Surround Sound not Working in Windows 8

[netgeek1325]

My Asus Z87-a motherboard with Windows 8.1 Pro will not output to the side or rear speakers of my 7.1 surround setup. I am using the 6 rear analogue connectors but the only ones not working is the side speaker out and rear speaker out. Front and Subwoofer work fine (after re-installing the audio drivers).

Does anyone know how to fix this?

 

[scorch0062]

My Asus Z87-a motherboard with Windows 8.1 Pro will not output to the side or rear speakers of my 7.1 surround setup. I am using the 6 rear analogue connectors but the only ones not working is the side speaker out and rear speaker out. Front and Subwoofer work fine (after re-installing the audio drivers).

Does anyone know how to fix this?

Could just be the build in sound card. I had to buy a dedicated sound card to get any form of 7.1 working with my setup.

 

[netgeek1325]

It's worked before, briefly, when I booted the system up. All speakers were working but then it just stopped.

Edit: All speakers except the subwoofer don't work when playing some, but not all, media on Media Player. Sometimes it's just the front speakers and not the subwoofer that work.

 

[unknownofprob]

what's the audio configuration set to?

It may be set to 2/2.1 Channel, if so change the settings to 7.1. That would explain the side speaker out and rear speaker outputs not enabled.

Same thing with my sound card, it is 5.1 channel but only left/right audio worked, after I changed it to 5.1, all audio ports worked, before it didn't.

manually set it to play in 7.1 by right clicking the speaker icon-plyback devices-click on speakers-properties-enhancements-setting **an order similar to that but may be a little different**

 

[netgeek1325]

It's set to 7.1, I've used both the Realtek HD Audio Manager to change it (and apply it) and a method similar to your method; neither worked. (There is no problem with having the settings saved and applied, it stays in 7.1 configuration so that's not the issue) Please clarify your method though, I don't understand how yours works. There is no "settings" button for the 7.1 speakers, although there is one for my headphones (usb wireless headphones, not 3.5mm front jack)

The other thing that baffles me is that the problems aren't consistent. I can watch one youtube video and the only speaker it will play out of is the subwoofer. I can watch another youtube video and it'll play over just the front speakers, no subwoofer or sides.

 

[unknownofprob]

ok, for starters, are you playing audio that is 7.1 supported? If not those ports only work for 7.1 audio decoded sounds. Modern day games have 7.1 and only few music has 7.1 surround, otherwise you won't hear them. Try and download a 7.1 surround sound test, just to see if the ports do work.

 

[netgeek1325]

I'm using the same settings as I did for my old windows 7 build, back when all youtube videos, music, games, etc. played on all speakers perfectly. Games had true surround whereas the rest had stereo but on all speakers. Today I tried tf2 on surround and it worked, but so far that's the only thing that's used all speakers.

 

[unknownofprob]

are all games set to surround or stereo?

 

[netgeek1325]

Tf2 is set to surround, but some other games don't even have the option to set to 7.1, although they do utilize the subwoofer and front speakers. Those games, on my last machine, have used the side speakers. quite well, in fact. Another thing is Google Hangouts does not play out of any speaker except the subwoofer, but yet I had it working fine yesterday.

Edit: when I uncheck the subwoofer in realtek it doesn't do anything but when I uncheck the centre (which shares an output with the subwoofer) in realtek it goes to just the front speakers and nothing else. How do I get applications to at least use all speakers equally?

 

[COLGeek]

No bumping please. This is not allowed on Tom's Hardware forums. Thank you.

 

[netgeek1325]

Alright, no solution then.