5.1 Surround Problem in Windows 10

[Meowrcenary]

Having trouble getting the 5.1 surround to work on any of my games. Using Sony - BRAVIA 1000W 5.1-Ch. DVD Home Theater System. I have it connected thru the Optical port. I can get 2 channel but not 5. My mobo is a MSI Gaming 7 z170.

Played around with the audio controller I have but none of the tests come through except on the windows 10 audio test.

Not sure where to go from there.

 

[MattNA]

Do you have a GeForce video card and its driver installed? (it's the method I know)

If so right click anywhere on your desktop and choose nVidia control panel/set up audio/ On your right there will be an option to open Windows sound setting. You should see your speakers/devise listed. click on it to highlight it then click configure. The settings will walk you through the rest.

Even if you don't have a Geforce those settings are a windows setting. Look in your control panel for s audio settings.


Just looked. Control panel/sound. Brings up the same window you may need.

 

[basroil]

Most likely you switched it to LPCM rather than AC3. Optical out only supports 2 channels uncompressed, or 5.1 compressed. Make sure to check the output encoding settings.

 

[Meowrcenary]

Most likely you switched it to LPCM rather than AC3. Optical out only supports 2 channels uncompressed, or 5.1 compressed. Make sure to check the output encoding settings.

So far all I've done is plug it in, and haven't got much further than that.
Tried updated Realtek HD driver, but now it doesn't show my surround set up in the Realtek HD controller window, though I can still get sound through the system.
How can I check to get it AC3, not any good instructions online, some have steps to windows I simply don't have.

 

[basroil]

So far all I've done is plug it in, and haven't got much further than that.
Tried updated Realtek HD driver, but now it doesn't show my surround set up in the Realtek HD controller window, though I can still get sound through the system.
How can I check to get it AC3, not any good instructions online, some have steps to windows I simply don't have.

Did you run the speaker configuration? Just right click on the windows sound icon, then playback devices, and click configure.

 

[Meowrcenary]

Stays grayed out, can't find a way to get it to come up. Any suggestions?

 

[Meowrcenary]

So far all I've done is plug it in, and haven't got much further than that.
Tried updated Realtek HD driver, but now it doesn't show my surround set up in the Realtek HD controller window, though I can still get sound through the system.
How can I check to get it AC3, not any good instructions online, some have steps to windows I simply don't have.

Did you run the speaker configuration? Just right click on the windows sound icon, then playback devices, and click configure.

Still can't configure it, I can configure my headphones, but so far nothing else. Is there a better audio codec I could use besides Realtek? The two speakers I have working now sound great but I still have 3 others doing nothing.

 

[boju]

I did a bit of testing to see. I have a 7.1 AVR used to test.

I connected Optical from the motherboard P8P67Delux onboard Realtek audio to Optical input to the Receiver.

I set the Receiver to decode. First off it said Pro logic which it does when it doesn't detect a default format.

In Windows playback devices i can only set digital 2 channel under advanced.

Go to Supported formats tab and click on either DTS/Dolby Audio and do a test with either highlighted.

My AVR went from Proglogic to DTS decode and also Dolby decode and all speakers tested properly in 5.1. My two other speakers for 7.1 didn't buzz but i expected that due to bandwidth limitations of Optical.

The codecs are there in Windows, even though you can't change Windows to 5.1/7.1, the media you play supporting Dolby/DTS should play surround.

 

[Meowrcenary]

I did a bit of testing to see. I have a 7.1 AVR used to test.

I connected Optical from the motherboard P8P67Delux onboard Realtek audio to Optical input to the Receiver.

I set the Receiver to decode. First off it said Pro logic which it does when it doesn't detect a default format.

In Windows playback devices i can only set digital 2 channel under advanced.

Go to Supported formats tab and click on either DTS/Dolby Audio and do a test with either highlighted.

My AVR went from Proglogic to DTS decode and also Dolby decode and all speakers tested properly.

The codecs are there in Windows, even though you can't change Windows to 5.1/7.1, the media you play supporting Dolby/DTS should play surround.

Yep, it's always had DTS and Dolby selected since I started trying to fix it. I just don't understand what I could be missing that's keeping me from hitting that Configure button. Or if it could be one of the other Drivers I have. But those are more for Headphones.

 

[boju]

Yea leave it ticked i mean click on it (DTS), theres a test button on the same page isn't there? Click the test button and watch your Receiver display, it should change if you have it set to receive incoming signal to decode.

