Hello,

please make sure your sound card supports 5.1DD surround sound or 5.1 DTS on SPDIF.

Thank you.

I can confirm that 5.1 is not working properly (since alpha A3) - only 2.1 aka front ones are working fine

see here > http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=584

Yes, my sound card supports 5.1 DD surround sound, look at attached photos/screens:

1. Realtek HD Audio.png - You can see Dolby Digital Live option enabled,

2. Windows sound settings.png - same as above,

3. SPDiF connection to laptop.jpg - You can see optical cable is connected to laptop.

Here is specification of laptop:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/ideapad/y-series/y580/#techspecs
You can find in "I/O Ports" section that this laptop has SPDiF port.

4. Denon amplifier.jpg - You can see, that amplifier has DTS and DD decoder. Photo has been taken when ARMA 3 was running, You can see that amplifier recognize 5.1 DD sound becouse DD signal light is red, display shows too that Dolby Digital sound is send to amplifier.

As I mentioned before, Witcher 2, Skyrim and Battlafield 3 works on this settings perfectly.

I bought ARMA 3 when it was in alpha stage and I don't reinstall it from this time. Would this might help?

I'am BIG fan of Your games from Operation Flashpoint and it would be awesome if I can figure out from what direction sounds come from.

EDIT:
@RobertHammer - this issue You send link to is about false directions of sound, but this sound CAN BE HEARD in all speakers. My problem is that rear speakers don't work at all.

UPDATE:
I uninstalled ARMA and deleted all related files, then downloaded game again and unfortunately no change.

I read somewhere that ARMA 3 is using windows sound settings in it's sound engine. Look at this screens:

1. Windows sound configuration.png - You can see, that there is possibility to configure laptop build-in speakers.
2. Windows sound configuration 2.png - If changed to Realtek digital output (which is used to send 5.1 sound to amplifier using optical cable) there is no possibility to change audio channels, this option is grayed out.

I'm wondering that this is a cause of problem. Perhaps ARMA 3 is looking for sound configuration in windows settings, but find out only information about realtek digital output which is only passing-through sound and can't find information that there is 5.1 channels, so game sets stereo channels by default.

There is any solution for this problem?

And you've guessed it ;)

Perhaps ARMA 3 is looking for sound configuration in windows settings

E.g. with Xonar the DDLive singal going into the SPDIF is encoded "only after" - from the signal present in channels in Windows ("Speakers" remaining the default audio output). Realtek takes that as a part of SPDIF/dig.out functionality, but in fact for Windows the SPDIF remains a 2ch audio.

We're looking into the issue. Thank you for the detailed info!

Also ref.

http://xboxforums.create.msdn.com/forums/p/22533/675219.aspx

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-gaming/has-xaudio2-been-fixed-for-dolby-digital-yet/304c4dc9-ea55-48f4-b08b-9946700763fe

I don't guessed it, I deduced it - my work need such skills (IT) ;)

Finally I found time to check Your solution and it really WORKS!

I tried this on Windows 8.1.

Everything what is need to do:

1. Copy xaudio2_*.dll files (in my case 9 + 9 = 18 files) from Windows/system32 and Windows/SYSWOW64 folders and paste it e.g. on desktop.
2. Hex edit those copied files with e.g. freeware tool "HxD Hex Editor". 2.1. Open each file, 2.2. click "replace" (CTRL+R), 2.3. in FIND box insert "4D069FF12C08274EBC736882A1BB8E4C00000000" (without quotes) 2.4. in REPLACE box insert "260E87E4C53CD24CBA46CA0A9A70ED0400000000" 2.5. click REPLACE ALL 2.6. save each modified file with "save as.." option to new folder called e.g. "Modified" (so source file could be a backup).
3. Now if you try copy modified files directly to windows (source) folders you will get error becouse you don't have privileges to do that. First you have to "take ownership" of those system files in windows folder.

Use this tutorial:
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/7168/how-to-overwrite-system-files-in-windows-7/
Be very carefull - you're gonna work on system files. I don't take any responsibility for your actions.

4. When you run (in my case) 18 scripts in CMD and took ownership of files, now you can copy modified files to the windows/system32 and windows/SYSWOW64 folders and replace original files.

That's all - I restarted PC and ARMA 3 works like a charm with 5.1 surround sound!

Really thanks for this solution, now I can enjoy this WONDERFUL game in 100 %!

I think You can close this issue, is solved, thanks!

I'm seeing this issue also with an ASUS Xonar STX PCI-E card using the latest Uni-Xonar drivers, for which are just repackaged drivers with a few tweaks. I've also seen this same issue using the ASUS manufactured default drivers, for which are quite old.

