Surround Sound Speakers, middle speaker not working!

Bubba

Ive had this set of creative speakers for just over a year now. I cant remember the model but it has 5 speakers and a subwoofer. There great but i've never had the middle speaker working. Why is this? I have a 5.1 sound blaster card. What do i have to do to get this working? it dosn't work with cd's, mp3's, dvd's etc.

Help appreciated.

Thanks alot

stevenmu

One of the creative utilities should let you pick how many speakers you have connected, it could have defaulted to 4.1 at some stage. If you can't find that one of the control panel icons (in win2k it's 'Sounds And Multimedia', on the 'Audio' tab press advanced under sound playback, I think it's similar for XP), but the creative util would be better.

If that doesn't work try disconnecting all the wires and connecting them back up again, there could be a loose connection or a break in one of the cables.

Failing that see if you can swap cables and speakers etc so you have a known working cable going to a known working speaker connected to the center channel and see if you get anything from that.

Bubba

stevenmu wrote:

One of the creative utilities should let you pick how many speakers you have connected, it could have defaulted to 4.1 at some stage. If you can't find that one of the control panel icons (in win2k it's 'Sounds And Multimedia', on the 'Audio' tab press advanced under sound playback, I think it's similar for XP), but the creative util would be better.

If that doesn't work try disconnecting all the wires and connecting them back up again, there could be a loose connection or a break in one of the cables.

Failing that see if you can swap cables and speakers etc so you have a known working cable going to a known working speaker connected to the center channel and see if you get anything from that.

Yup i've checked the settings in control panel. The setup is set to 5.1 surround and has always been like that. Now ive moved the speakers into different connections before just to check if it was the speaker but it works in a different connection so its not the speaker.
Emmm.....what else can i do?

J-blk

It's in the Creative software, as stevenmu said. I'm going to assume you have an older Sound Blaster Live series card, so here's what you do:

- Open the Creative Playcenter software. If you didn't install it in the first place, go ahead and do so.
- You need to open the Playcenter in "Player" view, basically minimized, as opposed to the larger "Jukebox" view.
- To the right, you'll see an arrow button, which if you click on, brings up a new panel.
- At the bottom of this, there's the word "CMSS". Click on this and set it to "On".

If your other speaker settings are correct, then you'll get sound from the center speaker. With the newer Audigy 2 cards, they've made this a lot more user-friendly (as it was really burried in there on the older cards)... Hope this helps.

Zapho

Actually I found that with CMSS2 turned on the center speaker doesn't work (Its not meant to anyway) so check to see if thats the roblem. Test it by switching back to CMSS1

Bubba

Ok....well i got into the program and clicked on the arrow on the right. But i see no CMSS1 etc.....

Here's what i have ......o how do i attach a pic? i took a screenshot.

PS. i forgot to say that the speaker works when i test it in the setup, it runs through all the speakers playing a small tune and it works in the test. but not as i said playing any music etc...

My soundcard is 'SoundBlaster Live [A000]'

J-blk

CMSS1 and 2 only apply to Audigy 2 cards and beyond, so ignore that. If you brought up the new panel in Playcenter, you should see CMSS at the bottom of the new panel. The only reason I can think of why you don't see it, is that more software (like AudioHQ, Surround Mixer, etc) is not installed. If you can attach the screenshot, then that helps.

BTW, in the speaker test, the 5 speakers will work - CMSS is simply a way of "umpixing" content which is recorded in stereo (e.g. MP3/WMA, CDs) to a pseudo-5.1 effect. For example, you don't even need CMSS to get 5.1 from a DVD video, cause the audio track is already encoded in 5.1 to begin with.

Bubba

No i have everything installed. 'creative audio hq' 'creative wave studio' 'creative surround mixer' etc.

OK i attached the pic.

stevenmu

When you're playing DVDs are you sure you have the 5.1 track selected in the dvd and that the player software supports 5.1 ? Some of the freeby bundled players only support stereo.

Bubba

stevenmu wrote:

When you're playing DVDs are you sure you have the 5.1 track selected in the dvd and that the player software supports 5.1 ? Some of the freeby bundled players only support stereo.

Actually, since i formatted my PC there a few months ago i havnt been able to play dvd's because i havn't got a 'dvd decoder'!! Can you tell me where i can get one?

mp3guy

Bubba wrote:

Actually, since i formatted my PC there a few months ago i havnt been able to play dvd's because i havn't got a 'dvd decoder'!! Can you tell me where i can get one?

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

plays everything, no region bs

J-blk

Ok, you're in the right place - that's exactly where you should have "CMSS", just at the end of that panel and clicking on it, will give you the on/off toggle. Without CMSS, you won't get 5.1 from anything that's not encoded in 5.1, so games, MP3s, etc - will all be 4.1 instead. Something most be missing, but I can't think of what straight off.

You can still get 5.1 to work from DVDs though, even without the CMSS option. Since all your other options seem to be correct (since you are getting the middle speaker to work in the speaker test), download a trial version of Power DVD from Cybelink or WinDVD from Intervideo and set the audio output of these applications to "Use SPDIF" - this will only work though if the card itself can decode AC3 signals (5.1) which I don't think all Live series cards can...

duridian

I think the reason there is no sound on your centre speaker is because you probably have been using a source which has no centre channel anyway. If you were using a 5.1 surround DVD movie or the like I am sure your centre channel will kick in. AFAIK if you use something like an audio cd or an mp3 as the source (which would be just normal 2 channel stereo sources) on a 5.1 system, the system clones the left and right channels and may also adds slight delay(or similar efect, I'm unsure if delay is the correct term) to this cloned sound before sending it to the rear channels. this method doesn't create a centre channel therefore no sound from the centre channel. Most surround sound cards have a feature in their software to say "left front, right front, etc." through the relevant speaker as a test, this would also confirm if you have a working centre speaker. With your Creative card it should be somewhere in the Surround Mixer options.

