Windows 10 playing audio in stereo instead of surround

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haloguy1999

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So I have a full 5.1 surround speaker system on my PC, and for whatever reason it only plays in stereo. When I do the 'test' thing in windows playback devices it plays the two noises out of the center, front and rear speakers. This would mean all the speakers (including the subwoofer, which outputs sound) works and are plugged in, it's just not playing 5.1. My headset is 7.1 and it has the 'Configure speakers' thing which lets me configure surround sound, so I guess there's something I need to do to enable it for the speakers? Thanks for any help!
 
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thundervore

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To be perfectly clear, your system will only play the audio based on its source.

If you play a file with 2 channel audio your system will only output stereo. Most notably in music
If you play a file with 5.1 audio your system will output 5.1 sound. Most notable in movies with Dolby digital or DTS sound

The only way to play stereo sound from all 5 speakers is to enable software controls such as Pro Logic II which sucks because all it does is clone the front 2 speakers to the rear 2 speakers. There will be depth of sound or difference in the range.
 

haloguy1999

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I have an MSI Z77a G45 motherboard and as for how it's connected, all the speakers connect to a main panel on the subwoofer (on the floor) and from there there is a black cable that I don't know what it's called. It's a single pin and it flat on one side. I keep thinking a fiber optic cable but I'm not sure.

 

Rogue Leader

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Its kind of square and you put it in a square hole then yes thats fiber optic.

Ok so you have the right connection. Now you need to make sure your source is dolby digital. Windows built in speaker test only does left and right stereo audio. You may have an additional audio control panel for your built in sound. If not you need to play something like a DVD that you know has 5.1 sound and try it out. The audio drivers for the system sound should have a panel to test out these features, and that board is THX certified. Look for a panel like THX trueStudio or something and configure it from there, or Realtek digital output.
 

haloguy1999

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[/quotemsg]
Look for a panel like THX trueStudio or something and configure it from there, or Realtek digital output.
[/quotemsg]

Yeah I have realtek hd audio manager on here, and it's fully updated, but all I see is a tab that says 'Sound Effects' and 'Default Format'. I don't see anything that seems like it would help, am I not seeing something?
 

haloguy1999

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I found 'Realtek High Definition Audio' under 'sound, video, and game controllers'. When I click properties on that the only tabs are 'general, drivers, details, and events'.
 

Rogue Leader

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Try the "Change Settings " Button.

Do you see anything like this?

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/51-channel-surround-sound-not-working-in-windows/b14b932f-2fda-44e9-b22f-aeaa3f329958?auth=1

 

haloguy1999

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I don't see a change settings button, and all the realtek thing has is sound effects where there is environment settings and stuff. I have the MSI realtek thing, and I when I look online I see people who have a whole other tab where they can configure their speakers. I have nothing like that here. The only 'device' I can configure is called 'Speakers' and it is a picture at the top left of 3 cables
 

haloguy1999

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I don't see a change settings button, and all the realtek thing has is sound effects where there is environment settings and stuff. I have the MSI realtek thing, and I when I look online I see people who have a whole other tab where they can configure their speakers. I have nothing like that here. The only 'device' I can configure is called 'Speakers' and it is a picture at the top left of 3 cables
 

haloguy1999

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No the only thing the default format tab in the Realtek HD audio manager that is lets me do is change the quality to different frequencies. I'll try to download that thing later and get back to you.

 

Rogue Leader

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Like i said windows normal audio test is only in stereo. You need that specific control panel to test 5.1 I am not sure why you don't see it but it doesn't seem to matter because it does work.
 

haloguy1999

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I just did a test in windows that tested all five speakers. It was Playback Devices > Speakers > Properties > Supported Formats > Test for Dolby Digital. I think what the problem is is that windows recognizes my 5.1 speaker system as stereo, yet it works in surround, because I heard the rear, front and bass speaker. Does that really matter? It seems like that should be looked at lol
 

Rogue Leader

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Its a different test. Normal windows sound test is only stereo.
 

thundervore

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My normal Windows test from accessing Playback Devices - Speaker Properties - Advanced does play sound from all 5 speakers.

It may have not been configured correctly for 5.1 using the configure button as there are options for Stereo, Quadraphonic, 5.1 and 7.1. By default it will be set to Stereo unless you manually change it.
 
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