# 5.1 problems with Sound Blaster Live



## kyleb (May 19, 2005)

Hello all!

I am having problems with my new 5.1 setup. I have the Logitech X-530 5.1 system with 5 satellites (Front: L/R/C, Rear: L/R) and what I believe is a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 card. The model number on the card is C14780 (from what I can tell, I can't get the card out of the slot!) and it has five ports on the back. 

I connected the ports by color and only the Front L/R and sub work. I unplugged Black/Orange, and everything still works. I swapped the orange/black, still nothing. I updated the Windows profile to be 5.1 surround instead of 2 speakers, that doesn't work. I updated the Creative Labs drivers, that didn't do anything.

I am only getting sound from Front L/R and sub, nothing from Center and Rear R/L. All the connections are secure and in their correct places. I have rebooted 10 times, that didn't do anything.

:4-dontkno 

I am totally lost. Does anyone have any pointers?

[edit]: I am trying to get the sound out of Winamp. I have "Hardware Acceleration" on and have tried everything.


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## kyleb (May 19, 2005)

Couldn't edit, so I wanted to correct:

The model number is CT4780. A description can be found here:

http://www.pcsurplusonline.com/viewprod.cfm?ID=3748


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

Download Everest (link below) it should identify the sound card (may also identify problem). If you have the wrong drivers it won't work properly, if at all.

Post the make/model info, include same for the motherboard since some have onboard sound and chipsets that need specific bios settings.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

CT4780 could be: Live! 24-bit; Live! 5.1 ; Live! 5.1 Digital (Dell)...

You can use this page to find drivers or autoupdate...http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/


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## kyleb (May 19, 2005)

Sound Card: Creative SB Live! Value Sound Card

It doesn't say anything about being a 5.1, but it has the ports exactly that match the picture I posted above.

Motherboard: MSI 8600 Pro (MS-6508) 

I am pretty sure I have disabled onboard everything, including audio.

I have updated the drivers from their site and nothing has helped.


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## kyleb (May 19, 2005)

I installed the kX alternate drivers for the soundcard with little success. The test works on the rear speakers just fine, but Winamp and Windows Media Player don't play to them whatsoever.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

Did you change Windows Media Player > Tools > Options > Devices > Speakers from stereo to 5.1?


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## kyleb (May 19, 2005)

Yes, I have.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

Download the user manual for the Live! 5.1
http://us.creative.com/support/down...oduct_ID=50&regionID=1&Product_Name=Live!+5.1


Go into Bios and verify the following...

Integrated Peripherals
AC’97 Audio: *disabled*

Save and Exit bios

Go into windows and remove audio drivers currently installed.

Install the chipset drivers for the motherboard...


> MS-6508 (v1.X) E-ATX Mainboard
> Driver Installation for Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP
> 1. Insert the supplied CD disk into the CD-ROM drive.
> 2. The CD will auto-run and the setup screen will appear.
> ...


Then follow the Live! 5.1 user manaual to install drivers and software mentioned, and consult troubleshooting section to verify software settings.


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## ntuhlekt (Oct 23, 2005)

*Center Channel not working.*

I also have these Logitech X530 5.1 speakers and I am having a problem. The center channel doesnt seem to be working. Upon receiving the speakers I checked my sound card for compatibility. I only had an old SoundBlaster 2 channel sound card. So I went and bought a 5.1 card from Compusa. I uninstalled all audio drivers from the pc. Installed new card and new drivers from the disc provided with the new card. I hooked everything up as informed thru the guides of the speakers and sound card. Went thru Control Panel>Sound> Advanced. and selected the 5.1 setup. Then I went into Winamp controls and made sure it was set to use the 4 channel option. So I do have sound from all 4 speakers. I checked each speaker with a portable mp3 player as instructed by Logitech's site to verify all speakers do actually work. And I do get sound from each including the center channel. I knew I wouldnt get sound from the center channel when listening to audio, so I tried a movie that had 5.1 surround. When playing the movie the dialogue was very low and almost inaudible. So I checked WinDVD's setup. I changed it to 5.1 Surround. Still same thing. I noticed that when I installed the Sound Card it had its own Configuration Utility. I went thru it and made sure all the volumes were up on each speaker, and selected 5.1 surround on it as well. Still, dialogue very inaudible on center channel. So I tried another Software DVD player.. I tried VLC. Went thru the options and selected 5.1. Still same thing. So I tried a different DVD. One i knew had 5.1 (Star Wars). Tried with WinDVD and VLC. Still same thing. Nothing coming out of the center channel.
Speakers: Logitech X530 5.1 Surround. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836121118
Sound Card: Compusa PCI 32Bit 5.1 Channel Surround Sound Card http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=293597&pfp=BROWSE 
i dont know where to go from here.


