RealTek Drivers

[garystan]

Hi everybody :

I've been trying to get my 5.1 Channel sound fixed. Right now, I've got onboard sound. But first, my System : Windows 7 Professional 32-bit, 3Gb RAM, SATA II WD 500 Gb Hard Drive, Gigabyte GA-Z77-DS3H Motherboard, 500 Watt PSU and SATA II LG Optical Drive. My situation is......I'm only getting 2-channel sound from my onboard sound chip (I'm looking into a dedicated sound card). When I go into Sound Manager, click on 5.1 Channel, then click on the subwoofer, the 5.1 Channel selection (from the pull-down menu) greys out. I only get sound from the two front speakers. The manual says this motherboard can produce 5.1 and 7.1 Channel sound. I checked everything from Sound Manager to Device Manager. I downloaded and installed the updated audio drivers. That didn't work. So I contacted Gigabyte Support. They recommended downloading the latest drivers (which I already did). I explained to them what I did and what I checked. So, after all the explaining, they just stated that there's not much they can do then. I think it's the sound chip. This is where the dedicated sound card comes in. I'm going to try that. I know that my Creative Labs Inspire 5.1 sound system is still good. It works on my past computer (which I'm using as a back up system) I'm not sure what else to check....other than installing the dedicated sound card.

garystan

 

[fireberd]

Can you post a picture of your RealTek HD Audio Manager?

Did you try setting the speaker type in the Sound/Playback section for the "Speakers" (the RealTek)?

Here is my RealTek Audio manager, with a Gigabyte Z77 motherboard and I can select 5.1 sound. I'm using the Gigabyte supplied RealTek driver for my motherboard.

 

[garystan]

firebird :

Yes. I have the Settings to Speaker. And I downloaded the latest RealTek drivers for Windows 7. I'm starting to think it's the onboard sound chip. The reason I say that is that.....my Creative Labs Inspire 5.1 sound system works on my old computer....which I updated a short while ago with Windows 7.
Here's a shot of my Settings.

 

[fireberd]

Aha! It looks like you have one of the motherboards that requires using the front panel headphone jack to get the 5.1 output.

Check the Gigabyte manual for your motherboard to find out how to hook it up.

 

[garystan]

fireberd :

It doesn't say anything in the user manual, other than needing an HD front panel audio module.
First............I'm not totally clear what this module is. Isn't it a piece of hardware that goes into one of my free drive bays..........connected to an internal sound card ? I contacted Gigabyte about this, and they didn't give me any information on this. If it's something that I have to "wire together" , I'd probably have to have the Geek Squad do that. If I have it correctly...........either I could get an internal sound card (with the appropriate connections), or this HD front panel audio module. As for the module, I'd have to look that up online, to really see what it is, and, if it's not incredibly complicated, hook it up myself. While waiting...........I invested $19 in a Sabrent USB sound card. It's supposed to work with Windows 7, but it doesn't. I'm returning that item. (I should've known better than to try a USB sound card). Thanks for your help and advice.
garystan

 

[garystan]

fireberd :

I've got another dumb question (more of a confirmation of correct information). If I install a "good" sound card. The type that will allow me to connect my two front speakers and a subwoofer. One, this card, upon installation will automatically "override" the BIOS's onboard audio, correct ? Two, I'd be able to enjoy that higher quality sound like I had on my old computer, correct ? Three, if the card has a good DSP, I'd definitely hear that stereo "separation" and still get good bass or (what do they call it ?) LFE ? Sorry about all the questions. Thanks.

garystan

 

[fireberd]

First, the HD front panel connection is just the HD audio connection to the motherboard for the front panel headphone/mic jack. There are two possible front panel connections in many PC cases, either AC97 or HD Audio. Obviously the HD Audio connection is the one to use. The HD Audio connection has additional jack sensing (sensing when something is plugged in) that the AC97 does not. The front panel connector that plugs into the motherboard, on commercial PC cases, will be marked "HD Audio" (or AC97).

Second, if you install a separate sound card, you must disable the on-board audio in the PC's BIOS, to avoid any conflicts. You can only have one default audio device anyway so disabling in the BIOS is the way to go. Whether it will be better audio depends on the sound card and its capabilities and your speakers (the speakers are the "weak link" in most sound systems). Most new PC integrated audio is as good or better than old separate sound card. I have a recording studio and although I don't use my internal PC's sound card for recording, I have no problems with it on regular sound playback. I had a high end SoundBlaster Xfi sound card installed but it was interfering with my recording studio software so I uninstalled it and I really didn't hear any difference in the PC sound between the RealTek and the SoundBlaster Xfi.

 

[garystan]

fireberd :

Thanks for your reply and advice.

garystan

 

[garystan]

One more question :
When using a USB Sound card, is it necessary to disable the Onboard Sound Chip ? Being USB is a PnP type device.
garystan