iTunes only plys through two of my five speakers

[MaCaDDiCT21]

I am using iTunes on my new PC that I built. On my PC I am using onboard sound sound and have a 5.1 surround sound setup. I have found that Windows Media can play through all 5, but iTunes only used the fron two. Is there a setting I can change or a download I can get that can change this? I really want to play my aac/m4p files on my new setup...

any comments?

 

[James Philp]

Eugh, PC..

In my (now rather dated experience) I think in one of the numerous sound card control panel(s)/apps you can set that when the source is only stereo, that both the right-side speakers play the right channel and so on.
This is not a iTunes problem pre-se.

 

[steve_hill4]

I would say to go into Control Panel and into your sound settings, but if it is already working on WMP, I would have thought 5.1 was "active". Looking in the quicktime under control panel it only lists mono and stereo as options for sound out. I use headphones at the moemnt, (after a while unplugged, my 5.1 speakers are screwed up), but changing my configuration to 5.1 under sound effect manager still only leaves mono and stereo available.

It's been so long since I had my speakers working that I can't remember whether or not it fully worked. I do however remember that under certain applications, (maybe all, I can't remember), my rear channels stopped functioning. In Windows ME, no problem, just XP.

 

[neut]

I am using iTunes on my new PC that I built. On my PC I am using onboard sound sound and have a 5.1 surround sound setup. I have found that Windows Media can play through all 5, but iTunes only used the fron two. Is there a setting I can change or a download I can get that can change this? I really want to play my aac/m4p files on my new setup...

any comments?

My new logitech 5500's play iTunes through surround, stereo, or stereo x2 ... too bad you don't have a PowerMac with optical audio. There are no settings, but for those in the speakers themselves. easy cheesy; it just works. But you're on a PC; have fun.


peace | neut

 

[Music_Producer]

Um, any mp3 or aac file is in STEREO (Left and Right channel) format. So how do you expect it to play on surround sound speakers?! IT does not contain any 5.1 information (like a SACD or DVD-audio)

 

[jackieonasses]

Um, any mp3 or aac file is in STEREO (Left and Right channel) format. So how do you expect it to play on surround sound speakers?! IT does not contain any 5.1 information (like a SACD or DVD-audio)

Wrong.... AAC has 5.1 capabilities..... mp3 doesn't however.

One of the many ways that Apple's codec is better!

kyle

 

[combatcolin]

Another er??? here.

Its STEREO!!
Meaning 2!!!

If you want multi channel surround sound buy a dts disc.

 

[Nermal]

From what I can tell, he wants the left channel to come out both left speakers, the right channel to come out both right speakers, a mix of both out the centre speaker, and bass out the subwoofer. That can be done even if the file is only encoded into stereo.

 

[MaCaDDiCT21]

Wrong.... AAC has 5.1 capabilities..... mp3 doesn't however.

One of the many ways that Apple's codec is better!

kyle

then why do my mp3's play in 5.1 surround in WMP?

then, I open the same file in iTunes, and it only plays out of my front two.

odd

-kyle

 

[vgame64]

Hopefully this helps:

You want to go to Control Panel --> Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices --> Sound and Audio Devices --> Advanced (Under the title Speaker Settings) --> [Drop down menu] Speaker Setup --> 5.1 Speakers.

If this doesn't do it, then on the back of your subwoofer should be a switch that selects between 2.1, 4.1, and 5.1. Put it on 5.1. (This may be done through the control pod)

Your audio will not be positional 5.1, but if the backs are set loud enough, you will hear the stereo audio simply cloned to the back and center speakers.

Enjoy.

 

[eva01]

edits out the fisher price insult, interesting, anywho if it already plays through 5.1 in another program then i doubt it is in your control panel to change it.

and if you have your computer hooked into a receiver you can just make it so the audio style is for 5ch stereo, thats what i do with my reciever (cept it is 6.1)

 

[vgame64]

Yeah I took out the Fisher-Price comment because I did not want to offend anyone. Sorry about that.

 

[lparedesl]

I had windows XP, and when I used my 5.1 surround speakers with iTunes they worked, but the last week I upgrade my computer to Windows Vista, and now when I want to listen with iTunes, just my front speakers work, when I test my speakers in the Realtek HD Manager all the speakers sound, when I test my speakers with the Sound program of Windows they all sound, but with iTunes just the 2 front. I don't know why

 

[mike dunx]

another thing you can do, if you have a sony surround sound receiver plugged into you system and you want itunes to play on all speakers, you can change the playback mode of your receiver to Pro Logic II Music (if you have it, read your manual) and that should do it.

 

[sumlameuser]

Here's the real solution.. insults aside.

If you're using Vista or Win7, here's what you need to do:

Open your control panel and go to "sound"

In the "playback" tab select your speakers and click the "properties" button.

In the speaker properties dialog open the "enhancements tab". Check off "Speaker Fill". This creates a virtual environment for stereo audio sources to play through surround sound.

NOTE: you may need to close and restart iTunes if you have it open.