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Cant get my 5.1/7.1 surrounding to work. Any HELP!!?
Hi all,
I have a Alienware aurora r4 that I bought late last year. Ive been trying to get my surround sound to work but was unsuccessful.
(Forgive me with my naming, I am not too familiar with audio component.)
My computer has the 6 connectors meant for the sound.....( I think the pink one is the mic)and a Optical Cable port with and another connection that's kinda "Orange", it is right next to the optical port, if anyone can tell me the name I will be greatfull.
I have a Surrounding ( I believe its called a "receiver") that can only use the optical cable. I am not sure if the orange port next to the optical port on my computer is needed but I cant using it with what I have.
Here my problem, I can hear the sound coming out, so it works... But its not 5.1/7.1, it just regular sounds on the left and right side.
I have this software on my computer called " Alienware Audio" and some reason it can see the optical connection to the computer.... but it can not do any of the advance setting to test the 5.1 dobly, it only works when I have something connected to the regular green RCA port located behind my computer.
isn't the optical cable acknowledge as a surrounding port? if so how do I solve this.
If I need to install a new software instead of using the "Alienware audio", please let me know. I was planning to install one of the "realtek audio software" but im not sure which one or where to get it.
Anyhelp is appreciated, I know the speaker work in surrounding since I tested it on a ps4 and tv but my pc is not working for some reason
thanks
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
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17K Posts
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December 19th, 2015 02:00
Bit-Streamed Surround-Sound (like from a Movie DVD) will work over Optical SPDIF. That should be working now. That sound doesn't take much room because it's digital and it just being sent straight to the Receiver. Only there is it decoded and expanded into 5.1 channels of sound.
Games don't use that. They use 5.1 channels of PCM sound. To get that working, you must use ONE of these:
1. Those 4 analog connections. Yes, like to a Logitech speaker-system.
2. A better sound card. Either Internal or External. It will need to be capable of popular AC3/DTS/DD+ formats, It will decode the surround sound, and send it over Optical to HTiB (Home Theater in a Box) Receiver like you currently have. Only small problem is that SPDIF doesn't have much bandwidth (it's pretty old now-days) and was really only created to hold a digital Bit-Stream (and 2 channels of PCM sound ... like Stereo). Therefore, all the channels must be down-sampled to a lesser version of PCM (so they will all fit into optical SPDIF cable).
3. If you have a fairly current VIDEO card with a HDMI port and a receiver that handles HDMI, and maybe it's in the Living Room (also with a HDTV connected to Receiver). Connect PC and HDTV to Receiver with HDMI cables and you can game in Surround Sound. HDMI can handle many channels of full-bandwidth sound (called Multi-Channel PCM). It can also handle digital Bit-Streamed sound like a SPDIF (optical or Coax) cable can.
Alienware - Rodrigo
7 Technologist
7 Technologist
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4.4K Posts
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December 18th, 2015 11:00
Hi,
If your system came with a Sound Blaster card, use this driver. If not, use the Realtek driver. Which Windows operating system are you using with your Alienware?
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
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December 18th, 2015 13:00
Have you tried playing a newer/ physical DVD disc. It's sure to have DolbyDigital/DTS.
You don't mention what Speaker-Set you are using, or if you are using an AVR/ Amp/ Receiver.
I think SPDIF is only for connecting to a Receiver/ Amp/ AVR. I think it takes a AVR to decode the digital Bit-Streamed 5.1 channel audio. Also, this "Surround Sound" is different than "Surround Sound" you might expect to get from a computer-game.
If the Sound-Card is decoding the DolbyDigital/DTS Bitstream ITSELF, I think it has to be sent over Analog or HDMI (sent as Multi-Channel). 5.1 channels of decoded (PCM) audio can not fit and be transmitted over SPDIF (that's why I say an AVR is required).
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
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17K Posts
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December 18th, 2015 13:00
1. Those are Analog outputs. Main, surround, and sub-woofer channels. You either use these OR ... one of the SPDIF outputs
2. SPDIF Optical (Digital) output. Can be used instead of Analog set.
3. SPDIF Coax (Digital) output. Can be used instead of Optical if that is what your Amp or speakers require.
After connecting one of the above, In Windows Sound Control Panel ... you usually have to set the desired one to be the default. It can also be Configured and Tested there.
djtremix
31 Posts
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December 18th, 2015 22:00
Hi Rodrigo,
Thanks for the response. I am currently running windows 8.1 64bit. I beleive i have the interegrated 7.1 sound card in my computer so i tried installing the realtek driver. It give me an error when trying to install it. But when i check the Logs, it say that i already have a later version of this drive currently installed on my computer.
When using the optical cable it seems to work, but when trying it in a game it sounds like both the front left and right are playing the same level as the back and center. I am using a app called "alienware audio", it usually give me the option to setup my surounding speaker but only when i have something connected to the "Analog outputs". If i try using the "SPDIF Optical" otputs, the app tells me i need a audio device connected....But it give me the option to change the volume of the "SPDIF Optical".
I beleive it might be that the ap that came with my computer might be maybe limited to only the "analog outputs" ?
djtremix
31 Posts
1
December 18th, 2015 23:00
HI Tesla1856,
Thanks alot for explainging those audio jacks behind my computer makes things alot easier to ask :).
To answer the next question. I beleive i have a "Receiver" it also show on the on it DolbyDigital/DTS, its one of those that also have a dvd player built in side of it. but its not really one of those expensive on to it only has the ability to receive "optical cable" it also have the the red and white port whihc is for left and right speaker but other than that the other ports i beleive are outputs whihc i beleive is for the tv hd connection.
I think my card can decode the dts audio. I checked the realtek digital output properties in "manage audio devices". It shows in the "Supported formats" tab The encoded format are " DTS audio, Dolby digital, Microsoft wma pro audio" . and the Sample Rates for the receiver are, 44.1 kHz, 48.0kHz, 96.0kHz, 192.0 kHz.
my computer has DTs audio and dobly digital applied tick . and 48.0 kHz all applied.
You also mentioned " this "Surround Sound" is different than "Surround Sound" you might expect to get from a computer-game." Is it that i cant control or setup my surrounding but the receiver is the one doing all the work and setting?........ For example of i bought one of the logitec 7.1 speakers that uses the analog output instead of the optical, My computer will be see the 7.1 in the setting but if i use the receiver that i have and connect it in to the SPDIF Optical (Digital) output. The computer will not notice the 7.1 ? and i will have to set it up in my receiver setting ?
Is there a way to test my surrounding is working?
Im really sorry if i might be sounding confuse, its my first time using the speakers for surrouding. I used to only used the heaphones with virtual surrounding. Hope fully i give enough information that might help solve my problem
djtremix
31 Posts
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December 19th, 2015 16:00
Testla1856,
I think im starting to understand now. So its really not my computer that have this problem but my receive thats the limited one eh. So either option 1 or option 3 is my only choice to either do 5.1 or 7.1.
Thanks a lot again for this detailed explanations, I have learned something new today thanks to you and you have my gratitude on that. option " would have been a good choice but sadly my receiver is not a fancy one and only has a hdmi output. the the hdtv connections. Im going to have to deal with the optical until i am able to change the receive with hdmi support or go with a analog like logitec