Surround sound is only working on front 2 speakers and sub on a 5.1 system?

Question

I feel stupid having to ask for computer advice as I used to be the one so often giving it, but alas I have been out of the computer world for quite some time now. It has been years since I have built my last PC, and I find myself at an impasse.

I am using my last build which is running XP SP3. I have recently purchased a Logitech z506 5.1 speaker system as well as a Sound Blaster Audigy SE sound card. I have everything hooked up and ready to go, but cannot seem to get all the speakers to work. The front left and right as well as the sub function perfect but the rear speakers wont play a sound. I have installed the driver disc that came with the sound card and I have the speaker setup set to 5.1 in the control panel

I have used a surround sound test track on YouTube, and I only receive sound from the speakers stated above.

I appreciate your time.

Answer 1

Only time you will get surround sound is if the audio output/track is surround (5:1). Most audio tracks are two channel.

Answer 2

Keep in mind that 5.1 or 7.1 audio are all encoded in Dolby Digital or DTS. They are mainly available only on DVD, Blu Ray and some video games. You also need a decoder of either the Dolby or DTS. If you do not have the decoder or the software then all you get is a 2 channel sound. Hope this will help you out.

Answer 3

- First the Logitech z506 5.1 speaker system is garbage toy speakers. Not my fault if they have weak power, bad quality, and don't work correctly like normal surround sound speakers.

- Second, does your sound card have green fronts, black rears, orange center+subwoofer ports to connect to the speakers? (If your using the red/white ports you will only get stereo).

- Third, control panel -> sound and audio devices -> speaker settings and click advanced -> speaker setup and click 5.1 surround sound speakers. (Do any other audio adjusts in audio settings if needed). = With computer speakers all you should need is step two and step three and step four.

- Forth, below explains you need a 5.1 encoded audio file.

- Fifth, below explains how you send a 5.1 encoded signal to speakers.



- Download k-lite codec pack for media player classic (for movies).

- First make sure the movie is encoded in 5.1 surround sound (most movies are) -> media player classic -> click on file tab -> click properties -> click on media info tab OR media player classic -> ffdshow audio decoder settings (unless it's using a different audio decoder) -> info tab.

- Second to send a surround sound signal over a hdmi or s/pdif or computer cable -> media player classic -> ffdshow audio decoder settings (unless it's using a different audio decoder) -> output settings tab -> passthrough hdmi or s/pdif and select surround sound formats the cable and receiver support. (Also to select audio track go to media player classic play tab and go to audio).



OR



- Download vlc player. (for movies).

- First make sure the movie is encoded in 5.1 surround sound (most movies are) -> vlc player -> click on tools tab -> click codec information.

- Second to send a surround sound signal over a hdmi or s/pdif or computer cable -> vlc player -> click on audio tab -> choose audio track and select 5.1 audio output -> you can also go into the audio settings by going to the tools tab and click on properties and using simple or all view mode and go to audio.



- For video games to get surround sound audio you have to go into the video games audio settings and select surround sound if it has it.



- Since music files are usually encoded in stereo you can only get stereo. If you want to you can go on media player classic or vlc player and go ffdshow or vlc audio settings and output a fake upmix matrix surround sound format such as DTS:NEO 6 or Dolby Pro Logic II.