Soundcard not putting out 5.1

[I_R_Trogdor]

Hi all,

Ive recently bought a Logitech G51 5.1 surround sysem for my home PC and no matter what I do I cannot get the rear speakers to work.

I am using an integrated sound card on my ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe mobo which can handle 5.1, and all the connecters are in the correct ports.

I am currently running Vista 64bit and have had these speakers working in the past but since doing a fresh install of the same operating system I'm having no luck with getting the speakers working again.

I have tried installing the SoundMax drivers off the CD that came with the motherboard, tried installing new drivers from the ASUS website, tried wiping the drivers and just getting windows to automatically search for new ones etc....all to no avail.
I have checked my bios settings to ensure HD audio is enabled (it was and still is), I have mesed around with all the connecter plugs at the back plate in every configuration imaginable.

The strange thing is that when connected to the correct ports on the back plate (colour coded so hard to get wrong) and tested in the Windows audio devices setup app, all 6 speakers work...perfect clear sounds coming from all speakers and sub. But when playing any music or movies I only get sound from the center/Sub, and the front speakers.

Before you say it - I am aware that some of these audio/video files are probably just stereo sound so would normally only play on the fronts - BUT the SoundMax drivers SHOULD be converting this to a 5.1 sound output...not 100% 5.1 sound....but at least converting the audio to play on all 5 speakers as it has done in the past.

Also - in the vista and 7 64bit driver version, the Soundmax control panel is not included like it was in the 32bit versions of the drivers. So I cant have a play in there or troubleshoot that way.

Any help or ideas to try would be greatly appreciated.

 

[astrallite]

Well if you can't install the drivers it's defaulting to the standard Windows control scheme. If the drivers should be converting to 5.1 but you haven't installed them it would make sense it's not working as you intended. Just like my car should be able to drive, but when the gas tank is empty, it's not.

 

[I_R_Trogdor]

Sorry I should have made this clearer.

"I have tried installing the SoundMax drivers off the CD that came with the motherboard, tried installing new drivers from the ASUS website, tried wiping the drivers and just getting windows to automatically search for new ones etc....all to no avail. "

This means that I tried and successfully installed the drivers in all of the above scenarios - and tested the 5.1 surround on all of the above.

But in all cases 5.1 does not work correctly.

 

[I_R_Trogdor]

ok well I tried installing newer soundmax drivers last night, and even drivers for other boards as per another post I found online
On a couple of the drivers I eventually got the soundmax Icon to show in the task bar and was able to set up th speakers using this tool which was at least a step in the right direction...and managed to get all 6 speakers working as they should in test.
But whatever I do I still cannot get windows to recognise the rears when playing music or movies.
Reading my logitech speakers manual it says that the speakers support dolby DTS and if my soundcard or onboard sound supports this then there should be no problem with the translation from stereo to simulated 5.1 playback.

So it seems that either windows or the soundmax drivers are still causing the issues in this area...

idea's?.......anyone?.....i'm completely stuck here and used up hours of my time on this stupid thing.
Any ideas at all would be much appreciated as i'm about to take a sledgehammer to my PC.