Some time ago I bought a new set of speakers (Altec Lansing FX5051), a 5.1 USB connected sound system.The sound is great but I have a very annoying problem, on the back of the subwoofer I have a small switch with two positions...5.1 or 4-2. To have sound from all speakers when for instance looking at movies or listening to music I need to have this switch set to 5.1 and this is also true for FSX where this switch needs to be in the 5.1 position to hear for instance the sound from the aircraft engine from all speakers. However...when having the switch set to 5.1 the sound of ATC is all gone until I switch the button to the 4-2 position when the ATC sound is back but instead I then only get sound from the 2 front speakers while the rear speakers are all quiet.Does anyone have any ideas why FSX behaves this way and is it somehow possible to change the way FSX sends sound to the speakers so I could have FSX send sound to all speakers including the ATC sound even though I have the switch on my subwoofer set to 5.1 to have sound from all speakers?Thanks in advance for any help on this!

Well, my guess is that FSX is a stereo program only. Therefore it won't work as you expext in 5.1. I would also guess that getting stereo sound to work in 5.1 is a software setting not a hardware setting. See if there is a disk that came with your speakers that will make your set up do what you want. I suggest this because with my home theater system, if I play a two channel source, than only the front speakers come on.Bob

Can't remember I got any software/drivers with my speakers but will check it out again and also visit the manufactor's support site.

RichardWhich OS and sound card (onboard sound or separate card or both and drivers)are you using. In Winxp it should be relatively easy to do what you want to do but may be slightly more involveded but doable in Vista (FSX+SP2).WINXP: Have you tried under Control Panel/Sounds and audio devices under Audio/Sound Playback/Default Device/Advanced set your speakers to the 5.1 format. Then under VoiceVoice PlaybackDefault DeviceAdvanced set the speakers to the 4.2 option if there (or try any of the options there that might work). You could then open FSX go to settings/Sounds/Windows Sound devices and choos the 5.1/4.2 options for Sounds and Voice as appropriate.If you have addon sound card you could set that to be the "Audio" source and the onboard sound card as the default "Voice" source and set up as aboveApologies if you have already tried this.Peter Hayes

Hi Peter and thanks alot for your tips!Thing is I don't use any soundcard with these speakers, they simply connect using USB and off you go with great sound so except for the problem I have in FSX I'm very pleased with them!I have checked all the settings available for the speakers and I know what you mean...that you in WinXP could choose what kind of speaker setup you had but I haven't found any similar settings with these speakers in Vista - not sure if that is because Vista is different from XP or if it's because of these speakers not beeing connected to a ordinary sound card.However I did find one setting that was called Speaker Fill...not sure exactly what it does but will try it out.All the best,

Hi RichardI use a USB souncard + speakers and a pair of USB stereo headphones (to listen to ATC) and they are "seen" by Vista and subsequently FSX, so there shouldn't be an issue with the USB speakers. Good luckPeter Hayes

I have now done some testing but unfortunately I haven't managed to configure my speakers to give both sound in FSX from all my speakers and at the same time ATC. I don't have that many settings in Vista to play with and when I use the switch on the back of my subwoofer I either get sound from all speakers when I choose the 5.1 setting but then I won't hear any ATC or I can use the 4-2 mode when I get ATC but instead I loose the sound from my rear speakers...too bad but guess I'll just have to live with it.Thanks anyway Peter for trying to help!

Richard - I have the exact same speakers and have them all working with ATC sound with the switch in the 5.1 setting. The differences between our situations are that I am using Windows XP Pro and I have my speakers connected to a 5.1 channel add in sound card made by Creative. It should work as well, at least under XP, with any on board 5.1 channel audio. In FSX Settings, Sound, both Windows Sound Devices are set to Default Primary Device.Since I don't have Vista, I can't give specific hints for that but I have read that Vista has a Sound control panel in which you specify the device to provide sound for speakers, headphones and so forth. That would be another place for you to check your settings.There's another aspect of Vista that I can't really speak to authoritatively. That is, Vista completely changed the way sound is handled as compared to all previous versions of Windows. I know Creative had to work long and hard to devise new drivers to get their add in sound cards working as well under Vista as they had under previous versions of Windows. Also, nowhere in the product literature for these speakers is there any mention of Vista, and there may be a reason for that. You might want to send an email to [email protected] and ask them if there are any issues with using these speakers with Vista, either with USB or with a sound card. Good luck.-Doug

RichardJust a couple more ideas: You have set the speakers up in Vista OK - good.Have you gone into FSX and set under settings Sounds to your speakers and then gone to VOICE and set both for the same speakers?Under volume levels in FSX you have adequate volume levels to hear the voice I use 70 -85 for the Voice setting)?In Vista just check that you have full volume on all channels set under Control Panel/Sound/playback/Speakers/Prperties/Levels. Under "Advanced" you could try changing the "sample rate and bit depth". Under "Custom" try "Enable digital IO". Under General check the same speakers that you are setting in FSX are the default. You have configured the speakers ("Configure") in several ways - I guess.Just a few more options.Last would be to buy a cheap USB headset/mic and use that for ATC that way it is more realistic than thru' speakers. The MS LifeChat LX300 is exceptional.RegardsPeter Hayes

I'm happy to tell you I finally managed to have it work with sound from all speakers including ATC. After trying so many settings and switches I'm honestly not sure exactly what finally had the sound work but I belive it might have been one of the last things I tried which was to in FSX set both sound and voice to use my Altec Lansing FX5051 device where it before this said Primary sound device or something like that. Not sure how ever how that would make any difference since my FX5051 in fact is my primary sound device in Vista but won't bother trying to understand the logic there...I'm just happy it finally works :-)Again, thanks ALOT for all your friendly help guys!!