How do I get audio files to play through a 7.1 setup?

[jasper1605]

Is there a way to force windows media player to virtualize sound through 7.1 channels when it is only a stereo sound format? I've got speaker fill turned on through my sound menu, but that doesn't seem to be doing the trick. I was wondering if WMP would do it or if there's a different (hopefully free) program that will do it. Thanks for the tips and advice

 

[majestic12]

Ah looking for something like Pro Logic II (5 channel)or IIx (6 or 7 channel)? High end can be done with Minnetonka's converter package but it's several hundred dollars. http://www.minnetonkaaudio.com/index.html
I always used a receiver to convert the stereo to surround but there's probably a cheaper way than the program I recommended. Oh wait -I just found one that may be what you're looking for. It's called V.I. and it's free! Check it out here!
http://www.stevethomson.ca/vi/
I hope that's the winner!

 

[CJCerny]

Is there a way to force windows media player to virtualize sound through 7.1 channels when it is only a stereo sound format? I've got speaker fill turned on through my sound menu, but that doesn't seem to be doing the trick. I was wondering if WMP would do it or if there's a different (hopefully free) program that will do it. Thanks for the tips and advice

There isn't any way to do what you want to unless the software for your audio card lets you do that. If you tell us a little more about your audio card, we can tell you there is a setting for what you want to do.

 

[xfire]

control panel-> sound and audio properties-> Audio tab-> Advanced-> Speakers tab and select 7.1 speakers

 

[jasper1605]

I've got everything configured for 7.1 speakers. The sound is not onboard through via high def audio 9.1. Like I said I've got it configured for 7.1 on everything. The test option puts sound through all 7 speakers and the sub properly. I've got the room fill effect (which is supposed to virtualize the sound to all 7 speakers instead of just 2) checked and on, but nothing's coming out of my surrounds.

 

[majestic12]

Do things already encoded in surround sound work properly? I read a bit more on the virtualizer I gave the link to earlier. Permitted the other equipment is working fine, it should give you sound for your back speakers -V.I STEREO TO 5.1 CONVERTER VST PLUGIN SUITE
It's not 7 channels, but 5.1>2. http://www.stevethomson.ca/vi/
Are your speakers hooked up through mini-RCA style plugs or a TOSLINK/digital coaxial cable?

 

[jasper1605]

It was toslink but my amp has some discrete analog inputs so I switched to those as the sound quality increases dramatically through that even over HDMI. So I converted the mini RCAs to the proper rca stereo cable then run it into my amp. Everything is working perfectly fine on the speaker side. All of my games that I play run through the necessary speakers and boy does it make sniping a lot easier lol but, I tried downloading that VI program majestic but I'm not having any luck getting it started...
I seem to remember that windows media player had something where you could choose speakers, it was like a suboption somewhere but i haven't been able to find it in a long time. That worked when I found it the first time but I've had to reinstall win7 since then and it seems to be gone.

 

[majestic12]

I noticed a similar thing when using RCA cables over digital -The digital may supposedly be better quality but the RCA's are a bit louder and warmer. Gotta ask -what kind of amp do you have hooked up to your computer? I'm sorry I can't help with the media player aspect much (I'm still in the stone age -XP user still). Here's the instructions for speaker settings in windows media player for win7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/speaker-settings-in-windows-media-player
I hope this helps with the issue...

 

[CJCerny]

Setting your speakers to 5.1 or 7.1 isn't going to turn 2.0 into 5.1 or 7.1. You need additional software or hardware to do that in your PC. Windows won't turn 2.0 into 5.1 or 7.1 just because you set it for 5.1 or 7.1. The speaker setting only lets your apps know that those speakers exist, not that it should use them all. Solutions would be to get a sound card that does DD Live and output that to your receiver. Another option would be to set your PC to 2.0 and output that digitally to your receiver and let it do PLII on that 2.0, if your receiver has 2.0. There are some add in software decoders that will also do PLII in your PC.

 

[jasper1605]

I'm running a yamaha rx-v663 with a full support cast of paradigm cinema c90 L/R a c110 center and 4 cinema ADP surrounds with an acoustech H100 subwoofer.
And in regard to digital being better quality over RCA. That's only if the RCA is the 2 channel. But if it's a discrete RCA input/output where each channel has its own line then the quality buries even the best HDMI sound
And CJ, thank you much for the tip on that. I'm still baffled though that when I set the option for "Room Fill" which states that it pushes sound through all available speakers that it doesn't change anything. It even labels itself specifically for turning stereo sound into a virtual surround.

 

[majestic12]

Setting your speakers to 5.1 or 7.1 isn't going to turn 2.0 into 5.1 or 7.1. You need additional software or hardware to do that in your PC. Windows won't turn 2.0 into 5.1 or 7.1 just because you set it for 5.1 or 7.1. The speaker setting only lets your apps know that those speakers exist, not that it should use them all. Solutions would be to get a sound card that does DD Live and output that to your receiver. Another option would be to set your PC to 2.0 and output that digitally to your receiver and let it do PLII on that 2.0, if your receiver has 2.0. There are some add in software decoders that will also do PLII in your PC.

If hooked to a receiver with Pro Logic II, that is by far the easiest way to go for surround. The problem is the same though with both analog and digital connections from what I understand though, so the dolby digital live shouldn't apply (it can't pass a digital stream through analog anyway). The P7P55D Deluxe has DTS Surround Sensation (equivalent to DD live yes?) that could do the same thing -how about those settings? DTS: NEO pc should be used if you can find it!

The Yamaha rx-v663 is a nice receiver and I like the Paradigm speakers you got for a smaller setup. Your receiver has Pro Logic II-EX so using that to convert the two channels to more should be no problem. Actually, your receiver has a ton of features -good choice if if I must say so myself!
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/productdetail.html?CNTID=567571&CTID=5000300

 

[jasper1605]

unfortunately, when using the analog RCA inputs it disables all of the amp's onboard virtualization technology unless there's an option deep within to change that but whenever I try changing it, it says not available.

 

[jasper1605]

The problem has been solved!
I ran a system restore because some other things of mine started to fail left and right. I went to check my sound settings and nothing was right so I figured I'd turn it on again, and voila everything is fine. Thanks all for your help!