COD4 5.1 sound issue (Help)

[twicksisted]

Hey guys,

Im loving Call of duty 4 at the moment... so much so that I bought myself logitech Z5500 5.1 speakers to enjoy the surround sound.

Only problem is that for some odd reason the centre channel has no sound in this game.
Every other game is fine!!!... I have it set to 5.1 in the options and no joy.
This problem is in both single and multiplayer and is definately not my soundcard or speakers as they work pfine with everything else.

The game is fully updated / patched.
Any ideas?

[twicksisted]

Anyone play Call of Duty 4 with 5.1 surround sound?

Google only has people with similar issues on PS3... and using home theatre systems with optical cables so im a little stumped here.

[Mussels]

Tried various connection methods? optical, analog, etc?

Only other thing i can think of is to check cod4 itself and see what settings are available in there.

[choppy]

you double checked wiring and connections. go to your soundcard software change that to 5.1, see if it has a test for youe speakers. change 5.1 thing in windows sound too

[twicksisted]

The soundcard and speakers are working fine...
In everything else they plays correctly (BF2142,Team Fortress, Movies etc..), just in COD4 there is no signal coming out of the centre channel in 5.1

I have played around with the ingame options and changed it to "system default, 5.1, stereo etc...) to no avail...

I take it must be a bug in the game... I just want to see if anyone else has it and 5.1 speakers to test it for me.

[Mussels]

The soundcard and speakers are working fine...
In everything else they plays correctly (BF2142,Team Fortress, Movies etc..), just in COD4 there is no signal coming out of the centre channel in 5.1

I have played around with the ingame options and changed it to "system default, 5.1, stereo etc...) to no avail...

I take it must be a bug in the game... I just want to see if anyone else has it and 5.1 speakers to test it for me.

i have the game and 5.1 speakers on the media PC, i'll try it after work if i remember.

[twicksisted]

cheers man... nice one... ;)

[Whilhelm]

Is it hooked up through optical, coaxial or six channel direct? Some games don't work properly through digital connections.

[twicksisted]

Is it hooked up through optical, coaxial or six channel direct? Some games don't work properly through digital connections.

Hi wilhelm, I have it setup through the normal analog & the coaxial (digital connerction).
I have tried both... its got nothing to do with the soundcard and the speakers and its definately just the game that isnt sending any audio to the centre channel.

As I said before, all other games and movies work fine in 5.1, just this game dosent

I just was hoping that theres a bug in the game that does this and they have a patch

[Duxx]

Aight so i tested out my 5.1 (my center is behind my monitor so i dont here it much) and it doesn't play any of the sounds from bombs or shooting but it DOES do the sounds from people. The only thing i hear out of it is people talking while they are calling in for air strike or throwing a nade or something. Sooo try and see if you hear anything while someone is talking because otherwise it is completely silent as you said. Give that a whirl. :)

[twicksisted]

Aight so i tested out my 5.1 (my center is behind my monitor so i dont here it much) and it doesn't play any of the sounds from bombs or shooting but it DOES do the sounds from people. The only thing i hear out of it is people talking while they are calling in for air strike or throwing a nade or something. Sooo try and see if you hear anything while someone is talking because otherwise it is completely silent as you said. Give that a whirl. :)

yeah i have the same...
bit of a pity as i have my system setup perfectly and its really not cool not having sound in the centre channel atall...

Aah well at least its not just me then.
thanks ;)

[Darren]

Hey guys,

Im loving Call of duty 4 at the moment... so much so that I bought myself logitech Z5500 5.1 speakers to enjoy the surround sound.

Only problem is that for some odd reason the centre channel has no sound in this game.
Every other game is fine!!!... I have it set to 5.1 in the options and no joy.
This problem is in both single and multiplayer and is definately not my soundcard or speakers as they work pfine with everything else.

The game is fully updated / patched.
Any ideas?

Check your sound card for a feature called virtual 5.1 speakers or similar and it will send sound to all speakers including center. The reason your not getting center is because games are rarely recorded in true 5.1 independent channels, its usually 2 channels and up mixed to 5.1 through your soundcard's drivers and DSPs but for some reason it's probably getting confused with your setup. Traditionally the center speaker is for speech and talking only in a real Dolby Digital or DTS setup. Also enable "Prologic" on your receiver, sometimes it's called "movie" or "game" mode.

