Surround Sound issues

[wambo010]

I just bought HL2 today and it is an awesome game. But I am having trouble with the surround sound. When I turn away from a person, I cannot hear their voice any more. If I turn back to face them I can hear them again. I have an Audigy 2 zs Platinum Pro, and I have an external reciever connected to it via an optical digital cable. I have tryed everything. PLEASE HELP!!!


wambo010

pc specs:
AMD 3500+
ATI x800 256mb
1.00GB DDRAM
Audigy 2 zs Platinum Pro
200gb Mextor 7200rpm
520 wat PCU
Thermaltake case
and some DVD rw drive

 

[Barney Fife]

Enable surround in game as well as your card config.

Good Luck.

 

[wambo010]

I did enable surround sound in the game, and on my sound card. But still there is no voice out the back speakers when there should be.

 

[BlackMesaDude]

is surround enabled in windows manager ?

 

[giant384]

i dont think optical works the same as it does in games as it does in movies

 

[wambo010]

Well I have surround sound enabled on every program I can find on my computer. But I did get a responce from creative(i asked them the same question). They said that this is normal for the game because in real life, when you turn around and face your back to some1, you cant here them as good. But I dont think that is the right answer. Because when I go the the sound test thing on Counter Strike, It shows a picture of soundwaves coming from my rear speakers, but I here nothing. And im not sure if optical works the same. I have never gotten a true Dolby Digital signal on my reciever from a game, but I have from DVD's.

 

[DrDevin]

Enable HL2s console if you havent done so already.

You can do this by going to the options menu -> keyboard tab ->advanced options (near the bottom) and then checking the "enable developer console" box.

Then press the ~ key on your keyboard (beside "1") and type in:

snd_digital_surround 1

See if that works. Also many/most PC games do not output to dolby digital and most soundcards do not support encoding dolby in real time. You should hook up your PC to your reciever using the soundcards analogue outputs which will allow you to get more then 2 channel in games.

Make sure you have the newest sound card drivers and refer to this page for some info on HL2 sound.

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi...wfyy2hfdgv4dd1zcgvha2vycw**&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

[quentinp]

I solved it with this

I had been struggling with this for months, I got this little box and it works perfectly:

Diamond External Xtreme Sound 7.1-Channel USB Audio Device
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0046B9O9W/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Plugged it in, let Windows 7 work it all out, selected which speakers I have, started up Half Life 2 on Steam and I now get 360 degree sound - I hear what is behind me....behind me.

I am on a Thinkpad T61P, which happens to be in a docking station. I have analog speakers so the docking station's SPDIF output is no use to me. Otherwise I have the mic, and headphone jacks and the built in 2 speaker sound card. THis little box solves everything, and I notice no more stutter than I used to get with stereo (very occasional - and it's when the whole game stutters).

THe Creative Labs 5.1 XFi whatever doesn't work - they told me that themselves - it has no decoder.