5.1 surround sound.

[discman]

right im feeling calmer after my fire wall rant just bought 5.1 surround sound speakers a bassbox and 5 satellite speakers its came with different connectors for 5.1 and normal 2 channel stereo but i only seem to have a normal stereo out jack it still works but only in normal stereo do i have to upgrade my soundcard or what,...?

[anonymez]

does your hardware do 5.1? 2 things to check here, make sure the decoder is set to 5.1 output (which player are you using?) as well as audio drivers

[discman]

windows media player for my music it dont seem to have a 5.1 setting nor does my pc seem to have 5.1 ports not sure about drivers..

[volfann]

sounds like you need a sound card installed..

[anonymez]

ah sorry missed this part

but i only seem to have a normal stereo out jack

yes you'll need an upgrade

[discman]

funny thing is the audio manager has a 5.1 setting but not wmp or power dvd nor is there any 5.1 ports

[toomanycats]

Are you sure that the sound is not being piggy backed on the stereo left and right output of your computer? Do you have a digital stream out (coaxial)? I would try putting the output of the soundcard/sound output from the computer into the aux input of your surround sound system, you may be able to use the DSP to emulate surround sound. If you have a 5.1 system that needs all five outputs to run it try finding an old surround sound reciever (there a dime a dozen) and use that. My computer is hooked up to an old Yahama 5.1 amp and sounds great. Nothing like full size speakers for really good rich sound.

[discman]

its pluged in 2 aux to give the apperance of 5.1 my only out put is normal stereo jack

[toomanycats]

Normal stereo jacks are essentially RCA jacks that share the same common ground. If you look at the back of a DVD player you see 2 rca jacks, red and white, these carry the dolby 5.1 surround but will not carry dolby digital. So if you system is emulating surround the information is probably there for 5.1 but it can't be for Dolby Digital, which requires a digital output. If you PC has an Orange output jack (a single RCA) that is your digital output for Dolby Digital. Some sound card have all 5 connections for Dolby Digital but most newer ones use the RCA Coaxial set up. Does you system have a Digital input?

[discman]

rca jack audio in the output is lime green

[toomanycats]

If it is Orange colored that is your coaxial digital input. Your DVD player probably has an output like that. If your computer has an output like that your in business for Dolby Digital. If it doesn't you will need an upgrade but you should still be able to get Dolby 5.1 with the single stereo 1/8th" jack output of your computer output with a 1/8th stereo jack to left/right RCA cable available at your local Radio Shack or equivalent store.

[toomanycats]

It may be that they did not adhere to the standard colors some are black, go figure. Your manual should tell you what it is. Of more importance is the output from your computer as that will determine if you can put out Dolby
Digital in the first place.

[discman]

just noticed pc has rca jack at the front its orange it says analog front speakers or amp..

[toomanycats]

In case you weren't aware, any stereo source will piggy back the Dolby 5.1 signals on their stereo output signals, even if the amp Dolby 5.1. The amp just won't play it but it is still there. It is dependent on the source material. Dolby Digital carries 6.1 signals on the rear two speaker outputs. If you have an old Pro-logic amp you can achieve 6.1 by playing the right and left channels into the main input of the old Prologic main left and right input and then set the amp to 3 channel logic and you will have the left and right and center channel of Dolby 6.1.

[toomanycats]

I would try plugging that into the lime green input in your amp if your manual says that is the coaxial digital input. Start with soft volume.