W700 Headphone Jack will produce audio without center channel (no down-mix)

robertkjr3d
robertkjr3d Member Posts: 19

Tinkerer

I'm on an Acer W700 Win 8.1 64bit.  I've tried everything!  But everytime I hook-up something through the headphone jack, I get a choice: 1) headphones, 2) Speakers, 3) Headset.  But none make any difference.

 

The system is cleary kicked into multi-channel mode, and I'm only getting the left and right sound ambient sound.  No vocals, at least not much.  Near as I can figure, Realtek is doing some-sorta-of 'Speaker-fill' on me.

 

I've tried multiple speaker sets.  

 

Another problem is I can't connect to one pair via blutooth, that would help I bet.  Maybe.  But:

 

Oh.. Even when I used an HDMI out to a TV, and it was using a different 'playback device', this problem was still there.  So that suggests that the problem lies else where.  Maybe a hidden installed codec.

 

I have shut off the pre-installed Dolby-Digital-Plus.  But could that be causing the problem, even with it off?

 

I see nothing out of the ordinary in the sound controls, drivers, or the real-tek manager. 

Best Answer

  • robertkjr3d
    robertkjr3d Member Posts: 19

    Tinkerer

    Answer ✓

    Oh boy... Bad cable.  Next problem.  Why doesn't my thing.  Connect via bluetooth?  

Answers

  • robertkjr3d
    robertkjr3d Member Posts: 19

    Tinkerer

    Edit >>>'I think I got it...

    The thing was trying to use it as a microphone too.  I needed to go into the Playback Devices, and disable 'stereo mix' under 'recording'."  This was not correct.  It is still hosed!!  

     

    Could it be, it seemed alright (with the earlier microphone solution), because earlier I was not connected to a monitor via HDMI and now I am?

     

    2nd Edit:

    Tried again to connect via the HDMI monitor audio out, but it sounds the same.  So that's not it.  Wouldn't the monitor down-mix it? If that was the problem?  I'm not entirely sure, but either way, it sounds exactly the same.

    I feel like I need a new driver or something.  I'm an IT guy, I can go to the Acer site, but download drivers, and they don't really say how to install.  I am probably on the latest anyway.

     

    3rd Edit: Tried disabling the 'Dolby Digital Plus' profile compleletly, then rebooted.  Still no change.

     

    Just in case your wondering what sources I'm playing.  It doesn't matter. Tried Pandora in Firefox. MP3s in VLC.  Those aren't multichannel anyway, unless some sort-of speaker-fill is enabled.

    4th Edit: I've meticulously gone through every process, to see if anything might be affecting it that I can think of.

  • robertkjr3d
    robertkjr3d Member Posts: 19

    Tinkerer

    Answer ✓

    Oh boy... Bad cable.  Next problem.  Why doesn't my thing.  Connect via bluetooth?