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I've just got a set of 5.1 speakers for my new computer, but after hooking them up and setting Sound > Properties to 5.1, I still only get music through the front two. I'm running Vista with a SoundMax 6 channel card, and playing through WMP, how can I force music through all speakers? Thanks.

Are you using a 5.1 source?

You don't automagically get 5.1 audio from a 2.0 source unless you do something to upmix it (Dolby Prologic 2 or Creative CMSS come to mind). Even then, your output method has to support it -- no Creative card supports on-the-fly digital output of multichannel audio that isn't passed through, for instance (so, assuming a decent decoder, you're limited to multichannel for AC3 and DTS audio). Otherwise, you're stuck with whatever you get out of your analog ports.

I kind of miss the old Soundstorm function on nForce2 boards -- it could upmix via a codec then did on-the-fly encoding to the digital-out port, enabling single-cable multichannel audio. Some cards, like Auzentech's X-Meridian or HT Omega's Claro, do this in software now, calling it "Dolby Digital Live."

Right, well I didn't know that - I figured that it wasn't that complex, since there's six ports on my sound card and all the manual says is 'plug in'. I should note that although music only plays through the front two speakers, I can still get sound through all 5 in testing. Is it really that hard to just use all the speakers? I don't need surround or whatever...

Are you using a 5.1 source?

Device Manager says my card is a 'SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio', and it has six ports on the back, so it's not a proper card. Is there some way I can confirm?

Lazarus wrote: Device Manager says my card is a 'SoundMax Integrated Digital HD Audio', and it has six ports on the back, so it's not a proper card. Is there some way I can confirm?

"5.1 Source" as in is the DVD or CD you put in designed with 5.1 in mind? Not as in is the hardware designed for it. Many forms of media were created for just 2.0.

Right, I understand that, but all I want is for the music (no extra surround sound crap, just the output sound) to play through the extra speakers, else there's no point having them since I'm not arsed about surround sound. Surely there is some way to do this?

Plug a Y-splitter into the front-speakers jack, plug your speakers into the Y-splitter...? (I'm guessing here.)

Yes! Thankyou! Knew that splitter must have been for something!

Actually, Vista has stereo upmixing built in, or at least Ultimate does. Just go to the Sound control panel, select Speakers, and click Configure. Make sure 5.1 Surround is selected, then click Next. Make sure all Center, Subwoofer, and Rear Pair are selected, then click Next. If your satellites are full-range, i.e. don't depend entirely on the subwoofer for low-frequency sound, check the boxes. Otherwise, leave them unchecked. Either way, click Next, then click Finish. Voila!

Take note, though, that Vista's upmixing doesn't just take the stereo channels and send them directly to the surround speakers, it tries to be smart about it and give a more effective surround effect by having vocals come from mainly the front and center speakers, and have instruments come from all the speakers. It actually works rather well, IMO. Also, any mono sound source, even Windows sounds for emptying the recycle bin and such, will only come out of the center speaker instead of the left and right front speakers.

Sorry for the mini-necro, but I just realized I forgot something. You also need to right-click on Speakers, click Properties, then go to the Enhancements tab. Scroll down the list until you find Speaker Fill, and check the checkbox. Click OK, and you're in business!