Bubba

J-blk wrote:

Ok, you're in the right place - that's exactly where you should have "CMSS", just at the end of that panel and clicking on it, will give you the on/off toggle. Without CMSS, you won't get 5.1 from anything that's not encoded in 5.1, so games, MP3s, etc - will all be 4.1 instead. Something most be missing, but I can't think of what straight off.

Are you saying it's there or that it should be there and it isn't??

Bubba

mp3guy wrote:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

plays everything, no region bs

Ok thanks alot for that. Now i can play my dvd's and i have surround sound.

Now any chance of me getting all speakers working with mp3's etc..?

Thanks for all your help so far guys! I appreciate it.

Bubba

duridian wrote:

Most surround sound cards have a feature in their software to say "left front, right front, etc." through the relevant speaker as a test, this would also confirm if you have a working centre speaker. With your Creative card it should be somewhere in the Surround Mixer options.

Yes i said above that the speaker does work when i test it. Thanks though

Alkers

I'd say your sound-card doesn't support CMSS. Maybe it doesn't decode to 5.1? Try MediaSouurce from Creative - the replacement for PlayCentre - maybe there will be better options with that, it is a much more usefull program anyway. If your soundcard doesn't decode to 5.1 you can get cheap ones in the refurbished section on www.creative.ie or else you would need speakers that have an in-built decoder - giving you 5.1 sound from even a stereo source.

Drexl Spivey

Try to upgrade your driver+software. These should be available on the website ie.europe.creative.com/support

Alternatively give them a call to get a recent CD.

Then look for CMSS (yes I know: again!) and make sure to use the Creative Software. If you enable CMSS in Playcentre/MediaSource and then use another software, it won't work.

Can I ask you what OS you have and what model number is your sound card?

SBLive is a wide range of sound cards..

Some OEM / Bulk cards (Cards sold without packaging or pre installed in PC) do not have the same specifications than the retail version.

J-blk

Bubba wrote:

Are you saying it's there or that it should be there and it isn't??

Yep - I'm saying it SHOULD be there. The only reason CMSS would not be there is if some other component is damaged/missing.

@Simona1986: His card does support 5.1 - he has gotten DVD movies to work in 5.1 (which do not require CMSS anyway) so that confirms it. He'll need CMSS though, to be able to "upmix" what is essentially stereo sound (MP3/WMA/CDs) to pseudo-5.1 (the center speaker simply mirrors the other channels).

Upgrading to Mediasource is not possible with his card - it's an update for later generation Sound Blaster cards and CMSS is no longer part of it (it's actually a lot easier to find on Audigy 2 cards).

@Bubba - like Jeff Bond said, try re-installing/updating everything (assuming any updates are available for your card) and failing everything, call Creative's support line on (01) 438 00 55 and ask for a replacement/updated installation CD. Be nice, explain your predicament and I'm sure they'll help out, even if you're not under any kinda warranty, etc..

Alkers

I didn't say it didn't support 5.1, just that it might not have a decoder i.e. upmixing 2 chanel sound to 5.1.

J-blk

That's not what a decoder does. A decoder is actually needed for the 5.1 audio track in a DVD movie - older sound cards did not have this at all and you would require a separate external decoder, between the sound card and speakers. Same way as a home cinema DVD setup works, where many DVD players need to be connected to a decoder and in turn to the speakers.

"Upmixing" is a very simple effect - it simply copies the other channels onto the center channel (this is why I call it pseudo-5.1, as you're not getting a true center channel) and there's no decoding involved.

If his card can infact decode 5.1 audio from a DVD anyway, then it can definitely "upmix" to 5.1 as well - something that even cards without a decoder can do.

Bubba

Jeff Bond wrote:

Try to upgrade your driver+software. These should be available on the website ie.europe.creative.com/support

Alternatively give them a call to get a recent CD.

Then look for CMSS (yes I know: again!) and make sure to use the Creative Software. If you enable CMSS in Playcentre/MediaSource and then use another software, it won't work.

Can I ask you what OS you have and what model number is your sound card?

SBLive is a wide range of sound cards..

Some OEM / Bulk cards (Cards sold without packaging or pre installed in PC) do not have the same specifications than the retail version.

I checked out that website and they havn't got an update for my card, i already have the latest one. The only thing i havn't done is too ring them but will that help? And what will i say to them, just that i'm not going 5.1 sound from my speakers? There's no CMSS in my playcentre?

Thanks guys for your help so far. Hopefully i can get this fixed

stevenmu

An alternative to using playcentre/mediasource/CMSS to upmix your stereo tracks to 5.1 would be to download winamp, there's some plugins for it available on their site that will do it too. I think most of them are limited time trials or feature limited but there may be some full free ones there since the last time I looked (well over a year ago).

J-blk

stevenmu wrote:

An alternative to using playcentre/mediasource/CMSS to upmix your stereo tracks to 5.1 would be to download winamp, there's some plugins for it available on their site that will do it too. I think most of them are limited time trials or feature limited but there may be some full free ones there since the last time I looked (well over a year ago).

Interesting point - never heard it before so it's nice to pick up something new .

@Bubba - Did you try doing a full removal/re-installation cycle of all the sound card software (since no updates are on Creative's site anyway).

As to what to say to Creative's support, you've done ok explaining things here to people - the same details should do for them I'd imagine. You could explain that the center speaker works in the speaker test so everything is set up fine and that you know about the CMSS option, but it's simply missing from where it should be in Playcenter...