Using stereo speakers with a 5.1 sound card

[me(who else?)]

Hello,

I recently purchased an inexpensive sound card. However, it's a 5.1 card, and I only have stereo desktop speakers. I really don't want to splurge, and the El-Cheapo card didn't come with anything but drivers. Anyone know how I can make the sound card output in stereo as opposed to 5.1.

Note. This is WIndows 2000. I may or may not have posted in the wrong forum (may be a windows issue)

 

[BringinHeat]

I have windows xp but the way to do this should be the same. Go to control panel, then go to sounds and device. There should be an option for speaker settings there. click on advanced and then change your speaker set up. hopefully this will solve your problem. :wave:

 

[me(who else?)]

Thanks, but it doesn't work...

My speaker setup is Desktop Speakers, but all the outputs still produce volume (I plugged the speakers into different ports). I think it requires a software utility to (and I just picked this up off the internet) "downmix" the five channel input into 2 channels, and output them from the appropriate port. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[TS | Thomas]

Do you know what the Soundcard is? Most of them should come with some utility to allow you to set the Output mode. Seems a bit wierd that it "only" does 5.1. Checked the Soundcards website perhaps?

 

[me(who else?)]

It's an el-cheapo "Hi-Live Pro 6CH". The serial number is sccmi8738-6ch, I don't know who makes it, as it's not on the box and there's no manual. I figured WIndows would be capable of doing this.

P.S. In most programs I just use the speakers as "Front", but in the original Half-Life there is no sound. That was actually the problem. Sorry.

 

[TS | Thomas]

Asound's driver page is here
http://www.asound.net/driver.htm
with this being the right Windows 2000 driver
http://www.asound.net/driver/Sound/CMI8738_WDM_0639W2K.zip

http://asound.net/sound/hilive6chan.htm

 

[SEMPER FI]

My Inputs

I recently bought one of these from my local PC retailer. Weird, just a box & CD, nothing else. CD has 6 (six!) install option/combo's. Nothing on the board or anywhere details whether it's a XWave-3000, 4000, 5100, 7000 or 7100. My curiousity is level 8 on this one.

Note: The site "http://www.asound.net" is null as of 03/19/06.

If I find anything else out I'll post it.

 

[SEMPER FI]

Resolution (kind of)

Eventually it worked. The reference in one of the responses above to "Sounds in the control panel..." worked, with the selection of the CMI8738 device listed as my output audio device. Prior to this, I selected the XWave-7100 installation (drivers from the CD). Good luck.