Countdown / Datatalk / Windows.
My old Asrock mainboard has a RealTek audio chip onboard. I have an old Labtec 4 channel amp with its own little sub that's still going strong after 22 (!) years.
Under Windows 10, my setup would by default mirror stereo playback to the rear speakers. Not so under Windows 11. Even better: you can't tell Windows 11 that you have a quadrophonic setup. Well, you can, but it's a little hidden...
Why
I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11, and that took quite a bit of effort. In hindsight, I wonder why I even tried. I can't run an Android VM anyway (not supported in NL yet) and most of the Windows 11 functionality is little more but a bit of paint... and a step back in functionality.
(I just can't believe there are no named taskbar elements in the taskbar anymore in Windows 11. That's so counter productive, I still can't believe they dropped it.)
And then there are all the little things that Windows 8 got wrong. Windows 10 improved on some bits and pieces, but it still was a bit of a mess when it came to configuration. And here's Windows 11, and it's still pretty much disorganized. Why am I even trying?
How many posts did I write on Windows 10 / 11 misbehaving? Well, it's a way to spent the year...
1. Drivers
First stop: drivers. I downloaded the latest RealTek audio drivers which include a configuration tool. It allows me to set the speaker configuration to quadrophonic, and when using the 'play' button to test the configuration you can hear the sound cycling over all four speakers.
However, the button 'Speaker Fill - creates a bla bla bla' doesn't do a thing.
2. Windows 11 speaker configuration
RMB on the systray speaker symbol / Sound Settings / Advanced / More Sound Settings
This brings up the 'Sound' window. RBM on the device you want to configure (in my case the Speakers RealTek Audio entry) and select Configure Speakers.
This brings up the 'Speaker Setup' window, and there you can select Quadraphonic. On some systems you cannot select Quadraphonic or anything else unless you've first configured it in the driver / manufacturer supplied tools, and do a reboot. Sigh.
Testing shows I still have four working speakers, but no rear audio when playing stereo sources. Games with surround sound did play sound over the rear speakers.
3. Enable enhancements
There are several ways to get your grubby fingers on the this specific option in Windows. Here are two of 'm...
Method 1: if you're still inside the 'Sound' window above, you can RMB on your audio device. In the next 'Speaker Properties' window go to the 'Advanced' tab and 'Enable audio enhancements'.
Method 2: Settings / System / Sound / All Sound Devices. Then click on your Output device. Under Output settings you might find a toggle called 'Enhance audio'. This should do the same thing. (Using the 'Advanced' option should bring you to the same 'Speaker Properties' window as method 1, so that's another approach.
4. Result
Unfortunately, stereo is no longer copied to the rear speakers in my Windows 11 setup (it was, with identical hardware, on Windows 10). After finding the right option it is now processed ('fill in') and the resulting audio signal is now fed into the rear speaker. I don't like the slight echo this produces, but we all have our preferences. At least it's producing some kind of sound now...
Good ol' Labtec
Here they are, 22 year old Labtec speakers, and all those years in active use. Labtec is no more (Logitech bought them in 2001) but one cannot deny the quality of those old (miniature) kits. Let's see if we can clock another 22 years on them 😇
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