Only 2.0 sound via HDMI on my XPS 1640!

I've been looking all around the forums for a definitive FIX and I have seen a couple of posts here and there about this but no fix yet. I have Studio XPS 1640 with a Mobility Radeon 3670 card and no matter what I do, I just can't get 5.1 sound out of the HDMI port!!

I've tried different drivers (AMD's, Windows, Realtek's) but to no avail. When I go to Control Panel/sound, it shows it as being 2.0 capable only, and no option to switch it to 5.1 mode. I am using this laptop with XBMC as my HTPC and as you can imagine it's VERY frustrating not being able to enjoy multichannel audio of my HD content.

Is my laptop even capable of 5.1 sound output? Is the ANALOG output a good option? I am starting to lose all hope regarding this... PLEASE HELP!!!

 

What are you trying to play the sound through?? If you connect the HDMI to a device that only supports 2.0 audio (like any TV/HDTV) it will show as 2.0 only in the device properties. You'd need to plug it into a 5.1 or 7.1 receiver that supports HDMI audio.

 

Oh, sorry for the omission: I am running the HDMI cable to a DTS/Dolby Digital Reciever (Harman Kardon AVR-254). Any other source like my cablebox, PS3, WDTV media player (when I had it),etc. runs multichannel 5.1 audio with no problems.

 

Just wanted to check, this question has popped up several times before, with people wondering why it doesn't have 5.1 available when they plug it into a 2.0 TV.

I just looked on the AMD website, and 5.1 surround through HDMI is advertised on the desktop 3000 series, and 7.1 on the desktop and mobile 4000 series, but no mention of it is made on the mobile 3000 series page, so maybe the mobile 3670 doesn't support it

 

Yeap, exactly Seeker_moc... this is why I am asking. I've also read before that this card is SUPPOSED to have "5.1 audio over HDMI" capability so it's kinda weird that apparently only a few of us are having this "Stereo HDMI" audio issue.

I wonder if anyone has actually made these Mobility 3670 XPS laptops work "as advertised" (5.1 over HDMI) and if so, HOW the hell did they do it?

 

NO ONE? REALLY?

So everybody with an XPS 1640 has the same lack of 5.1 audio problem and are just "happy" with it??? Please help

 

I know that 7.1 works just fine for me (5730 connected to Onkyo TX-SR705). There really aren't that many people that I've seen on this forum with the original 3670.