5.1 head-set not recognized

[SeriousToni]

I only wanted to say, that TDM doesn't recognize my 5.1 surround headset. It is a Logitech G35.

Whenever I change to 5.1 sound in the audio options, TDM says, there's no proper 5.1 device detected.

 

It's okay to play in stereo too, but as it is a lot easier to detect the guards precise with 5.1 sound. So I may ask if someone has an idea if this could be fixed somehow?

[nbohr1more]

I think that only Creative Labs devices are registered for Surround Sound due to an agreement with Creative that was forced because they held a patent for the Doom 3 shadow technique that John Carmack discovered...

 

Though, I would be suspect that a pair of "head-phones" would have the ability to provide better spacial definition.

 

If the headphone's drivers don't register the device an actual 5.1 audio device then Doom 3 will have nowhere to send channels 3, 4 and 5.

 

I suspect that the idea is that these headphones "decode" extra spacial resolution from a stereo signal thus producing the "sensation of 5.1 sound".

 

If you don't "hear 5.1" then...

 

(fine print) "Your susceptibility to placebo effect may vary... "

 

Edited March 29, 2011 by nbohr1more

[Mortem Desino]

I assume you're running Windows, right?

 

You have to be sure that your 5.1 headphones are actually configured with some kind of surround-sound drivers. Chances are, windows is just treating them like a stereo device, so Doom 3 can't talk surround-sound with it.

 

 

I suspect that the idea is that these headphones "decode" extra spacial resolution from a stereo signal thus producing the "sensation of 5.1 sound".

Yeah, from my experience mixing studio audio, you can do some fancy "stereo widening" voodoo with by copying the stereo channels, swapping L/R on the copy, and phase flip. It sounds impressive, I'll bet, in a video game; But I've found that it's just distracting in music.

[SeriousToni]

 

If you don't "hear 5.1" then...

 

 

You don't need tenthousand boxes scattered in your room to really hear (not "hear") 5.1 sound. This headset only has two speakers, yeah - but if you time trigger the sounds for each speaker, you can make it feel like coming from different directions.

Guess you just should try some virtual 5.1 headsets (and they are even better than real 5.1. headsets) to get an idea..

 

 

You have to be sure that your 5.1 headphones are actually configured with some kind of surround-sound drivers. Chances are, windows is just treating them like a stereo device, so Doom 3 can't talk surround-sound with it.

 

 

Yes, I am using Windows XP. The headset itself doeas register as an 5.1 audio device via USB 2.0. Normally I can change the sound to 5.1 sound in the game options. The only condition is, that I plug in the headphone before starting the game.exe. This does work for every game except for TDM at the moment.

[rich_is_bored]

You can try setting the cvar s_numberofspeakers manually although I don't think it's going to stick. From what I understand, under Windows the game will check the speaker configuration via the control panel.

Edited March 29, 2011 by rich_is_bored

[OrbWeaver]

Yeah, from my experience mixing studio audio, you can do some fancy "stereo widening" voodoo with by copying the stereo channels, swapping L/R on the copy, and phase flip. It sounds impressive, I'll bet, in a video game;

 

I believe more advanced stereo widening plugins use a combination of phase/polarity and delay effects between the channels. But yeah, the manual approach can work too (it is often used on cheap PC speakers that have a XXX SUPER AWESOME SURROUND feature).

 

Guess you just should try some virtual 5.1 headsets (and they are even better than real 5.1. headsets) to get an idea..

 

Admittedly I haven't tried one either, but I am also skeptical that there is any significant difference between a "5.1 headset" and a regular headset with some stereo widening effects applied. I guess the advantage of 5.1 headset is that it actually accepts more than two discrete channels from the application, so it can selectively apply the effect rather than widening everything indiscriminately.

[7upMan]

I have to agree with OrbWeaver. My Speed-Link Medusa 5.1 headset is a real 5.1 headset, not a stereo one with "virtual" surround sound. Since the latter is just a more or less clever hack, it can and will cause problems - which you just noticed. My question would be if it ever worked for you in TDM and just stopped working, or if it never worked in the first place.

[SeriousToni]

I changed the audio settings in windows XP now to 5.1 speakers. This though had no effect - guess it's just the setting for the normal output speakers.

 

@ 7upMan - It never worked, I was playing with stereo speakers before I bought the headset. I am now playing in stereo again, as there seems to be no solution. What a pity, but it's okay for me.

Edited April 3, 2011 by SeriousToni