This issue of ARMA 3 only outputting two channel PCM is sporadic, occurring every now and then, and usually more often only outputting two channel PCM instead of the two channel encoded Dolby signal.

Sometimes when playing with the S/PDIF and Number of Channel settings within the C-Media control panel, I can get the sound flipped into Dolby for some odd reason.

A possibility as to why sometimes two channel Dolby encoding would appear to occur, the Uni-Xonar drivers have an option for re-enabling Stereo Up-Mixing (ie. 2 ch to 4,6,7 channel) audio. Which is basically just mirroring the channels to the other extra channels.

The feature this post talks about, taking the 4-5 audio channel output of ARMA 3 and sending the four plus streams to the system audio driver for mixing into a transportable Dolby stream over S/PDIF, for which does support multiple audio channels.

I have not tested the above possible solution, nor do I want to muddle within Windows' affairs. ;-)

UPDATED: That's interesting. Just as I performed the following tasks, and logged-out of the multiplayer game, I noticed the signal now is Dolby Digital! Either Seamonkey was holding the audio mode open within the shared audio mode, or reinstalling the drivers enabled something. Or even an NVidia HDMI audio driver conflict. Shrugs. Could also be I need to re-install the Xonar drivers after each Windows Update or NVidia driver update.

1. Reinstalled the Uni-Xonar drivers
2. Disabled NVidia HDMI audio and the additional TV attached via HDMI within the Device Manager (I usually do this after each NVidia driver update, forgetting to do so on the latest NVidia driver update)
3. Quit Seamonkey/Mozilla browser

UPDATED AGAIN: Yup, reinstalling the Uni-Xonar drivers, or just the audio drivers here does the trick of re-enabling Dolby Digital Live audio streaming over S/PDIF. Matter of fact, the re-enabling of the DDL stream occurs once the driver uninstaller completes it's task of cleaning the drivers, prior to installing the drivers. So every time I want to play ARMA 3, I have to re-install the audio drivers.

my 5.1 works fine in ARMA3, but its analog, oldschool style (3x 3.5mm audiojack) :D

I remember tho that there was a little neat 3rd party proggie for the xonar hardware (similar to nvidia inspector for nV cards) but I cant recall the name. If I remember or find it I edit here or repost.

Yup. The reason why your 4/5 channel surround works, you're using the analog method and mixing/scaling and conversion from digital to analog has already been completed.

This bug is about the software driver enabling converting 4/5 channels to Dolby Digital Live or into two digital channels for transport over S/PDIF.

The only program I can think of, is the after market Uni-Xonar drivers, but they're basically just repackaged snapshot of the old official Xonar drivers with some tweaks. When it gets to drivers within Windows, compiling after market or custom drivers tends to be a large hurdle, as most users cannot perform driver signing. If this were Linux, I can guarantee you by a large margin, this issue would have already been solved!

Even the official Xonar drivers have this problem.

Clicking between PCM and Dolby Digital Live within the Xonar control panel while watching stereo receiver's panel signal information, I'm pretty sure I can see the panel flashing over to Dolby Digital Live but quickly reverts to PCM. It's as if the 4/5 channel audio is corrupted, and the Xonar frontend/driver doesn't know how to convert the audio stream (or 4/5 channels) to Dolby Digital Live so it quickly reverts to a PCM stream over S/PDIF. When going into the Windows' 7 sound playback properties and using the test playback for Dolby Digital or DTS for testing, I have no problems and the receiver gladly plays back the test media with either DDL or DTS.

So by process of elimination, something funky is happening with ARMA 3's multi channel sound output format or initialization, or something is occurring right at the frontend of the Realtek/Xonar 4/5 channel PCM to Dolby Digital Live conversion process. On the Xonar, reinstalling the driver (or simply cleaning the old driver) seems to quickly unclog the conversion to Dolby Digital Live, and my stereo receiver quickly shows "Dolby Digital" even before reinstalling the Xonar drivers. Could be ARMA 3 is doing something it's not suppose to with the audio stream? (I'll keep an eye on this issue for the next week as long as I have time.)

I'm using the Xonar with DDLive @ home myself and have no issues with it. Arma gets the speaker count from the Windows. (Which can cause issues if the surround device reports as 2-channel one under the Windows)

in XAC set:

• Audio Channels set to 6 or 8
• Checked SPDIF w/ Dolby Digital Live

And you should be fine.