 

[Meowrcenary]

Ok yeah, I was able to get sound out of all my speakers, DTS and Dolby both worked! So now what Do I do to make sure this happens in my games?

 

[boju]

I did a bit of testing to see. I have a 7.1 AVR used to test.

I connected Optical from the motherboard P8P67Delux onboard Realtek audio to Optical input to the Receiver.

I set the Receiver to decode. First off it said Pro logic which it does when it doesn't detect a default format.

In Windows playback devices i can only set digital 2 channel under advanced.

Go to Supported formats tab and click on either DTS/Dolby Audio and do a test with either highlighted.

My AVR went from Proglogic to DTS decode and also Dolby decode and all speakers tested properly.

The codecs are there in Windows, even though you can't change Windows to 5.1/7.1, the media you play supporting Dolby/DTS should play surround.

Yep, it's always had DTS and Dolby selected since I started trying to fix it. I just don't understand what I could be missing that's keeping me from hitting that Configure button. Or if it could be one of the other Drivers I have. But those are more for Headphones.

Keep in mind, optical can only do uncompressed 2 channels, that is why you can't hit the configure button. Configure button tab is only for analog speakers or HDMI. Speakers run separate audio lines like component and HDMI has the bandwidth for multichannel selections.

Windows is telling you you can't set lossless multi channel audio by not having configure button accessible

 

[boju]

Ok yeah, I was able to get sound out of all my speakers, DTS and Dolby both worked! So now what Do I do to make sure this happens in my games?

Modern game audio is usually uncompressed audio, why they so big 😉 If the game plays through all speakers than it must be supporting Dolby/DTS compressed audio as well.

Basically you can't do anything about it, can't force a signal just need to hope the game/movie uses these codecs. You know it works as you've just done the test.

 

[boju]

Do you have a DVD player in your PC? Try a DVD movie in Windows Meda Player, they use DTS/Dolby compressed audio formats.

Compressed Audio Formats

The DVD medium uses data-compressed (as opposed to sonically compressed) audio for two purposes:

To deliver discrete surround audio (5.1)

To conserve bandwidth and disc space, allowing more room for video. This is especially applicable in long-form material such as feature films, notably when the smaller DVD-5 medium is the target.

Data-compressed audio for DVD comes in a few forms, described next.

Some good info here to understand formats: https://documentation.apple.com/en/dvdstudiopro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=5%26section=3%26tasks=true

 

[Meowrcenary]

Ok yeah, I was able to get sound out of all my speakers, DTS and Dolby both worked! So now what Do I do to make sure this happens in my games?

Modern game audio is usually uncompressed audio, why they so big 😉 If the game plays through all speakers than it must be supporting Dolby/DTS compressed audio as well.

Basically you can't do anything about it, can't force a signal just need to hope the game/movie uses these codecs. You know it works as you've just done the test.

Alright thanks for the help, glad to know they are working, was sure it was a driver issue. Gonna run a quick test in BF3 since it's the only game I have that I know is really big on audio.

 

[boju]

Rage/L4D 1& 2/Farcry4/Dying Light/Quake4/BF 3 & 4/GTA 4 & 5/Half-Life 2/Portal 1 & 2/Counter Strike Source/Sonic Generations/Alien Isolation.

Some of the games i've played over the years with 7.1 through my AVR in HDMI. Games have been using surround sound for quite some time now. Half-Life2 is a good example how long with how old the game is

Good chance you have other games too with surround or a chance you have one of the games i listed to try. 7.1 is what i was able to get with them with 5.1 also a choice.

Could probably find information on what sound format a particular game uses but i wouldn't have a clue which games might include compressed audio tracks though. Trouble is most games now can't set audio type/speaker set in-game, its all done through Windows.

 

[Atchmon]

This is the OP. Tried BF 3, couldn't get any but the front 2 speakers to work. Middle and Rear x2 are silent.
None of the In-Game Audio settings seemed to help no matter what combo I used. So I'm basically at the mercy of Microsoft to support it better. And I have to make sure, since I'm using Optical, that the type of game I play supports 5.1 compressed audio.

 

[boju]

Or get a $180 Sony Receiver with HDMI

 

[boju]

Trouble is HDMI has pretty much made optical redundant. It would make sense being next to impossible finding AAA titles with compressed audio going forward. Storage space is larger these days, internet speeds are faster to excuse downloading such large games, not to mention uncompressed sound is supposedly much better.

