True 5.1 support

[gpatrizio]

I have not been able to get 5.1 in HL2 working for example I can not hear the characters talk when I turn around I have to face them directly to hear. My Audigy 2 plays DVDs in 5.1 and I think I have all the settings right on the PC. I am using SPDIF out to my receiver and I think that is where the problem lies. When playing DVD's the settings of the player in XP must be set to bypass through SPDIF to have the receiver do the decode. I wonder if the same goes for HF 2 and needs to be set the same way.

 

[MMhardKy]

Audigy 2 does not support true 5.1 through digital connections (SPDIF, optical) in normal PC games. Your DVD software is sending an AC3 (Dolby Digital) or DTS signal and your reciever can decode it. Your games are not doing this. Your sound card must encode the 5.1 audio to Dolby Digital 5.1 in real time. The only sound card that can do this is Sound Storm on Nvidia Nforce chipsets.

 

[MMhardKy]

And the bypass option won't help. Only if HL2 would encode to DD 5.1 (which is not)

 

[Wildhound]

5.1 in HL2 doesn't work properly for me either. I never experienced any of the skipping or choppiness others had, but this really annoyed me.

 

[gpatrizio]

thanks

 

[Kamakiri]

Yep They have a major bug in 5.1 sound. I got my Zalman 5.1 headphones. They don't work. So I just threw the settings on headphones. Very sad I would of liked to experience hl2 in true 5.1 :/

 

[DieScreaming]

i have a creative audigy soundblaster card, and 5.1 works perfectly

 

[gpatrizio]

diescreeming are you using SPDIF to a Home theater receiver?

 

[gpatrizio]

Taking the analog (Front L/R, Rear L/R, Center/Sub) out of the card should produce the 5.1. I will try it tomorrow.

This is taken from Creative's website:

Sound from front channels only when connecting from Digital-Out on Sound Blaster card to Digital-In on multichannel receiver


The Digital Input jacks found on common home theater receivers are either a Coaxial or Optical Digital Input connectors. These Digital Input connectors are capable of receiving a single data stream only, be it AC3 data stream, DVD, or a regular stereo audio. When the receiver receives a compressed audio data stream such as a AC3 or DVD from the sound card or a setup DVD player, it will decode the compressed audio, and then output to appropriate speakers. These connectors are not capable of sending multichannel audio signals that have been decoded already by the sound card to individual speakers. When the receiver receives such signals, it will output the front channels only, and disregard other channels.


The Digital-Out jack on the Sound Blaster Live! 5.1, Sound Blaster Audigy, and Sound Blaster Audigy 2 cards is a 4-pole mini jack that enables the card to deliver multichannel audio via three discrete streams (Front SPDIF, Rear SPDIF, and Center/Subwoofer SPDIF) to compatible speakers such as the Creative Inspire 5700, DTT3500, or MegaWorks 510.


The Digital Out jack can also send out a compressed, single stream AC3 data to an external decoder such as a receiver.


When a multichannel receiver is connected to the Digital Out jack of a multichannel Sound Blaster card, such as the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (7.1), the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (6.1), Sound Blaster Audigy (5.1), Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 or Sound Blaster Extigy, it will only reproduce multichannel audio when playing DVD games, or DVD movies, or standalone AC3 files.


The commonplace multimedia files such as MP3, MID, AVI, WAC, or WMA etc, are of stereo format: right and left only. It is common to hear only front right and front left channels from a multichannel capable receiver when it is connected to the Digital Out jack on a Sound Blaster card. Though there are software applications, for example, the Creative CMSS, that can replicate stereo audio to a surround sound, this process requires the sound card be connected to speakers with a proprietary Digital Input, or its analog out.


If your receiver has discrete multichannel analog connections, it is recommended that they be connected to the Analog Front-Out, Rear-Out, and Center/Subwoofer Out on the audio card. In this case, the Sound Blaster card will decode the AC3 files or DVD files, and output to appropriate speakers.

 

[Kamakiri]

If your receiver has discrete multichannel analog connections, it is recommended that they be connected to the Analog Front-Out, Rear-Out, and Center/Subwoofer Out on the audio card. In this case, the Sound Blaster card will decode the AC3 files or DVD files, and output to appropriate speakers.

Ok what does that actually mean? HL2 don't have AC3 or something? Because my Zalman headphones only have 3 analog connections. No digital??!!??

And my sound is onboard Realtek ac'97.

Anyway I have emailed Gabe hopfully he can answer or forward email to one of the sound doods at Valve...

 

[Kamakiri]

i have a creative audigy soundblaster card, and 5.1 works perfectly

If it works perfectly for you what are you doing with your speaker setup?

 

[CriYam]

Taking the analog (Front L/R, Rear L/R, Center/Sub) out of the card should produce the 5.1. I will try it tomorrow.

This is taken from Creative's website:

Sound from front channels only when connecting from Digital-Out on Sound Blaster card to Digital-In on multichannel receiver


The Digital Input jacks found on common home theater receivers are either a Coaxial or Optical Digital Input connectors. These Digital Input connectors are capable of receiving a single data stream only, be it AC3 data stream, DVD, or a regular stereo audio. When the receiver receives a compressed audio data stream such as a AC3 or DVD from the sound card or a setup DVD player, it will decode the compressed audio, and then output to appropriate speakers. These connectors are not capable of sending multichannel audio signals that have been decoded already by the sound card to individual speakers. When the receiver receives such signals, it will output the front channels only, and disregard other channels.


The Digital-Out jack on the Sound Blaster Live! 5.1, Sound Blaster Audigy, and Sound Blaster Audigy 2 cards is a 4-pole mini jack that enables the card to deliver multichannel audio via three discrete streams (Front SPDIF, Rear SPDIF, and Center/Subwoofer SPDIF) to compatible speakers such as the Creative Inspire 5700, DTT3500, or MegaWorks 510.


The Digital Out jack can also send out a compressed, single stream AC3 data to an external decoder such as a receiver.


When a multichannel receiver is connected to the Digital Out jack of a multichannel Sound Blaster card, such as the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (7.1), the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (6.1), Sound Blaster Audigy (5.1), Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 or Sound Blaster Extigy, it will only reproduce multichannel audio when playing DVD games, or DVD movies, or standalone AC3 files.


The commonplace multimedia files such as MP3, MID, AVI, WAC, or WMA etc, are of stereo format: right and left only. It is common to hear only front right and front left channels from a multichannel capable receiver when it is connected to the Digital Out jack on a Sound Blaster card. Though there are software applications, for example, the Creative CMSS, that can replicate stereo audio to a surround sound, this process requires the sound card be connected to speakers with a proprietary Digital Input, or its analog out.


If your receiver has discrete multichannel analog connections, it is recommended that they be connected to the Analog Front-Out, Rear-Out, and Center/Subwoofer Out on the audio card. In this case, the Sound Blaster card will decode the AC3 files or DVD files, and output to appropriate speakers.

Wait a sec, I have the same issue. But it's obviously HL2's fault, every other game/movie I have works perfectly. HL2/HL:S do not.

So I wouldn't bother messing with anything.