[twicksisted]

Check your sound card for a feature called virtual 5.1 speakers or similar and it will send sound to all speakers including center. The reason your not getting center is because games are rarely recorded in true 5.1 independent channels, its usually 2 channels and up mixed to 5.1 through your soundcard's drivers and DSPs but for some reason it's probably getting confused with your setup. Traditionally the center speaker is for speech and talking only in a real Dolby Digital or DTS setup. Also enable "Prologic" on your receiver, sometimes it's called "movie" or "game" mode.

If I use coaxial, then im only getting stereo out of the "direct 6 channel setting"
If I use 6 channel direct on analogue, then i get 6 channels fine... and they work perfectly.
If I press dolby prologic on the receive then im actually mixing a stereo input into 5.1 channels and not getting real 5.1.

Also, the channels all work fine in every application... just not COD4... thats the only game / app that it dosent work in

[Darren]

If I use coaxial, then im only getting stereo out of the "direct 6 channel setting"
If I use 6 channel direct on analogue, then i get 6 channels fine... and they work perfectly.
If I press dolby prologic on the receive then im actually mixing a stereo input into 5.1 channels and not getting real 5.1.

Also, the channels all work fine in every application... just not COD4... thats the only game / app that it dosent work in

You will never get real 5.1 with coaxial or fibre unless you have a card capable of encoding DDL or DTS bitstreams in real time, such as Auzentech's cards, so your forced to stick with Prologic or stereo. COD is obviously getting confused, probably dodgy coding on EA's behalf.

[MikeJeng]

I got the Z-5500 for $130.


At the logitech site it's $400.

[Darren]

I got the Z-5500 for $130.


At the logitech site it's $400.

I don't mean to be rude, but what baring does that have on twicksisted's problem?

[twicksisted]

You will never get real 5.1 with coaxial or fibre unless you have a card capable of encoding DDL or DTS bitstreams in real time, such as Auzentech's cards, so your forced to stick with Prologic or stereo. COD is obviously getting confused, probably dodgy coding on EA's behalf.

thing is that im not using coaxial or optical for the games sound... im actually using the analogue (have tried coaxial to test but only get stereo from it, still havent tried optical)

Surely if the game is set to 5.1 in the sound options... then it should just be sending a signal to each of the 6 speakers in analog, and no decoding is neccessary on the receivers side.
This is why i diddnt want to use pro logic or similar in coaxial on just just the output of the soundcard.

Im pretty sure that it is didgy sound on the games behalf as all other games and movies work perfectly. Just a real pity as the game is wicked and has bone shattering sound.

[Duxx]

Glad to hear it isn't broken :)

[DaedalusHelios]

I got the Z-5500 for $130.
At the logitech site it's $400.


I don't mean to be rude, but what baring does that have on twicksisted's problem?

I bet they were stolen. :roll:


Hey kid, over here. :pimp:

I got these speakahs..... they uh, fell off the back of a truck..... :pimp: $130 bux and they're yours.

[Darren]

I bet they were stolen. :roll:


Hey kid, over here. :pimp:

I got these speakahs..... they uh, fell off the back of a truck..... :pimp: $130 bux and they're yours.


lol, or from a counterfeit Logitech website

tried coaxial to test but only get stereo from it, still havent tried optical)

100% normal, both digital connections (coxial and fibre) can only send out stereo PCM signals unless it's pre-encoded. Only DVDs tend to be pre-endcoded. (only way around this is Prologic or have a DDL/DTS card)

Surely if the game is set to 5.1 in the sound options... then it should just be sending a signal to each of the 6 speakers in analog

Most games (about 97%) are not pre-encoded, although they have 5.1 options in the menu it's usually triggers your sound card's drivers to apply some type basic up mixing DSP, usually stereo duplicated so that the front right and rear right output the same sounds, and the front left and rear left output the same sounds. It's all trickery.

no decoding is neccessary on the receivers side.This is why i diddnt want to use pro logic or similar in coaxial on just just the output of the soundcard.

Why wouldn't you rather use Prologic over SPDIF, Prologic is an official Dolby algorithm for up mixing, surely it would sound better than anologue?

Im pretty sure that it is didgy sound on the games behalf as all other games and movies work perfectly. Just a real pity as the game is wicked and has bone shattering sound.

Yeah I still agree the games dodgy perhaps EA are working on a driver update? - I played the COD4 demo and the sound was drop dead gorgeous, had it outputting DTS bit streams to my AV receiver over fibre optic fantastic.

