Rear and sub woofer aren't recognized on computer?

lukey2k10

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I'm utterly useless when it comes to surround sound and any audio really.
I'm happy with standard pc speakers but I've been told to try out surround sound, my father's into audio but only uses two massive stereo speakers connected to his amplifier. I have 5 small speakers and also an 5.1ich Full digital amplifier.
This is how i've connected it all:
Green jack on pc to red and white Audio In on amplifier.
Then each speakers is connected via + & - wires which are then connected to the amplifier via some weird plug.
They all play when I'm listening to music or watching T.V but if that's surround sound, then it's the worst thing i've ever heard.
RealTek Audio HD doesn't recognize the rear speakers nor the sub woofer when testing them though.

Have I set them up wrong?
 
What speakers, amplifier and motherboard do you have? If you can answer those questions, maybe we can help you out.

In terms of how you have it hooked up now, the amp is only receiving a stereo signal. SO if you are getting surround, it is a simulated 5.1 not a discrete signal(true) 5.1.

Happy surround listening, the Prisoner...

PS: Edit Also, you may need to change your windows and realtek settings.
 
that green port is a headphone jack/front audio jack. it outputs 2.0 only.

as tp stated if you are getting all speakers working its simulated only.

also keep in mind that most music is only stereo and is NOT surround sound. most movies and games will be surround sound though. some regular television may also be stereo only but it depends on the source.

to get full 5.1 you need to use 3 jacks.

what inputs does your amplifier have and what outputs does your pc have? can you use a spdif (optical) cable from pc to amplifier?

if yes then this is what you should do. if not then you can convert the three 3.5mm outputs from the pc to the correct jacks for the amplifier.
 

lukey2k10

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nice avatar, great old show!

I should of posted my specs, must have forgotten:
Asus z77 extreme4
Amp is a Sony S-Master DAV
Speakers came with the amp. They're some of the best ( all be it 10 years ago) as they were my fathers and he's spent more than I'd like to even think on speakers, it's just he doesn't use surround sound any more.

 

lukey2k10

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I've just seen the set up for the Logitech Z506 speakers and realized that they use three 3.5 jacks going from the PC to the Sub woofer, which i'm guessing has the amps in? Then the speakers connect to the sub aswell. This makes much more sense. I'm probably going to pick them up when I get some money together, £60 in my local store, BUT this current sony amp and speakers will be much much better, or so I'm told anyway. The sony amp has Video 1 & Video 2 which both have 1x audio in red & white ports, therefore I can't use three jacks can I?

Sorry if I'm not making any sense, I'm clueless and the only help I have is my old man but he connects his speakers to a stereo system, not a P.C
 
The home speakers will sound much better than computer speakers.

Correct on the Logitech hookup.

Can you post the exact model Sony Amp? Too many hits on just Sony S-Master DAV(is i this onehttp://store.sony.com/p/DAV-FX900W/en/p/DAVFX900W#specifications. But I don't think the amp has enough analog inputs for 5.1. It looks like your motherboard has a HDMI port(your video card might have one also). I recommend you hook that up to the amp.

Just make sure to change the setting in windows and realtek.

That should give you 5.1 for sources that are encoded with 5.1 otherwise stereo sources can be simulated 5.1 if you want.

Happy listening, the Prisoner...
 

lukey2k10

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Dav S550 -
How would I connect the HDMI to the sony dav? HDMI cable WITH those red and white cables?
I;'ve played about with Realtek and tried most settings, also tried every setting on the Sony, some are decent but not what they should sound like.

 
With that model it doesn't have HDMI. So optical is your only choice. So no HDMI. You need to run an optical cable from the mobo to the receiver and configure settings in windows, realtek and the receiver.

Setting wise on windows and realtek, make sure it recognizes the optical output. Set it to 5.1 for both and do a test sound. And also configure the amp. For surround to sound good, you will need to play with the Sony amp in terms of loudness and delay.

Link to the sony amp manual; http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4241065131.pdf

Since windows and realtek will influence what is happening to loudness(db) and distance(from how far you are away from the speakers), you may need to tweak those also. It can take a while and some experimentation to get the sound you want. I bought my first surround sound processor in the late 80's so I have been doing this for a while.

Fool around for a bit and if you have any problems, post back how you are doing, good or bad.
 

lukey2k10

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Will having an optical cable make Windows and realtek recognize the extra speakers then? As it will provide a more enhanced signal instead of just one jack which has two rca connectors? Or have I misunderstood?

Thank you for the help, much appreciated as it's been driving me crazy. Who would have thought Audio can be so annoying!
 
Yes, audio can be annoying, especially surround sound. With the optical cable(too bad your amp doesn't have analog or HDMI inputs), will show your receiver as the playback device, and set windows/realtek to 5.1 configuration. Do the test thing and you should hear the test sound coming out of all 6 speakers.

It will be enhanced for 5.1 since your amp only has 2 analog inputs(2.0 or stereo).

I can't stress enough like I said above, read over that pdf link I posted, to make sure the settings on your amp(where it talks about speaker setup and sound field) are correct but play around with it until you are happy with the sound. And of course realtek and windows have their settings to, so you will have to adjust those also.

Happy listening, the Prisoner...
 