Since HDMI/Bluray 1080p etc Optical is going out, only as an additional accessory if needed, its not widely used anymore so doubt game developers will front the cost and time compressing audio files. Unfortunately its just the way it is now for those concerned albeit HDMI is a step up and graphics cards these days with HDMI have audio so it can be pretty simple going if have the right gear.

 

[Meowrcenary]

What about this Audio Input I have on the front of this thing? It just says it for my portable devices, but I could run a Line from the Green jack from the back of my Acer Predator to it? Would that work? Or I bet the audio wont be as good?

Sucks that my only Inputs on the darn thing is Optical or Coaxial, and Audio In for my portable devices. I don't suppose there's a way to salvage my speakers is there? They have a set up to where you have to plug the Positive and Negative charged wires into the clamps on the speakers, and my sub-woofer just has the one plugin I can't take off. I didn't see any Analog cables that can do that. I'll probably have to get new speakers too. 🙁 not liking this one bit. Damn you Bill Gates this shouldn't be this hard!
What do you suggest other than the Receiver?

Out of curiosity I looked up my dav-dz170 just to see what it goes for nowadays. Amazon Has one for near $800 I paid $230 for mine

 

[boju]

What about this Audio Input I have on the front of this thing? It just says it for my portable devices, but I could run a Line from the Green jack from the back of my Acer Predator to it? Would that work? Or I bet the audio wont be as good?

Didn't quite understand this, sorry. If it is what i think it is a 3.5mm audio jack? that's just analog single channel stereo, wont help. Is the Acer Predator a monitor or laptop?

As for the speakers, if its normal speaker wire you can re-use them on any Receiver as they will have speaker wire terminals also. The sub will be using Low Level Effects (LFE) in form of a coaxial plug designated only for a powered sub. All Receivers nowadays will have this. Seems to me you can just connect the speakers and sub to a HDMI capable Receiver and if you have optical outputs on your DVD player you can also hook that up as well to one of the inputs on the Receiver.

If you want to play games in surround will want to get away from Optical and go HDMI, or get a set of 5.1 Logitech speakers and use the 3.5mm audio jacks green/black and orange.

 

[Meowrcenary]

-Yea it's the Acer Predator x34 g-sync monitor.
- They seem to be normal wire other than the unique plug-in they have that goes into the DVD player. I remember one set up that had clamps on both the speakers and the receiver. Hopefully I can just find a decent Receiver with the same clamps. The few I saw on Sony's website just have Analog jacks.
-what Logitech would you recommend for around $250? And what do you think is worth going for? Sony or Logitech?

 

[boju]

That audio jack on your monitor is for headphones if that's what you were referring to: http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_predator_x34.htm

For speaker wire, i plucked this picture from the internet to see if we're on the same page. Either top or bottom speaker terminals is what you'll get with modern Receivers and speakers. Sometimes you'll get funky proprietary connectors on certain brands and units which is not necessary and think is total bs.

Yamaha/Onkyo/Marantz/Pioneer and Denon are the leaders in AVR. Sony and Panasonic are a tier below but on the cheap they still do fine and so do the cheaper versions on the other brands i mentioned.

For PC speakers, there are very many in that price range. Logitech and Creative are generally pretty good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0FU3PV9152 This one has quite a few happy customers at Newegg with the occasional negative/but guess that would go with anything you buy these days just luck and hoping theres nothing faulty.

Go through this for other PC speakers to get an idea: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&IsNodeId=1&N=100160895%204017%20600010685 Look at reviews if you're considering PC speakers because there are so many, reviews might help make up your mind which one.

 

[boju]

Those round terminals if you''re not used to them, all they are is you can either insert the speaker wire to the side (There will be an opening hole to insert speaker wire into when red/black plastic round cover as you see there wind out) and then clamp the wire tightening the cover screw.

Those round terminals can also be used with Banana plugs, the hole in the middle can be used with these;

More or less a plug and play setup. Thats what the hole in the round plug is for, albeit if not constantly disconnecting speaker wire theres no need, just use the opening hole on side of the terminal itself.

 

[Meowrcenary]

I think going for an HDMI connection might be my best option. The more I think about it the more sense it makes to me. Just letting my GPU take over everything, plus there will be little to no digital noise getting to the wire. I'll have to get a different sub-woofer or take a pair of wire cutters to mine. The wire on it doesn't come off. I don't like the idea of the latter, but at least I can replace the wires of my other speakers.