[Mussels]

upmixing with prologic gives dual stereo, and NOT surround sound.

ATM he has two front and two rear speakers with only the center not working, if he used prologic he might as well have 5 front speakers.

[Darren]

Mussles very true. But wouldn't it be preferred due prologic it being a Dolby signature feature? not in terms of the accuracy of sound direction but in terms of quality of evironmental effects?

Whats your take on twicksisted's situation, how best do you think it should be resolved?

Edit: I've got both my computer and TV hooked up to my AV receiver, when watching TV and I use the PLII MV feature, although the sound isn't nowhere good as Dolby 5.1 it's still somewhat convincing, all channels including the rears sound convincing and almost independent.

Edit 2:

His problem is entirely related to CoD4. Myself, i'd settle for the slightly lacking 5.1 the game outputs as at least you have front and rear audio - you know if people are sneaking up behind you.

Remember that this is a game, positional audio is more important than anything else.

100% agree, :)

brings such joy to be snipering people, and they are left shocked saying "how did he know that I was there!!"

[Mussels]

Mussles very true. But wouldn't it be preferred due prologic it being a Dolby signature feature? not in terms of the accuracy of sound direction but in terms of quality of evironmental effects?

Whats your take on twicksisted's situation, how best do you think it should be resolved?

Edit: I've got both my computer and TV hooked up to my AV receiver, when watching TV and I use the PLII MV feature, although the sound isn't nowhere good as Dolby 5.1 it's still somewhat convincing, all channels including the rears sound convincing and almost independent.

His problem is entirely related to CoD4. Myself, i'd settle for the slightly lacking 5.1 the game outputs as at least you have front and rear audio - you know if people are sneaking up behind you.

Remember that this is a game, positional audio is more important than anything else.

[someguygg]

I have this exact same problem.

I have Z-5500 and an Audigy 1 sound card. No sound at all from the center channel in Call of Duty 4. It drives me nuts. Everything is set up fine, 5.1 works in all other games except COD4.

I've tried reinstalling the sound card drivers and many other tweaks I've come across to no success.

Glad to hear it's not just me.

[twicksisted]

I have this exact same problem.

I have Z-5500 and an Audigy 1 sound card. No sound at all from the center channel in Call of Duty 4. It drives me nuts. Everything is set up fine, 5.1 works in all other games except COD4.

I've tried reinstalling the sound card drivers and many other tweaks I've come across to no success.

Glad to hear it's not just me.

nice... hehe... ok so im not alone here!!! ;)

[Mussels]

nice... hehe... ok so im not alone here!!! ;)

finally swapped the rigs over here... i'll give it a shot with my auzentech card soon - the more card types, the merrier.

edit: exactly the same. ONLY voices in center channel.

Coincidentally, i learned i can 'hack' my TV to 1920x1080. freaking sweet.
(there is a 'just scan' option, that centers/fixes any resolution... even incorrect ones)

[Darren]

edit: exactly the same. ONLY voices in center channel.



isn't that correct?, the center channel is suppose to be dedicated to voices on a Dolby or DTS setup.

[Mussels]

isn't that correct?, the center channel is suppose to be dedicated to voices on a Dolby or DTS setup.

In games it often works differently.
Front left and right are seperate, and true front sound comes out of the center speaker. Only in movies is the center speaker locked to voices - its a bit silly in games to have center locked to voices, when it could also have other sounds too (like most other games)

Example:

Movies, if a noise is 'in front' BOTH front speakers play it at the same volume. If a noise is slighly more to each side, that speaker has more volume than the other.

In games, if it was center - it comes loudest out the center speaker, making it more 'center' than 'overall in front'

[Darren]

I see you have an Auzentech card like me. When enabling DTS Interactive or Dolby Digital Live in combination with "Dolby Prologic IIx" and "Neo: PC" it encodes it as if the material was a movie, it doesn't care that you are playing a game. The only way around this is to turn on DDL/DTS but disable "Dolby Prologic IIx" and "Neo: PC" DSPs in the driver, and the sound should spread across all speakers including the center. (Unless it's a pre-encoded DVD)


In games, if it was center - it comes loudest out the center speaker, making it more 'center' than 'overall in front'

Thats where having a AV-reviever comes in handy, you can adjust the decibels independantly for each channel, as well as enable dynamic range etc. But saying that Auzentech's drivers allow you to adjust the individual channels idependatly too, so why not increse the dB+ on the fronts in the driver?

