SBlive, 5.1, Headaches

Hi there,

It's been a while since I bought a SBLive! 5.1 sound card, and a couple of weeks ago I acquired a Creative Inspire 5500 Digital speaker set.

For my surprise, when I set them up, I was not able to hear 5.1 sound in Windows, and I only enjoyed my system when playing a DVD.

I have readed tons of forums, followed manuals, and did some other things, like these:
- Tried KX drivers
- Tried the soft-mod drivers that allow you to install Audigy 2 drivers/software on an SBLive
- Tried using digital output
- Tried using analog output

The ONLY way I was able to hear 5.1 in Windows (this is, playing mp3, games, etc.) was with analog output (plugging the rear, front and center/sw cables in the card directly) and with the Audigy 2 drivers. With its control panels I could adjust rear and front speaker volumes, but I was not able to switch to "digital only", because my central and subwoofer speakers made a terribly loud sound, and it did not sound very "normal" (like going to exploder or something).


So basically I'm desperate, hopeless and frustrated. I don't know what to do, and even though on buying an Hercules or any other card that plays REAL 5.1.

If I use my digital output I don't hear 5.1 in Windows, if I use analog I can't use the digital dolby decoder included in the system, AND ALSO I can't control the volume with my decoder... I have to set it with Windows (the volume control works fine when in Digital mode).

So... any advices? Any ideas? I really don't know what else to try... Well I though on something, but maybe not a real good idea:

Buy some cables so I can plug both digital and analog, duplicating cables and outputs/inputs so I can switch on or another. Anyway I'm afraid that I will get that "explode" sound from my woofer so don't want to try strange things.
Well... a new card? Should I forget about digital output? Should I install other drivers?

PD: And I really dont' understand yet why those Audigy drivers got so much options like CMSS etc., and the SBLive does not, when the sblive hardware supports them all too...

Thanks in advance for any help.
Regards.