AMR 130 and Sound Blaster Audigy ex

[Auglaize]

I have a new Alienware computer with the SB Audigy Plat. EX card. When I hook up the Polk 130 speakers and set the card to 5.1 mode, all I get is Front R and L and subwoofer. No center channel and no rears. When I set the card to 4 speakers I get all but center. The SB manual is a little vague about where to hook the connnects, the Polk manual is for SB live but not Audigy (no color coding, all gold plated). For fun I hooked up the TOSLINK optical out to my 5.1 home theater (all Polk speakers, I'm hooked) and all I get from that is also front R-L and sub. I believe the problem to lie in the card itself but I wanted to know if there was anything else I should check first...
JB

[jdavy]

Assuming you are watching a movie. Did you select DD5.1 or DTS?

[Auglaize]

My test source was Lord of the Rings DVD. I tried both, I can turn the 5.1/DTS on or off in about three different applications. I've tried just about every combination possible. When I run the Audigy self test through the card all I get is L-R front and rear. The center channel blinks but no sound. I switched the inputs to the back of the subwoofer and the center-rears works but no fronts. I called Alienware and they had me yank the card(s) out, uninstall drivers and do a complete re-install. 45 minutes later no dice, same as before, it ain't the speakers. My $$ is on the card. Otherwise the 130's sound great for their size. I bought these speakers sight unheard and I am not dissapointed.

[Auglaize]

Update:
After much searching I found the problem. I post this in case anybody else has the same trouble as Soundblaster seems to be the defacto standard for computers these days...unfortunately. Soundblaster has a feature called CMSS, don't ask me what it stands for, but it must be enabled in their Play Center for the 5.1 to work. After enabling CMSS all surround features work like a charm. What I wouldn't give for one big knob called "Volume".

[jdavy]

glad you figured it out.