Edit: Typically the only time you should get voices in any other speaker other than your center is if the enemy is talking from behind you or if it's not a main part of the dialogue. (And if this is happening it's 100% correct both on your soundcard and COD4's behalf)

[Mussels]

I see you have an Auzentech card like me. When enabling DTS Interactive or Dolby Digital Live in combination with "Dolby Prologic IIx" and "Neo: PC" it encodes it as if the material was a movie, it doesn't care that you are playing a game. The only way around this is to turn on DDL/DTS but disable "Dolby Prologic IIx" and "Neo: PC" DSPs in the driver, and the sound should spread across all speakers including the center. (Unless it's a pre-encoded DVD)



Thats where having a AV-reviever comes in handy, you can adjust the decibels independantly for each channel, as well as enable Dynamic range etc. But saying that Auzentech's Drivers allow you to adjust the individual channels idependatly too why not increse the dB+ on the fronts?

That's where having an AV-reviver comes in handy, you can adjust the decibels independently for each channel, as well as enable Dynamic range etc. But saying that Auzentech's Drivers allow you to adjust the individual channels independently too why not increase the dB+ on the fronts?

because no matter how much you tweak it, you cant move the ambient noises to the center speaker. Even if you could, it would mess up other games just to fix CoD4

Also my speakers are pure analogue, no receiver tweaks for me.

[Darren]

Also my speakers are pure analogue, no receiver tweaks for me.

ahh. That explains it, I was under impression you had the Logitech Z-5500 which has the built-in receiver, as most people buy Auzentech's Product's for home cinema purposes. In your situation you are really stuck, the work around I said before is only justified if your running DTS/Dolby over fibre or coaxial (tried and tested) - but in your case your going to have to suffer in silence.

Edit: Mussels, the Logitech Z-5500s are great computer speakers, but I recommend bookshelf speakers with a decent receiver. If you plan on going the Home Cinema route I don't mind helping you pick your equipment.

Edit 2:
I as setting up your own system with receiver/ encoder/ amp / speakers and matching them all together can be a pain and very costly.

Yeah it's a pain in the ass hunting down the best prices and specification for the equipment, but the secret is to buy the equipment slowly. Starting off with two fronts, then subwoofer, and lastly the rears and hence taking the bulk of paying a lot in one go. For me the receiver paid for itself because of it's versatility, FM/AM radio, scart sockets, about 30 built in DSPs, I've got the free view box connected via Coaxial and computer hooked up via fibre optic - Once I get my Sky+ box in my bedroom I'm made.

[Mussels]

ahh. That explains it, I was under impression you had the Logitech Z-5500 which has the built-in receiver, as most people buy Auzentech's Product's for home cinema purposes. In your situation you are really stuck, the work around I said before is only justified if your running DTS/Dolby over fibre or coaxial (tried and tested) - but in your case your going to have to suffer in silence.

still saving up for those puppies :P they're on the to-buy list.

[twicksisted]

I must say that im very impressed with them for what they are (PC speakers) and what they cost (£185).

I am a sound engineer (and music producer) by trade and have a lot of top end studio equipment and speakers in my home studio... (dynaudio BM5's, Tannoy Reveals, Event TR8, Hafler & Samson studio amps etc...)
These obviously are in a different league to logitech, but still these logitech sound fantastic for their intended purposes (movies and games).

for a no hassle system I would highly reccommend them... as setting up your own system with receiver/ encoder/ amp / speakers and matching them all together can be a pain and very costly.

[Mussels]

I must say that im very impressed with them for what they are (PC speakers) and what they cost (£185).

I am a sound engineer (and music producer) by trade and have a lot of top end studio equipment and speakers in my home studio... (dynaudio BM5's, Tannoy Reveals, Event TR8, Hafler & Samson studio amps etc...)
These obviously are in a different league to logitech, but still these logitech sound fantastic for their intended purposes (movies and games).

for a no hassle system I would highly reccommend them... as setting up your own system with receiver/ encoder/ amp / speakers and matching them all together can be a pain and very costly.

i got my x-540's (i mistakenly call them x-530's sometimes, as i only upgraded recently) and they cost me $99 au - i've not heard better from anything under $300.

I can quite beleive the Z-5500's are great, they're still being called the best years after they were released.

How do the new models with wireless rear speakers compare? i've been thinking they'd sound worse, but the lack of wires would really be convenient here.