Problems setting up surround on PC laptop

MarchHare · 12-30-08, 03:30 AM

Hello, I am using a laptop with a Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook Sound Card. The card has an optical out port which I am using to hook into my Logitech Z-5500 speakers. The sound is great, but I am having issues getting the surround sound properly configured. Under the Creative Audio Console, under speaker configuration the only options that read are 2/2.1 Speakers and Headphones. I am not sure whether it is a driver issue or OS issue, but I am using the newest drivers for my sound card that I am able to find. I can't find a way to select 5.1 output.

I was under the impression that vista support for my surround sound was going to be a deal breaker from what I have found looking through the creative support forums, however I discovered that in Vista Sound settings there is a section for testing supported formats. When I test DTS audio and Dolby Digital my logitech receiver correctly identifies the inputs and the sounds play through the correct speakers, including surround. It seems that there is some level of support.

I am not sure if I just don't know how to configure it or if surround will be a no go on my laptop. I have tried playing surround in powerDVD and no surround sound is output. In VLC there are some settings to force 5.1 output but only worthless skippy sounds are output. I have searched through my driver settings and through the obvious vista sound settings but I can't find any obvious configuration issues.

Any help would be appreciated.

Firefed · 01-06-09, 11:02 AM

Have you looked at the installed codecs? I have been having the same problem with my Alienware laptop. Though I can not seem to get surround sound through the optical port. Alot of suggestions I have found in other forums and here suggest installing the correct AC3 codecs. Not sure if this will help but it might point you in the right direction for further research into the matter. Let me know if you discover an answer.

harmann · 01-06-09, 01:33 PM

As far as I know, optical or coax S/PDIF can only carry 2 channels of uncompressed audio or 5.1 channels of compressed audio; its max bandwidth is like 1.5mbps. DTS/DD are compressed. That's why you got surround when you played DTS/DD.

There are 2 ways around this. One is to use analog connections from sound card to speakers. The other solution is to use something to encode in real time only your 5.1 uncompressed audio into DD (also AC3) so it can go through the optical.

The first way is simpler. I don't have the logitech speakers but I think can connect both optical and analog to it and switch to analog when you play games or anything other than stereo and DTS/DD.

I'm using the 2nd way though. I have the Xtremegamer xfi fatal1ty pro connected to a receiver using coax S/PDIF. This is done by using modded drivers that enables DD Live. Unfortunately this doesn't work for your xtreme audio card. You can take a look here. There's also redocneXk AC3 encoder but I haven't gotten it to work yet.

AviaTURK · 04-08-09, 10:50 PM

Dear harmann...

I have the same souncard ( Xtremegamer xfi fatal1ty pro ) and logitech z5500...

Could you help me about your solution.... (encode in real time only your 5.1 uncompressed audio into DD (also AC3) )

My english is not so good so could you help me clearly please...

Which program you use about your solution??? , is it solve both the Dolby Digital/DTS Decoding problem ???

Could you give me some info and link which I can reach the program and give your settings about it.

12-30-08, 03:30 AM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
MarchHare New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 9	Problems setting up surround on PC laptop Hello, I am using a laptop with a Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook Sound Card. The card has an optical out port which I am using to hook into my Logitech Z-5500 speakers. The sound is great, but I am having issues getting the surround sound properly configured. Under the Creative Audio Console, under speaker configuration the only options that read are 2/2.1 Speakers and Headphones. I am not sure whether it is a driver issue or OS issue, but I am using the newest drivers for my sound card that I am able to find. I can't find a way to select 5.1 output. I was under the impression that vista support for my surround sound was going to be a deal breaker from what I have found looking through the creative support forums, however I discovered that in Vista Sound settings there is a section for testing supported formats. When I test DTS audio and Dolby Digital my logitech receiver correctly identifies the inputs and the sounds play through the correct speakers, including surround. It seems that there is some level of support. I am not sure if I just don't know how to configure it or if surround will be a no go on my laptop. I have tried playing surround in powerDVD and no surround sound is output. In VLC there are some settings to force 5.1 output but only worthless skippy sounds are output. I have searched through my driver settings and through the obvious vista sound settings but I can't find any obvious configuration issues. Any help would be appreciated.

04-08-09, 10:50 PM	#4 \| Link
AviaTURK New Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1	Dear harmann... I have the same souncard ( Xtremegamer xfi fatal1ty pro ) and logitech z5500... Could you help me about your solution.... (encode in real time only your 5.1 uncompressed audio into DD (also AC3) ) My english is not so good so could you help me clearly please... Which program you use about your solution??? , is it solve both the Dolby Digital/DTS Decoding problem ??? Could you give me some info and link which I can reach the program and give your settings about it. Last edited by AviaTURK; 04-09-09 at 12:33 AM..

01-06-09, 11:02 AM	#2 \| Link
Firefed New Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 9	Have you looked at the installed codecs? I have been having the same problem with my Alienware laptop. Though I can not seem to get surround sound through the optical port. Alot of suggestions I have found in other forums and here suggest installing the correct AC3 codecs. Not sure if this will help but it might point you in the right direction for further research into the matter. Let me know if you discover an answer.

01-06-09, 01:33 PM	#3 \| Link
harmann Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 30	As far as I know, optical or coax S/PDIF can only carry 2 channels of uncompressed audio or 5.1 channels of compressed audio; its max bandwidth is like 1.5mbps. DTS/DD are compressed. That's why you got surround when you played DTS/DD. There are 2 ways around this. One is to use analog connections from sound card to speakers. The other solution is to use something to encode in real time only your 5.1 uncompressed audio into DD (also AC3) so it can go through the optical. The first way is simpler. I don't have the logitech speakers but I think can connect both optical and analog to it and switch to analog when you play games or anything other than stereo and DTS/DD. I'm using the 2nd way though. I have the Xtremegamer xfi fatal1ty pro connected to a receiver using coax S/PDIF. This is done by using modded drivers that enables DD Live. Unfortunately this doesn't work for your xtreme audio card. You can take a look here. There's also redocneXk AC3 encoder but I haven't gotten it to work yet.