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Posted by r5a on Aug-25-2005 23:47:

Computer to Receiver Question

My goal is to get all 5.1 Channels working on my receiver.

Setup:
Sound Blaster Audigy Platnium
Sony STR-DE975 Receiver
Optical Cable out from my Audigy Platnium to my STR Receiver.

I have set my Audigy to 5.1 channel sound VIA their software mixer, the Sony set to AFD (auto format decoding - normally when it recives DTS / Dolby signal a blue LED on the front turns on - this is not happening) When I do the "Speaker Test" the only channels that work are Right Left and Right Front. Center, Rear Left/Right and Subwoofer are not working. Any idea why?

If you know of any other forums that might help too, that would be great. Thanks guys.

Posted by jdat on Aug-26-2005 00:43:

try the different settings on your amp check by putting it on DTS directly and not auto select format....

are you sure your soundcard is outputting a signal on the central and rear channels?
If you're sending a standard stereo signal it may not do any 5.1 on your speakers.
( I'm assuming you tried to play some music ? )

Try playing a dvd on your computer and see if you get 5.1 working on the amp.
If that's ok then now move on to trying to get 5.1 on your music stuff.

You may be able to emulate surround through your soundcard ( not positive about that ) OR you could run your amp with Cinema settings or something like that it tries to emulate surround sound.
Keep in mind that emulating 5.1 usually means a lot of reverb in the rear speakers with a lot of terrible changing( mostly bass and mids remain and but highs and speech get filtered out ). I'm not sure how to give you the idea how it works .... basically watch a football match with emulated 5.1 and the rear will stadium noise exclusively but without the speech so it's as if you were right there....

You have to keep in mind that if there's only a stereo signal being played none of the central or rear speakers should be working; at least in theory.

I hope I understand your problem

Posted by r5a on Aug-26-2005 01:03:

quote:
Originally posted by jdat
try the different settings on your amp check by putting it on DTS directly and not auto select format.... 1

are you sure your soundcard is outputting a signal on the central and rear channels?
If you're sending a standard stereo signal it may not do any 5.1 on your speakers.
( I'm assuming you tried to play some music ? )
2

Try playing a dvd on your computer and see if you get 5.1 working on the amp.
If that's ok then now move on to trying to get 5.1 on your music stuff.

You may be able to emulate surround through your soundcard ( not positive about that ) OR you could run your amp with Cinema settings or something like that it tries to emulate surround sound.
Keep in mind that emulating 5.1 usually means a lot of reverb in the rear speakers with a lot of terrible changing( mostly bass and mids remain and but highs and speech get filtered out ). I'm not sure how to give you the idea how it works .... basically watch a football match with emulated 5.1 and the rear will stadium noise exclusively but without the speech so it's as if you were right there....
3

You have to keep in mind that if there's only a stereo signal being played none of the central or rear speakers should be working; at least in theory.
4
I hope I understand your problem

1: I'll give it a shot, usually though it switches it for me, but I'll try it.

2: Yeah I tried playing music, lucky shot in hell that one tune will work cauz it depends on how they are encoded and whatnot, I'll try playing a DTS movie or somthing. But if you do a speaker test, it sends a signal to each channel like a voice will come out and say Rear Left or Rear Right, thats how you can check to see if it's working.

3: Yeah I know what you mean, exaclty. That's what I'm doing and you're right there is alot of reverb.

4: Ah okay.

Thanks alot for your help, games though should be outputting a 5.1 signal don't ya think?

Posted by jdat on Aug-26-2005 01:21:

quote:
Originally posted by r5a
1: I'll give it a shot, usually though it switches it for me, but I'll try it.

2: Yeah I tried playing music, lucky shot in hell that one tune will work cauz it depends on how they are encoded and whatnot, I'll try playing a DTS movie or somthing. But if you do a speaker test, it sends a signal to each channel like a voice will come out and say Rear Left or Rear Right, thats how you can check to see if it's working.

3: Yeah I know what you mean, exaclty. That's what I'm doing and you're right there is alot of reverb.

4: Ah okay.

Thanks alot for your help, games though should be outputting a 5.1 signal don't ya think?

If the game is 5.1 it should be doing all speakers yeah.

Posted by r5a on Aug-26-2005 03:54:

Yeah, that's the thing. It isn't.

Posted by r5a on Aug-26-2005 04:23:

http://www.driverheaven.net/showthread.php?t=51875

Big gay.

[EDIT]
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20448
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1130189&forum_id=223837
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?thread_id=1190661&forum_id=223837

Grr!
[/EDIT]

Posted by Psiweaver on Aug-26-2005 08:51:

you could always put it in 5 channel stereo for stereo stuff.

Posted by saintjohnson on Aug-26-2005 19:33:

if it helps I work in the home entertainment sales....so home audio is kinda s joke for me.....what are you trying to play exactly? if you're playing your turnables/mixer through our PC.sound card, you're only going to get stero(aka 2 channels of audio) hence the front speakers only. you really don't want the surround sound going as the center output is only made to send out high(vocals in moives) and the rear out puts is only made to send out effeects for short periods. there are recevers out there that can fake surround, but in general it sounds like crap.

unless what you're playing is authored in dolby, or DTS, or THX you're not going to get your revever to play in surround, espexially send you're sending your signal through an optical cable, as that is just made to talk to a reviever and tell it when to, and when not to, play things in surrounf sound, or not.

wanna try and fake surround? hook up some AV cables(red/white) and try that...though it will sound like crap.

Posted by cyanidebm on Aug-26-2005 20:30:

Greetings,

I use a SB Audigy 2 Platinum with a 15' TOS Link cable, need to make sure you have digital output selected. Normally if you just setting 5.1 its going to try to use the 3 1/4 ports. Youll need a actual 5.1 source to make it the blue LED come on, otherwise need some emulation to output to all speakers in that config, which some receives have 5/6/7 channel stereo option and my Sony (not sure the model which also had the blue LED) does not have, only when im using my xbox fiber cable with xbmc playing mp3s do I get output to all speakers.

Good luck,

-cyanidebm

Posted by r5a on Aug-27-2005 03:46:

@ cyanidebm, Already had that ticked in the Audio HQ mixer, but, if I do the speaker test, only fronts work. Nothing else.

I think my last post sums up everything, I will need to get a PCI card to encode to dolby, and currently, futureshit / BB dosn't have any. Bummer.

Im pretty much stuck with my reciver emulating the "5.1" with the Cinema option on.

Unless I'm mistaken.