus; 04-18-2009 at 02:51 PM.

04-18-2009, 03:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Pauldo Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 1,444 OS: winXP Pro sp3 My System	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. Ok, that is weird with the DVD's. For the audio manager, it sounds like you are using one. What are you clicking on in Control Panel? Realtek, Sigmatel, Creative? Any of those would be the audio manager. Or are you going thru Control Panel >> Sounds? Let me know what you have and I should be able to point you in the right direction. For the DVD's, it might be that you have a setting on in your equalizer that is messing things up. I know that for my system that runs Realtek it has some pretty funky EQ settings (stone corridor, sewer, castle) that makes things sound really weird. Pauldo __________________ SystemSpec \| Power Supply Info \| How to Post a Screen shot \| Speedfan[/center]

04-18-2009, 03:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
corus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. I'm going through control panel >>>> sounds.

04-18-2009, 03:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
Pauldo Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 1,444 OS: winXP Pro sp3 My System	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. Yeah, look for Realtek or Creative or something along those lines. If you can't find it than let me know what the make/model # of your computer is, or motherboard make and model # if it is a custom build, and any add-on cards that you installed and I can look it up. It's highly likely that you don't have the right drivers installed if you can't find it. Pauldo __________________ SystemSpec \| Power Supply Info \| How to Post a Screen shot \| Speedfan[/center]

04-18-2009, 03:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
corus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. Yeah my soundcard is creative but I can't find anything saying that in the control panel? Motherboard: Gigabyte p35 s3g graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT I did take it to a shop recently to try and sort this out and they said they had installed the right drivers but I guess they might have screwed me about a bit?

04-19-2009, 06:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
Pauldo Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 1,444 OS: winXP Pro sp3 My System	Re: Problem with sound card and or speakers. They may not have installed the Audio Console, as Creative calls it. Depending on when you took it to the shop there might be a newer set of drivers and usually, with Creative, they like to bundle the Console with those drivers. Install that and see what happens. You can go here to download the newest drivers: http://support.creative.com/Products...s.aspx?catid=1 If you don't see your card on that page there is a text link at the bottom for legacy cards. Click that and you will be taken to a page were you can choose Audigy, Live!, and other older cards. Hope that works. Pauldo __________________ SystemSpec \| Power Supply Info \| How to Post a Screen shot \| Speedfan[/center]