G73J-A1 Audio Question

Hi -

I just got this laptop and was assured that i would be able to use my Logitech Z 5500 speakers over optical cable with it. well i can plug in the optical cables and get it to deliver audio to the control unit for the speakers but unfortunately it only produces sound out of two of the speakers. i have 5.1 speakers and want to use them all. i don't see any settings that let me change how many speakers etc... is there something i am missing?

any help would be great.

 

Play a 5.1 source.

If its stereo unless you upmix it it will only use the 2.1 speakers this is normal for any device, especially since its optical its supposed to be true to the source.

 

right, but on my desktop, which i am removing these speakers from, the sound comes out of all the speakers. what would be the point of playing music on 5.1 speakers to have it only come out of 2 speakers? but will give it a try.

 

well it made no difference playing a 5.1 source.

 

You apparently need a lesson in Digital Audio 101:

Toslink (optical) and Coax digital both use a format called S/PDIF to transfer digital audio to an external decoder, like you Logitech Z5500 unit. The bandwidth of S/PDIF only allows enough for 2 channel stereo in PCM. That's it.

Audio companies developed their own technology to get 6 channels of audio over the bandwidth of S/PDIF: Dolby developed Dolby Digital, and another company developed DTS. Both technologies compress the 6-channels into a lossy format, much like 6-ch MP4 does today, and after compression, the data can be transmitted over S/PDIF.

Later on, these same companies licensed their compression format to have this feature on audio chips, in the form of either Dolby Digital Live, or DTS Connect. This was needed because video games do not generate their own Dolby Digital or DTS streams. They only create 6-channels of LPCM, which cannot be sent over 2-ch PCM S/PDIF. So this software add-on will compress the 6-channels into Dolby Digital or DTS on the fly, and that can be sent over S/PDIF to your Z5500 and decode the 5.1 audio.

Unfortunately, Asus didn't license either encoder. Creative sells an add-on for this, but I haven't had success installing it with the Audigy MB software. I'm sure someone has hacked it, but I don't have any info on this yet.

However, HDMI is the replacement for S/PDIF, which the 1.3a implementation your G73JH has is capable of transmitting up to 8ch LPCM digitally. Unfortunately, your Z5500 has no HDMI input.

 

wow, thanks for the information. Yeah, i could try an HDMI to optical cable i have seen but seeing as how i have a second monitor and have my 360 hooked up its taken.

I am wondering do you think it would work if i hooked up an audio receiver between my laptop and my speakers?

 

If you want use your Z5500 speakers on notebook you must buy external sound card like Creative Sound Blaster 5.1 USB or something cheaper... but i must say you i use Creative card 7.1 with TD7700 Creative Speakers-and its sound great!