Issues with 5.1 Surround Sound with Windows 10

Anonymous
2019-06-25T18:59:15+00:00

I can not get 5.1 Surround Sound to play for my computer with any audio player; i.e. DVD/CD optical drive, Pandora, etc. but when I run an audio test using the device manager it tests perfectly.  I have heard that there might be a compatibility issue with 5.1/7.1 Surround Sound and Windows 10.

Please let me know if anybody has had this problem and what the solution is.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. JosephT71 9,220 Reputation points
    2021-07-29T16:26:27+00:00

    run mmsys.cpl

    but beware of Skype and other apps that don't comply with the Windows sound APIs. Dr. Lewis

    Skype complies with telephony specifications and uses an ultra-low bitrate audio codec that is specifically designed for telephony. Skype is not supposed to comply to hi-fi audio stuff.

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/skypeforbusiness/plan-your-deployment/network-requirements/network-requirements

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  2. JosephT71 9,220 Reputation points
    2021-07-29T16:19:43+00:00

    In the last 20 years, Microsoft only paid for Dolby during 2009-2012 in Windows 7.

    Microsoft didn't pay for Dolby in Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.

    So, it is not Microsoft that deserves the "blame". It is consumers who forgot that they indirectly paid for Dolby when they bought a DVD burner (which came bundled with windvd and dolby) during the XP era, skipped Vista, upgrade to 7 (and enjoyed the Dolby freebie from Microsoft), skipped 8/8.1, then entirely forgot that Dolby was a freebie Windows 7 exception when they upgrade to Windows 10.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-07-29T15:56:32+00:00

    run mmsys.cpl

    but beware of Skype and other apps that don't comply with the Windows sound APIs. Dr. Lewis

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-07-29T12:37:45+00:00

    I did...when I opened this string years ago....pointed out 5.1 worked every time for me in Windows 7. As soon as Windows 10 was installed it stopped working. Microsoft stopped paying the royalties to Dolby for the 5.1 encoding for Windows 10 as they had in Windows 7 in 2012. So....in that case they are to "Blame". But I understand the business decision. Just looking for an answer to get the encoding if possible or a work around....As for your analogy.....of course it's an analogy...not an elegant one but as a Porsche owner I was too tired to say anything other than I don't have a VW.....on the other hand.....VW owns Porsche so....hmmmm.

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-07-29T10:32:45+00:00

    I don't think it is a Microsoft problem. I fixed mine simply by asking Creative which software I needed. It turns out you do not need any extra software at all because the older systems just plug in. I had been assuming that they needed all the extras that newer systems now have. They don't.

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