My Surround system doesnt use all the speakers....why??

Question

Hi

When i play a DVD on the surround system, the 5 speakers works fine

put when I try to watch the tv or the laptop ...only the 2 front speakers work

I heard that I can use a "surround sound processor "

to make the 5 speaker work what ever is played(DVD,TV,laptop)

Is that right???and does it need settings or something special?

My Surround system is

SONY DVD HomeTheatre System DAV-SB100

http://www0.uk.shopping.com/xPF-Sony-Sony-DAVSB100-DVD-home-Cinema-System-5-x-50-Watts-Dolby-Digital

and what type of processor I need to use??

Answer 1

This receiver auto-detects the signal sent to it and plays the appropriate type of sound, stereo, 2 or 3 channel surround, 5.1 etc. This can also be changed manually by selecting what Sony normally calls norm-surround and there should be several to choose from but they are basically fake surround and certainly not even close to 5.1 but it can be better than just stereo.

Answer 2

Surround sound systems only use all speakers when they get a surround sound signal.

Your movies are in surround sound.

TV, or your laptop are only in stereo, hence, they only use the front 2 speakers.

Some surround systems can be set to use "fake" surround by sending the right channel both the right front and right rear speakers, and doing the same thing for the left speakers.  However this is not the same as surround sound.

Answer 3

go to your sound and audio devices option in the control panel. Under the volume tab there should be an advanced button. What speakers are set up in there? On the laptop that is :)

Answer 4

On every device that is outputting sound (DVD, cable box, laptop), you need to make sure that the sound output is 5.1 (in many cases they default to something else).

You also need to make sure that you are using the proper cables.  In order to get 5.1 you need either digital optical (TosLink) or digital coax (Orange RCA type plug) or HDMI - which carries audio and video, you can't use the red/white RCA cables at they only carry 2 channel.

Most laptops don't have an output for 5.1 (they usually use that  headphone jack that only carries two channel).

Don't use the fake version (surround processor) unless you have no option (ie. laptop)