Anyone out there have some knowledge about PC speakers ... I have a DELL PC with the DELL 5.1 surround sound speaker system - 4 sats, 1 front center, and a sub-woofer, and am using a Creative Sound Blaster card. The system suits my PC needs, and has been working fine since last Feb, but about a week ago the sub stopped working ... of course the difference in sound is tremendous ...
I have been on the phone with DELL on two occasions, going through ALL KINDS of tests, diagnostics, whathave you ... DELL sent me a whole new speaker kit ... I hooked up the sub and center spkrs and the problem still exists ... I was on the phone with DELL again for over an hour ...
Anyone have a clue?
The tech last night said I should call Creative to see if there is something in their software that needs to be changed ...?
thnx,
t.

Try hooking up the speakers to your walkman. Then you will know whether it is the speakers or the computer that is failing.

Dell already told you this, right?

Douglas Wolfe

That's interesting! Is the sub powering the satelites, i would assume it is? If so than try this. Go into control panel, click on "sound and audio devices" here depending on your audio software, yuo'll get windows stadard or proprietory sound card software, you should be able to see if it may have a mute function. Have windows test your sound card it will say "this device is working properly" if it's not your sound card. Also check to see if you have connected into the inputs in the back of your sound card correctly.

This should work!
Remove the sound card drivers and then reinstall "this should resolve your problem"

Ditto! Hook up any other system to the speakers, then you'll know right away if it's the sub or the PC's sound card. Could also be a defective cable between the PC and the speaker system.

Gary

Thanks guys ... this is why I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! ....
S-G, yes the sub is powering the sats ...
I didn't discuss all the 'tests' DELL walked me through, but the tech last night had me remove and reinstall the sound card drivers last night, to no avail ...
The cable hook-ups on this system are pretty much 'idiot' proof, even for me ... the sat cable plugs going into the sub are not only color coded, but also have little 'tags' on them that do not permit you to plug them into the wrong port ... on the sound card the ports are color coded, yellow, black and light green, matching the three cables from the sub, and all 3 plugs are in the right color.

Surprisingly, DELL did NOT tell me to try it with another system, such as the walkman ... I'll try that when I get home.
There is an 'adapter' plug that came with the spkr set for use with an "intergrated" system (one input into the PC tower), that has three female ends for the three (yellow, black, green) sub plugs, going to one male end. To hook up the walkman, I assume I would use the adapter, plugging the 3 cables from the sub into the adapter, and the male end of the adapter into the headphone jack on the walkman, right?
thnx agn,
t.

After checking it with another device to see if it's the speaker itself, which it may not be since they sent you a new system, then I would assume that it may be the soundcard or the creative labs software, it may just be muted or you have it set in the sorround sound settings for something other than 5.1 sorround. Can't think of anything else.

... Tested it through the walkman ... the sound wasn't great, but I could hear sound from the sub ... I think now it's up to Creative to figure out...
Thanks for all the help guys....
t.

Since you have two... would you sell one?...

Phil

If I send the 'old' speakers back by next Friday, the new ones are free ... But DELL is not stupid ... if I don't send the old speakers back they will bill me for $75 USD ...
While this system (with all parts working properly) sounds good, having seen some of the posts regarding PC spkr systems, I would think you could get better spkrs for not much more money ... I wish I had known that before, but we learn by our experiences ...
t.

Tony,

The next time you in my neighborhood, I'm cooking the fillet mignons, mixing up a fresh batch of Kickapoo Joy Juice, and you can fire up the PSR-3000 hooked up to the Z-5500 system. The steaks and Kickapoo are my treat.

Gary