5.1 PC speakers in cab - channel question

[darthbane2k]

when buying used equiprment to use for my cab, I was provided with a creative 5.1 pc system, with satellite speakers and sub.
The sound is superb, however 5.1 is overkill. I dont want to shell out on a 2.1 system so I figured just hook up 2 speakers insteard of 5. My question was which channels should I hook up - at the moment I have the front left and right hooked up and it sounds fine (at least to me), am I missing on anything accousticly or do you reccomend I hook up different channels instead or in addition?

Second question is mounting into the cab. I am just going to use a regular grill and place the pc speaker on top. Maybe cover with fabric but i am not going to shell/disassemble the pc speaker. Would this be adequeate or is shelling the way to go?

[wintermute]

As far as the 5.1 goes, as long as you make sure to set in the creative control panel that you are only using 2.1, you should be all set.  If you have it set to 5.1 it may send some stuff to the other channels that aren't there, depending on your EAX mode or whatever.

wm

[Effayy]

when buying used equiprment to use for my cab, I was provided with a creative 5.1 pc system, with satellite speakers and sub.
The sound is superb, however 5.1 is overkill. I dont want to shell out on a 2.1 system so I figured just hook up 2 speakers insteard of 5. My question was which channels should I hook up - at the moment I have the front left and right hooked up and it sounds fine (at least to me), am I missing on anything accousticly or do you reccomend I hook up different channels instead or in addition?

Second question is mounting into the cab. I am just going to use a regular grill and place the pc speaker on top. Maybe cover with fabric but i am not going to shell/disassemble the pc speaker. Would this be adequeate or is shelling the way to go?

Heh. while I was typing my reply, wintermuet got in ahead of me.

Anyway.... Ditto.  Set software to 2.1, plug speakers into front-left and front-right, and you're golden.

[darthbane2k]

o...k but where can I find this software?
Like I said, the 5.1 system was used, so all I got was the speakers and the sub.

Anyone got a link?

[RayB]

Windows or DOS?

You got speakers, but speakers don't require software. The software in question here is whatever you have for your sound card

[darthbane2k]

Thats the thing.
Im running windows, but I dont want to be installing any control panel utility for the soundblaster card as it will bring up that annoying splash screen upon booting and will slow the whole system down.
My boot into my frontend (mamewah) is clean and windows well hidden.

I guess all I want to know is whether im losing out currently having my two speakers plugged into the front left and right channels of the 5.1 amp/sub. Things sound okay to me but I want to be sure.

Is there anyway of having windows xp itself control the output to channels

[RayB]

Im running windows, but I dont want to be installing any control panel utility for the soundblaster card as it will bring up that annoying splash screen upon booting and will slow the whole system down.
My boot into my frontend (mamewah) is clean and windows well hidden.

Ayeeee, what splash screen? There's no splash screen. No one said to install their Media Center, or Playcenter or whatever they call it. If you have the basic DRIVERS installed, you should have a process called "AudioHQ" that always runs and maybe even appears on your taskbar.

Open AudioHQ and select "Speakers". You'll have a pull-down with a choice of configurations. Select "2 speakers". You can then even hit "test" to see if it sounds ok.

You might also have to go to CONTROL PANEL -> Sounds & Audio Device   and then at the bottom select ADVANCED. There you can select "Desktop speakers"


Personally though, in XP Pro my setting for this (in Sound & Audio devices) is NEVER saved. I don't know why, but it always defaults back to "desktop speakers" when what I really have and want is "quadraphonic". 

[AceTKK]

Like RayB said; if there is sound coming out of your speakers then you already have some kind of software for your sound card installed.  It's simply a matter of finding it and adjusting the correct settings. 

-Ace-