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Audio/surround question



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 1st 07, 10:41 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
[email protected]
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Posts: 5
Default Audio/surround question

If a PC supports say 5.1 channel audio, most (or all) audio played in
Windows can only be heard on 2 front speakers anyway? Is it correct?
When I ran an audio test, every speaker made sound as expected.
However, there's only sound coming out of front speakers when I play
music, games, internet...!

Thanks for any input

  #2  
Old January 1st 07, 11:34 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
SteveH
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Posts: 335
Default Audio/surround question

wrote in message
ups.com...
If a PC supports say 5.1 channel audio, most (or all) audio played in
Windows can only be heard on 2 front speakers anyway? Is it correct?
When I ran an audio test, every speaker made sound as expected.
However, there's only sound coming out of front speakers when I play
music, games, internet...!

Thanks for any input

The sound source needs to be 5.1 to get sound out of all the speakers eg. a
DVD movie with 5.1 surround.

SteveH


  #3  
Old January 1st 07, 11:58 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
[email protected]
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Posts: 5
Default Audio/surround question

Thanks. I was confused because I used to use 4 speakers with Turtle
Beach Santa Cruz sound card and there was sound coming out of all 4
speakers at all time.
Unless for watching DVD, I guess there's no use of 5.1 channel audio
on PC then?

SteveH wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
If a PC supports say 5.1 channel audio, most (or all) audio played in
Windows can only be heard on 2 front speakers anyway? Is it correct?
When I ran an audio test, every speaker made sound as expected.
However, there's only sound coming out of front speakers when I play
music, games, internet...!

Thanks for any input

The sound source needs to be 5.1 to get sound out of all the speakers eg. a
DVD movie with 5.1 surround.

SteveH


  #4  
Old January 2nd 07, 12:33 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Paul
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Posts: 13,364
Default Audio/surround question

wrote:
If a PC supports say 5.1 channel audio, most (or all) audio played in
Windows can only be heard on 2 front speakers anyway? Is it correct?
When I ran an audio test, every speaker made sound as expected.
However, there's only sound coming out of front speakers when I play
music, games, internet...!

Thanks for any input


Content, like from a DVD, can be available to drive 6 speakers. That
is an example, where they recorded 6 channels to begin with, so it
is a simple matter to pass the content, straight to the speakers.

Other sources are inherently stereo, and there were only two channels
to begin with. (Like ripping the sound tracks from a music CD.)

To make two channels, fill six speakers, there are various transforms
that can be applied, to approximate a surround environment. For
example, if you go to this page, and click "Upmixing music and movies",
you can see a tutorial on setting a complex sound product, to better
make use of the speakers. These techniques are far from perfect, and
will tend to be perceived as "artificial". (Face it, you cannot make
"something from nothing".) The real answer, is to have the content
in six channel form in the first place, recorded with six microphones etc.

http://www.creative.com/products/sou...o/?c=2&m=1&t=2

But speaking in general terms, there are likely to be situations where
such solutions don't do what they are supposed to. Some sound sources
are so devoid of information that might make a mathematical transform
work, that you still won't be satisfied, even after buying a complex
sound product.

Another problem area can be, if you attempt to use SPDIF (coaxial)
connection to the receiver on your home entertainment system. Here
the problem is that SPDIF is a two channel standard - to carry six
channels of sound uses a compression technique called Dolby AC-3.
While the compression can be done by software, there is a long
delay with the software method, so a windows desktop warning sound,
would take 0.5 seconds to show up on your home entertainment system.
Stick with analog cabling to your speaker system, for fewer problems
of that sort.

The feature set of built-in sound on a motherboard, won't have as
many fancy features as are shown in the Creative page above. Some
of the products are pure misery (which is why the built-in sound
on my motherboard is disabled and a $7 sound card takes its place).
You may want to shop for a separate sound card, but take your time
while shopping. It is hard to translate the "marketing speak" into
English, so you can understand whether the thing you are buying, is
the right answer or not.

Paul
  #5  
Old January 2nd 07, 12:38 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
DaveW
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Posts: 683
Default Audio/surround question

Any sounds to be heard in 5.1 surround sound MUST have been originally mixed
in 5.1. In other words, newer games. Everything else mixed in stereo will
just come out two speakers.

--
DaveW

----------------
wrote in message
ups.com...
If a PC supports say 5.1 channel audio, most (or all) audio played in
Windows can only be heard on 2 front speakers anyway? Is it correct?
When I ran an audio test, every speaker made sound as expected.
However, there's only sound coming out of front speakers when I play
music, games, internet...!

Thanks for any input



  #6  
Old January 2nd 07, 12:55 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Dave
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 190
Default Audio/surround question


wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks. I was confused because I used to use 4 speakers with Turtle
Beach Santa Cruz sound card and there was sound coming out of all 4
speakers at all time.


Yes, the Turtle Beach software is nice that way, allowing you to use all the
speakers, even with 2-channel source

Unless for watching DVD, I guess there's no use of 5.1 channel audio
on PC then?


Pretty much. Surround sound on a computer is a waste of money, unless you
are also using the computer monitor as your primary household television
set.


  #7  
Old January 2nd 07, 01:43 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
SteveH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 335
Default Audio/surround question

"Dave" wrote in message
reenews.net...

wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks. I was confused because I used to use 4 speakers with Turtle
Beach Santa Cruz sound card and there was sound coming out of all 4
speakers at all time.


Yes, the Turtle Beach software is nice that way, allowing you to use all
the speakers, even with 2-channel source

Unless for watching DVD, I guess there's no use of 5.1 channel audio
on PC then?


Pretty much. Surround sound on a computer is a waste of money, unless you
are also using the computer monitor as your primary household television
set.

I forgot to mention, a lot of games now use 5.1 sound of course.

SteveH


  #8  
Old January 2nd 07, 07:56 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Skybuck Flying
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Posts: 917
Default Audio/surround question


wrote in message
ups.com...
If a PC supports say 5.1 channel audio, most (or all) audio played in
Windows can only be heard on 2 front speakers anyway? Is it correct?
When I ran an audio test, every speaker made sound as expected.
However, there's only sound coming out of front speakers when I play
music, games, internet...!

Thanks for any input


Did you setup windows correctly ?

You need to tell windows to use the 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound speakers/mode.
Otherwise windows will simply use 2 speaker set setup.

So check that first if you think it's not surround sound

Bye,
Skybuck.


 




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