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## psyte (Sep 3, 2005)

*center speaker problems......*

well, i was going to post my own thread but this one is pretty close to my problem. i also bought the X-530 5.1 speakers a few days ago and everything works great exept the center speaker. im pretty sure this problem lies within my sound card and not the sound system itself. if i turn down the volume in the controls to around a quarter and crank it up on the actual speaker i get sound out of the center speaker, but otherwise its practicaly muted. i noticed on my sound card that ive just got 2 channels, a mic channel, a line out and a digital channel. i plugged the orange connector into the digital channel (its colored yellow) and its the only one that seems to do anything. as far as i can tell ive got the sound blaster live! dell version (im useing a dell dimension 8250). is there any way i can fix this problem so i can get normal sound out of my center speaker?


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

There is a guide and test file available here...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/windowsmediaplayer/51audio.mspx

.


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## psyte (Sep 3, 2005)

thanks for the help, but soundblaster live! already comes with that test(i downloaded that one anyway just to be sure) the only difference is its a girls voice. this is how i "tuned" my center speaker to work, but unfortnately the way it is now i cant turn it up really loud without turning up the master volume(the volume control on the speaker is almost always cranked. there must be a way to download a individual set of volume controls so that i can turn up the center speaker volume. ive set the audio to 5.1 sound and everything works great, exept the center speaker seems to have its own seperate volume control somewhere.


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

In Live 5.1! user manual refer to section 3-2 SURROUND MIXER for info about using digital output.


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## jimscreechy (Jan 7, 2005)

If I had a dollar/pound for everytime I have seen this problem I would indeed be a rich man. 

Ok, the good news is there is nothing wrong with hardware or software. This is 'unfortunately' how it is supposed to work. The creative software CMSS is (the name of which I had forgotten in the post below) enables you to have 'pseudo' surround sound from a stereo source, but I am uncertain if it is avialable with this card. a quick flick to the creative site should let you know. 

Other than this the long and short of it is you will only get surround from a digitally encoded 5.1 source.

See the post below

http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=66578


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## psyte (Sep 3, 2005)

*Creative mixer!!!*

Ok, after a ton of screwing around, i figured out that the center speaker volume can be controlled by opening the "creative mixer" program that comes with your sound blaster live! sound card. theres a button clearly marked as soon as you open the program that says center/subwoofer that lets you adjust the volume for both the sub and the center "only" seperate from the main volume control. ahhh..... i feel so much better now.... i hope this helps some of you. i had no idea this program was even on my computer and untill now ive never had any use for it. thanks to you stu_computer for helping me discover this program. i do feel kind of stupid though for overlooking something so obvious when i was desperately searching through the advanced settings and messing with the bios :grin:


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

The front center speaker is used to augment the L/R speakers, it's main feature is to balance actors voices while watching a video (DVD etc) so they sound like their in front of you rather than hearing a voice coming from the side. The output is supposedy up to about 60% of the L/R channel to compensate for the voices coming from the side speakers. In other words, it's supposed to give you the impression the voice is coming directly from the actor relative to their position in the video. While watching a video adjust center volume to a personal preference level.

As for music it's rarely used.

I don't have any links for this info, it's just stuff I've read along the way, maybe someone else has details.


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## Doodle75 (Dec 15, 2004)

I too am having the same problem with these speakers. The FrontLeft, FrontRight, and Sub work great, but no sound comes from the center and rear speakers. I've done all of these things and I too have had no luck. Any other ideas? I have a Sound Blaster Live! also.


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## Doodle75 (Dec 15, 2004)

Another thing to note; When I use the test program on one of the Creative Programs, the voice reads through all of the speakers, but I get no sound through the center/rear speakers when I play games like BF2 or watch DVD's.


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## imad184 (Dec 19, 2005)

pls anny one have sim probleme help me i format my pc and i forget the cd of my sound card creative sound blaster 5.1 sb live
the windows send me in device manager no sound card detected pls if anny one have anny solution tel me
mybe need same patch or i dont now pls help in my e mail
**********.com


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## leroys1000 (Aug 16, 2005)

I ran into this problem awhile back,and basically I found out the only way to get true 5.1 from a soundblaster live is to use the digital out port and
digital speakers.
Then it requires a 5.1 source such as a dolby encoded DVD.
The media player they have for dowload on their web site has
a setting for cmss or something like that,that will emulate surround sound
in analog mode.


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## Kennyc (Jan 29, 2006)

I had the same problem with my back and middle speakers, it ended up being my sound card so i went out and bought the creative audigy 2 5.1 sound card, all speakers work now but i cant seem to get good surround sound, if i plug in some headphones i can hear the surround sound and how it should be but once i remove the headphone the surround is gone on the speakers (x-530).

Iv set up the speakers to be 5.1 and i have cmss on, should it sound like background noise from the back speakers, like if a glass broke you would hear it from the back speakers, or cars driving in the background? I cant hear none of that, the back is the same as the front


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## KPryor (Jan 28, 2006)

I have a similar problem. I have the same speakers as the original poster here and an Audigy 1 Gamer soundcard. When I first installed the drivers, all speakers had sound output.

However, I just lose everything from the back and center speakers for no obvious reason. I have to reinstall the drivers before they work again, only to have them quit again out of the blue. I'm assuming the problem is tied to some software that I run, but I haven't narrowed it down yet to which software is causing the problem.
KP


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