How can I get true 5.1 Surround sound?

[hedshotx]

I have had this issue for a while and never bothered to figure out a solution, but now I am looking to find a way to play games / movies on my PC via an optical cable. My mother board, the AsRock z68 Extreme3 Gen3 has a port for it, but whenever I tried to play any audio through it, it comes out with the back two speakers basically mimicing the front two. To my limited audio knowledge, my mobo can't support 5.1, but I've also read of an unlicensed driver here that may be able to do it, but I have not had luck installing the driver. I've also heard people say you can't get true 5.1 out of an optical cable. I know an HDMI would be best, but my receiver does not have an HDMI port unfortunately.

What should I do? Is there a sound card that would fix this or will that unlicensed driver fix it?

 

[elso13]

you got two options.

best option (and what i personally do) is use HDMI output from your GPU into a home audio receiver instead.

the other option is to find unlocked realtek drivers that support dobly digital live, on the fly 5.1 encoding. The driver in this thread worked for me on my X99 rig.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=391553

 

[Joseph DeGarmo]

My Blu-ray home theater system has one HDMI out port which is currently being used to connect to a display. So is it true that it will not work on my receiver?

 

[hedshotx]

you got two options.

best option (and what i personally do) is use HDMI output from your GPU into a home audio receiver instead.

the other option is to find unlocked realtek drivers that support dobly digital live, on the fly 5.1 encoding. The driver in this thread worked for me on my X99 rig.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=391553

I saw a response in that thread that the two rear speakers do not work independently, is this true? If so, that would not make it true 5.1. Also, how difficult was it to get those drivers to work?

 

[elso13]

you got two options.

best option (and what i personally do) is use HDMI output from your GPU into a home audio receiver instead.

the other option is to find unlocked realtek drivers that support dobly digital live, on the fly 5.1 encoding. The driver in this thread worked for me on my X99 rig.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=391553

I saw a response in that thread that the two rear speakers do not work independently, is this true? If so, that would not make it true 5.1. Also, how difficult was it to get those drivers to work?

uninstall ur realtek driver and install the driver in the 1st link.

only tricky part is you might have to enable unsigned drivers.

after that open the unlocked realtek control panel and select dolby digital live.

 

[hedshotx]

Yeah, I tried to get that to work, but for whatever reason whenever I try to use those drivers, I never end up with a realtek control panel at all. What would be the cheapest sound card to get that will let me play 5.1 in games? That seems like it's the easiest thing for me to do.

Also, from what I have gathered, that method still does not provide a true 5.1 set up. The rear two speakers do indeed end up simply repeating what the side speakers put out.

 

[hedshotx]

Update: I got the drivers working, and I can get Windows to play each of the individual speakers in the configure speakers section, but when playing any kind of media whether it be games or HBO Go, the middle speaker doesn't output anything, and I'm assuming the rear speakers are mimicking the side speakers. Thoughts on this?

 

[elso13]

its been a while since i messed around with those drivers because i am using hdmi

first did you select Dolby Digital Live in the new realtek control panel?
second in the control panel audio settings
http://dxg49ziwjgkgt.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/win7-sound-control-panel-default-269x300.png
did you click configure and 5.1?

 

[Mikeliu606]

I have had this issue for a while and never bothered to figure out a solution, but now I am looking to find a way to play games / movies on my PC via an optical cable. My mother board, the AsRock z68 Extreme3 Gen3 has a port for it, but whenever I tried to play any audio through it, it comes out with the back two speakers basically mimicing the front two. To my limited audio knowledge, my mobo can't support 5.1, but I've also read of an unlicensed driver here that may be able to do it, but I have not had luck installing the driver. I've also heard people say you can't get true 5.1 out of an optical cable. I know an HDMI would be best, but my receiver does not have an HDMI port unfortunately.

What should I do? Is there a sound card that would fix this or will that unlicensed driver fix it?

 

[Mikeliu606]

i suggest you to use a 5.1 encoder box with optical cable. 5.1 encoder box can encoder the sound from your computer via a optical cable and output with 6RCA into amplifiers.
http://preview.alibaba.com/product/60256079906-800874909/Factory_supply_mini_5_1_subwoofer_sound_effect_conveyer_or_5_1_ch_home_theater_speaker_system.html

 

[insatiableOne]

I have always went through my receiver, then to my EQ, to my mixing board, then to my amps, to speakers.

You need a shielded Y-adapter cable. The package of a stereo Y-adapter cable often refers to it as "a male stereo 1/8-inch plug to two male RCA plugs."

Plug the 1/8-inch stereo plug into your sound card's speaker jack.

Plug the cable's two RCA phono plugs into the stereo's Aux Input or Tape Input jacks.\

One jack of the pair is probably red or labeled "Right" — push the cord's red plug into that jack. The other jack is probably black, white, or green — this jack is for your other plug, no matter what color it is.
Don't plug your sound card's output into your home stereo's Phono Input jack. Your stereo doesn't expect such a strong signal from that jack.

Turn on the stereo, and switch it to Aux Input or Tape Input.

 

[hedshotx]

I was able to get the modded drivers to finally work with a ton of trouble shooting. Have been playing Witcher 3 with true surround sound and it is a world of difference vs the filled in stereo that I was initially getting. Thanks guys.