[smurfinablender]

I just recently installed Windows Vista (previously had XP with no audio problems) and while listening to music I realized that I'm not getting sound out of my rear speakers, only the center, left/right and subwoofer. I've gone into speaker settings and configurations to make sure the computer knows I have 5 speakers and a subwoofer, and I've maxed the volume levels for all speakers. When it performs the sound check to make sure sound comes through all speakers individually everything sound fine. I just noticed the problem but so far both iTunes and Windows Media Player(11) are neglecting the rear speakers. Is there any kind of fix for this?

[kiwiguy]

When loading Vista, all your sound card drivers will have been wiped and replaced with "basic" windows drivers.

Unless you located and installed the Vista drivers from the sound card or motherboard maker (for integrated sound) the default windows ones may be less than perfect.

[smurfinablender]

Yeah I considered this since starting the topic and I've been looking into drivers and such. I've gone through different drivers and the vista driver for this audio card but still no luck. As I said, when I configure the speakers to work in 5.1 and run the test that sends a sound through each speaker everything is fine, it's just in media players that I can't get 5.1. I'm using an Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio and I've also downloaded the vista driver from http://www.totallydrivers.com/device.php?id=124011 but still no luck.

[kiwiguy]

From that link one assumes that you have a Dell?

If so, their website would be the appropriate place to get the driver from.

If not, it's inappropriate to use it.

Each manufacturer often implements their own motherboard specific interpretation of drivers for a chipset, based on the attached hardware.

[dts73]

Are You maybe using XP drivers instead of Vista drivers?

I don't mean that in bad way at all. It's often the case that these simple things are over looked . And more often than not fixed bye using said drivers...

Like I said I didn't mean to say you don't know what you're on about but it might be worth looking at though..

Mind you it could be just another incompatability issue with Vista. There are many that will, I guess be sorted out in time.

[smurfinablender]

Yeah no offense taken. i've tried drivers from other sites as well as from dell, and both xp and vista versions of multiple drivers and still no luck. At the moment I'm assuming that it is just a vista issue , albeit a small issue but I was wondering if it was a known one with a fix. I've yet to install any games to see if the issue applied to them also which is my main concern. Thanks for your help though, I guess I'll keep looking into it.

[dts73]

Originally Posted by smurfinablender

Yeah no offense taken. i've tried drivers from other sites as well as from dell, and both xp and vista versions of multiple drivers and still no luck. At the moment I'm assuming that it is just a vista issue , albeit a small issue but I was wondering if it was a known one with a fix. I've yet to install any games to see if the issue applied to them also which is my main concern. Thanks for your help though, I guess I'll keep looking into it.

Just a thought. You say you've not installed any games. Now maybe this is the problem, though just maybe..

Newer games come with updated versions of DirectX9/10. With everything working properly minus Media Player, try installing a newer game and see if that game tries to direct you to an update server. If so that might be the problem. It's along shot but computers are very fickle things. One shot may work for many but not for most. Give it a shot and let us know what happened, if anything, and we'll see what we can do..

[smurfinablender]

I just installed Lord of the Rings Online since it's the latest game I have. Still no luck so I installed directx 10 from the website since I couldnt' remember if I had done it yet or not. Still nothing from the rear speakers tho. I've yet to see if I can get sound from them in game since the game takes a long time to download and apply patches. If you have any tips off the top of your head I'd appreciate it. Otherwise I'll just thank you for your help and call it a bust until there's some sort of fix released for vista.

[dts73]

Crikey, I just don't know.

Without coming over all patronising and stuff.. Are You all setup right. Speakers all in the right place.. I honestly cannot begin to ridicule You in anyway. And I don't mean to. It's very difficult to sort something out remotely..

I might just have to throw the towl in and call it a day. Though I'd rather not and see you sorted out...

[kiwiguy]

But the real problem is that we are at post #9 in the thread and only know the chipset, not the maker or the model of PC. We know you have tried drivers from Dell and other places but don't know anything at all about the PC, even if it is a Dell or not.

While there may indeed be a Vista problem that has been discussed and a solution found, without the basic info of the PC make and model (or motherboard) we have nothing to research.

You have to help us out a bit here...