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connection 6.

i'd suggest using optical as well.

i know on receivers the optical output from the pc is decoded by the receiver not by the pc. i have a receiver not an amp but use a hdmi since my equipment is newer.

in windows audio settings just make sure the optical output is the default device.

i pretty much agree with everything TP is saying.
 

lukey2k10

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Thanks alot guys. I've got it set up with the standard jack to RCA for now and it sounds much better then my old speakers. I've got the optical cable coming tomorrow/friday so i'll hook that up, scroll through the sony manual and post my results back!
 

lukey2k10

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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kenwood-DVR-7000-5-1-Hi-Fi-Home-Theatre-DVD-AV-Receiver-Disc-CD-Region-2-SCR-/400485681827?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_Video_DVDPlayers_Recorders&hash=item5d3ece8aa3
do you think this would be a decent buy? I'm not looking for anything special, the speakers are what I care about as they're awesome but this receiver for £30 has the three audio ports I need/optical ports. I can't see anything wrong with it?
It's either that or just buy some Logitech z506 which has everything i need, just not the same quality
 
What speakers do you have? Unless they are really crappy Home Theatre speakers, they will be better than most computer speakers.
Oh, I looked up the DAV s550 again and saw the speakers. Hard to say if the are better, the same or worse than the Logitech system but they aren't what I consider decent HT speakers but I haven't heard them. If they sound decent for now, you can always upgrade later and just get better HT speakers.

In terms of that Kenwood, is doesn't look like to be an upgrade. Just connect your PC(out from your motherboard) to the Sony using an optical(maybe one came with the system) and see how it sounds. The Sony has Dolby Digital Live and DTS which is good for movies and has Dolby Pro Logic 2 which is good for games and music(if you want the music to play in simulated 5.1).

Any other questions or concerns shoot us a line.

Happy Listening, the Prisoner...

 

lukey2k10

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Hi, sorry I haven't replied, haven't been able to get online. I decided to stop messing around with the home speakers and picked up a set of logitech speakers, very surprised by the quality for the price. Only downside is that the subwoofer plays the audio that the centre speaker should. IE, Realtek 5.1 test - Centre speakers comes out from subwoofer, I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or not or if I should just return them although they're brand new.
 
logitech typically does offer very good quality for a low price. what set did you buy?

example+sound+card.jpg


the one 3.5mm handles center/sub but the sub. what does your center channel do? the subwoofer should not be playing just the center channel audio but should be playing all of the low tones across the board.

does your subwoofer have a knob on the back? what is it set to? if yes turn it to around 20% (on a scale from 0 to 100).

what are your audio settings? change everything to default then make sure you select 5.1 from the list. make sure both windows and realtek have 5.1 selected. did you try the windows sound test instead of realtek's? did you try a driver update?

basically what i'm saying is that you need to try all of the software angles first. it could very well be a bunked setting of some sort which is throwing things out of whack.

i've never had this happen... but its at least possible that either on your board or on the speakers a wire or connection is reversed but honestly until you've exhausted all of the options available including trying a different speaker set i dont see how this could be a problem. i'd be more than willing to bet that its hardware or the crappy realtek audio causing an issue.

is that onboard sound you are using? if it is then you could try getting a cheap ($15-20) soundcard from best buy or some other source and try hooking it up. if it solves your problem you spent a little more but fixed the problem and will get better sound anyways. if it doesnt then you can return it. just make sure you dont ah heck up the box and buy from a place that accepts returns without question.

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i have a logitech 5.1 set on a spare pc (its been around awhile) and it works fine. i've personally never heard of an issue where the subwoofer is playing center channel audio instead of the center channel.

do some tests...make some changes...let us know what becomes of it.

 

lukey2k10

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Z506. £50 next day delivery. I've enver had 'true' 5.1 but playing Tomb Raider to test them was awesome.
My centre channels is just how it should be, the sub and centre are together in one jack, I thought this was the problem but it's meant to be like that.
The sub has a bass knob yes but that does nothing to help. What I thought was strange is that that knob also controls the volume when the centre speaking is playing so surely that shows that the sub is controlling both the centre speaker and the sub speaker?

checked each settings 5+ times and have latest drivers
Literally tried everything! Searched and viewed over 20 threads on the Z506's and other speakers and no one seems to have this problem :/

edit- I've also just noticed that the windows test still plays the centre speakers through the sub, but it's not got any bass at all which is even weirder? It plays like the other speakers just through the sub. How is that evne possible?
 
hmm....

and you say your sound settings show that you set your speakers to 5.1 without any other strange soundmodes enabled?

do you have another computer you can try the speakers on? a spare computer or a friends computer...

if they work fine on that computer then its not the speakers and its your computer.

if they do work then perhaps try a new sound card as i suggested earlier.

let me know what you find out.
 

lukey2k10

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Correct. I don't particularly want to return them as they're new and I'd have to wait a while for a refund then go and buy another set but I can't see any other option now.
I only have a laptop which has 1 jack unfortunately unless the sub/centre jack can still work in that.

I've just tried to redownload my audio driver and kept getting errors so *maybe* just maybe that might by why, I need to reinstall windows tonight anyway so i'll see what happens there.
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