PC Audio Sound Blaster z DTS And DDL Problems. No Sound.

Warzor

Commendable
Mar 20, 2016
2
0
1,510
For the last month ive been trying to get my computer to play DTS surround sound. Its been completely frustrating why this isnt working. First ill post me set up of what i have.
AMD FX 8300
16G ram
970 GTX 4G
Sound Blaster Z
Harman Kardon AVR 110
Optical (Sound blaster Z to Receiver)

HDMI (Video card to TV) Receiver doesnt have a HDMI port in the back. (early 2000s receiver) got it for cheap. only wanted it to use the speakers i wanted to use for my computer. Heres a picture

http://images.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageHandler/trim/1736/1129/products/2000/532/x532AVR110-B.jpeg

I Installed Soundblaster Z with all drivers and Pro Studio with Creative system that is required to use Cinematic in Pro Studio (Switching from No Encoder to Dolby Digital Like or DTS).
sound blaster optical output to receiver input.
Disabled everything besides soundblaster Z in PLayback. Speakers (sound blaster z) is my default device With SPDIF-Out (soundblaster z) in playback. I see sound when im looking in playback but nothing plays through speakers when im in DTS or DDL. Ive looked on a lot of forms and tried a lot of things. Only time i get sound out of speakers is when i disable SPDIF- Out. but that automatically takes my receiver off DTS and puts it on surround off or standard 2 channel. I simply just want to use surround sound on my computer with speakers. Im not pro, but i am computer savy. I know nothing about sound and how it works. I was just recommended the sound blaster from FRIES for a good sound card. ( I know my receiver recognizes the sound blaster z program, when i changed from DTS TO DDL or No Decoder it switches my settings in my receiver. Please help, Tell me what my problem is and if its a simple fix. What i need to buy or am i completely screwed and unable to use DTS.
Thank you
 
Solution
spdif / optical should be the default audio device in your settings, not speakers. the speaker option is for 3.5mm speakers connected via analog to your z.

set your receiver on auto surround if it has the option. this will allow it to automatically select the right mode.

are you using the front or rear spdif jack?

for starters, keep 2.0 in your settings and try to get stereo sound out. once you can get stereo sound out of your pc to receiver then work on getting more. right now it sounds like you do not get any sound at all.

looks like your receiver supports at least DTS. http://www.manualslib.com/manual/65678/Harman-Kardon-Avr-110.html?page=22#manualhj
i cant verify that it will play nice with your pc but it might.

disabling the...
spdif / optical should be the default audio device in your settings, not speakers. the speaker option is for 3.5mm speakers connected via analog to your z.

set your receiver on auto surround if it has the option. this will allow it to automatically select the right mode.

are you using the front or rear spdif jack?

for starters, keep 2.0 in your settings and try to get stereo sound out. once you can get stereo sound out of your pc to receiver then work on getting more. right now it sounds like you do not get any sound at all.

looks like your receiver supports at least DTS. http://www.manualslib.com/manual/65678/Harman-Kardon-Avr-110.html?page=22#manualhj
i cant verify that it will play nice with your pc but it might.

disabling the optical device on your z should not result in sound at all (since optical is how you're outputting). that part sounds odd to me unless you

do you have another optical device to test with the receiver? (a console for example)?
 
Solution