(like http://cdn.overclock.net/d/d7/350x700px-LL-d77d9a74_asusaudiocenter.png )

oukej: What is your stereo receiver reporting for the stream type. (ie. Yamaha RX-V375: Option > Signal Info > Format, ...)

I, as well as the previous reporter, already perform all the above. The problem seems to occur at the point during ARMA 3 is formating/initializing the multi-channel stream, or at the frontend when the driver/frontend gets the stream, it's either not formated correctly or a driver/frontend setting is stuck.

But as I see it, this seems to be more of a ARMA 3 problem, as the Windows' test Dolby/DTS test streams within playback work fine! I'm guessing ARMA 3 is sending a bad initializing sequence or a badly formated stream, or other similar issue. If I were a betting man, I would bet the stream isn't being formated properly, as the device initialization is likely performed by Windows' or the device driver's frontend. And past experience dictates, if the output format isn't correct or recognized, the frontend or receiver will likely not play or not play in the correct format.

Example: If ARMA 3 is randomly sending only 3 channels instead of 4 or 5 channels, with one channel being bugged, then likely the conversion will quickly revert back to PCM. Another possibility, what if one or more of the channels has a different sample rate than the other channels. Likely Windows' or the device driver's front end will also revert back to two channel PCM. Another scenario, what if ARMA 3 has more than one audio thread or process working at times, than Windows' will likely work in shared mode which is 16 bits @ 44100Hz, or whatever the user has set for shared mode. Lots of possibilities, as I know Linux ALSA somewhat well. I personally avoid a lot of problems within Linux by disabling shared mode (ie. PuleAudio, ALSA's shared mode, ...), and using only one application outputting sound at a time! ;-)

I've figured-out the source of the problem for the ASUS Xonar cards; and further more, likely other sound cards as well as this appears to be an upstream Windows' OS and/or Manufacturer driver problem.

BUG REPRODUCTION:

1. Open Sound Playback Devices properties menu
2. Select the S/PDIF output as the default device, instead of the common (analog) Speakers output.
3. Using the sound card manufacturer's front end, view the Dolby Digital Live switch and your stereo receiver's display for the stream type input. (ie. Yamaha RX-V375: Option > Signal Info > Format, ... should show Dolby Digital/Dolby Digital Live.)
4. Once you've selected the S/PDIF output as the default playback device within step two above, use your sound card's frontend to switch from Dolby Digital Live output to PCM and then back to Dolby Digital Live, and you'll then notice your stereo receiver's display revert to only recognizing PCM output no matter how much you tick the Dolby Digital Live tick box.

BUG WORK AROUND:
So basically to avoid this upstream bug, keep the stereo speakers output set as the Default playback device without the sound playback device settings?

Realtek users, please follow-up if you see the similar effects with the Realtek drivers and/or software front end applications.

Looks to me, like the operating system is getting stuck in share audio mode, reverting to simple two channel PCM when the default output is set to S/PDIF?

Sorry for speculating on ARMA 3's wonderful C++ programming. Crow sure tastes better after it's gone through an aircraft engine. But still, the Windows' Dolby/DTS playback tests still function around this bug.

Still waiting for a fix

Especially since BattleEye now blocks those self-fixed xaudio*.dlls in DayZ!

Is the issue still present on current Stable / Release Candidate / Dev Branch?

No idea.

I'm only on DSL now for the past year, and can nolonger bear the unreasonable download times, as well has having to re-download everything again upon revert to the stable version. Would be nice to see something like rsync utilized, as well as separate install folders for Stable, Release Candidate, Developer versions. Security assuring DRM is nice, but this is paranoia.

Well it took me a while to figure this out, but after I re-installed windows 8.1 on my pc, I lost all sound in Arma 3. All my sound drivers and windows drivers were up to date. After a few days I decided to go through the list of audio software I had on the previous install. A little app that comes bundled with Dirt 2 and Dirt 3 did the trick Its called Rapture3d by Blue Ripple Sound. I installed this and beautiful sound from every direction came back to Arma 3 I use the Logitech G430 USB headset by the way, in glorious 7.1 surround. It works with my Asus D2X sound card as well. Try it... Rapture3d. I hope it works. http://www.blueripplesound.com/get-update or http://www.blueripplesound.com/downloads/uv6aciq2/rapture3dgame_2.6.6_win.exe

Seems to be a general bug since it's happening in DayZ, too:
https://feedback.dayz.com/view.php?id=9590

See ulukay's 2015-04-06 17:43 comment above? If relevant, sounds like a BattlEye bug.

This should be closed.
It's a Windows bug, not Arma's.