no 5.1 anymore with SONY AVAMP Receiver

[inquisiteur]

Hi Guys,

I recently formatted my system and added an SSD disk with windows 7 to make my computer turn on faster.

Before and after the reinstall my setup did not change.

GTX 470 --> HDMI CABLE --> SONY BDV E880 receiver --> Samsung TV

Before I had 5.1 support in my movies, but now I can only select setero through the sound menu.


hebergeur dimage

I also have a soundcard, but deactivated it since it has only an optical connection which I never used since I bought the graphic card. Graphic card drivers have been updated today.

Speakers on the receiver level are properly configured, but the PC does not seems to recognize more than 2 speakers (be it the TV ones when the sound is switched to the TV through the receiver, or the two main speakers of the reciever but not the rest)

When, through the receiver menu, I switch from "receiver" to "external speakers" I get no sound at all. That option never worked for me anyway, not sure why though.

I have being trying to fix this issue for the last 4 hours, read a lot of threads but did not find any solution yet. Now going to sleep. Perhaps somone here can help, I am desperate.


EDIT: A few more steps I have taken this morning:
-Noticed that when playing movies or games, depsite the fact that I am still in stereo mode, all speakers are working (not in 5.1 mode though)
-I have installed the CCCP codec pack
-Disabled the motherboard realtek audio chip from Bios

Still looking for a solution though

 

[inquisiteur]

EDIT 2: Read an interesting post where basically a guy was saying that "the computer was only passing through the sound to the AMP" and that not selecting 5.1 under windows didnt matter at all, I was having in fact 5.1 through my AMP already. (?)

Went on downloading a 5.1 dolby check clip and I do hear sounds poping up from each speaker one after the other. (a voice stating left, real left, etc...) however for "left" and "right" it seem that both front speakers were playing. For the "real left" and "real right" they were playing alone one after the other.

Still need help though, I am quite lost in all that mess.

 

[ssddx]

i have a gtx 470 as well and i also hook up to an avr unit although via dvi not hdmi. i'll post my settings and driver version in case it helps you.

my receiver sound mode is set to automatic.

---
-unplug and replug in the cable.
-try a different hdmi port on your receiver if you have one.
-try a restart
-make sure the in-game settings are set up for surround. some receivers cannot handle certain types of surround sound. ie they might handle dolby digital but not dolby true hd and the like. i've always had the best luck checking surround sound with movies myself.
-try another surround sound source in the same hdmi plug on the receiver. verify it isnt a problem with the receiver at all.

it sounds like you know what you are doing and how to set things up properly... i have to admit i'd be a little stumped too.

----

edit: if it was my post you were referring to about the pc not requiring 5.1 to be selected then that is true and not true at the same time. for some strange reason some games and some video worked in surround while others did not. i find it strange honestly that it worked at all.

i now would suggest you set it on 5.1

 

[inquisiteur]

Thank you for answering.

I have almost the same system info than appart from the nvidia driver which is more up to date. (331.58) I will try rolling back tomorrow morning who knows...

Unplugging and replugging the hdmi cable didnt do the trick. I downloaded another video that tests 5.1 support, all speakers worked appart from the subwoofer.

Have an xbox plugged in, still working in Dolby 5.1.

I think this issue is computer related, my receiver is still performing the way it had before reinstalling windows, and before I had 5.1 as option in the speakers selection menu.

Ill dig in some more tomrrow, if in the meantime I can help further help that would be great.

Thanks guys

 

[inquisiteur]

So I finally gave up...However I have an unused creative soundbalster Xifi Titanium sound card that support up to 7.1 and unfortunatly has only an optical out.

I do have an optical cable that I plugged on my sound card and on my receiver. However from here I dont know where to go. If I disable the nvidia high definition audio device then I dont get sound anymore. If I keep it enabled, but switch to SPDIF or the sound card in the Sound Control Menu, then I dont get sound too.

I saw somewhere that with an optical cable I have to choose two different channels on my TV or Home Theater, one for the image (which is going through my hdmi cable plugged to my graphic card) and one for the sound.

right ?

 

[americanaudiophile]

The input set up menu on the receiver should provide you the choices you need.

 

[inquisiteur]

So I finally managed to connect spdif in 5.1

I cannot "configure" the SPDIF exit under the sound menu to set it to 5.1, however with VLC I have found out how to do that, and its looks like it works ok.

Now I am in a odd situation where I have to switch from SPDIF to HDMI audio when I play with my xbox instead of my PC

The only slightly positive note I guess is that my GPU will work a little less since the sound output is stream now through the Sound Card.

 

[beefsoosh]

This is an old post but it came up when I was searching for my issue. In my case, in my receiver's [audio] menu, I had output set to both the receiver and TV out. That was my problem- setting it to put audio out to the receiver only and not both the receiver and tv fixed my issue, and 5.1 was available again.