5.1 analog speaker hook up for Z83V

Looks like there're bunch of knowledge guy around here also. I am hoping by posting here, someone has the experience will tell me the answer! Seems like to me it's a common problem for most ASUS notebook. It could be just a software issue but who knows.

Bought the Z83V few months ago. I was using the built in 4 speakers since day one. Finally decided to go with 5.1 analog speaker set. Bought a set & tried to hook up all 3 wires to Notebook as such:

Notebook end Speaker end
=================================
Headphone/SPDIF out Front
Mic in Centre/Sub woofer
Audio in Rear

Set XP's setting to 5.1 channel speaker.
Can't set anything else beside headphone or 2 channel speakers within ASUS multimedia manager software.

The only sound that I've got are from front speakers only. Not thing come out from Centre, rear and Sub speakers

Can anyone kindly tell me what's wrong?

Software, Hardware issue? Or that's the way it suppose to be??

 

To my knowledge, few, if any, laptops exist which support 5.1 speakers without a PCMCIA Sound Card. The only one of the ports you identify which actually can be used to output audio is the Headphone jack, which supports 2.1. The Microphone port supports audio in, not out. Honestly, I've never been sure what the third one does.

 

Well if you have like a surround sound with RCA inputs (like a headphone to RCA) adapter you will only get 2.1

If it is a surround sound system you should be able to mess with the settings on it, but if it is the one made for computers there is nothing really you can do.

 

The sound card does not support 5.1
there are 2 ways you can get it
1. Purchase audigy pcmcia withy 5.1
2. or Get a audigy receiver connect to spdif and then hook up your speaker to the receiver. I dont recall if it has optical spdif or not but if there is a laser in there then it supports mini tos which will connect to receiver.

 

Yes but It came with a ALC880/ ICH6 and I thought it should be able to gies me 5.1 through the 3 mini-jack.

http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/products1-2.aspx?modelid=2004058

 

ICH6 is a chipset not an audio chip. The audio chip it self only supports 2.1. Nobody ever stated otherwise not even asus, If you want dolby digi quality you have to use spdif.

 

Thanks for clarity this. But I thought the ALC880 should handled the 5.1. At least that's what the spec says.

http://compreviews.about.com/gi/dyn...ntiumm/index.htm?iid=ipp_note+proc_pentium_m&