Have you ever noticed how sometimes the audio from your system is not always the same from program to program when you are watching television? Your cable or satellite provider doesn’t always send 5.1 surround sound down the line to your system. Typically, if the program you are watching is in HD, whether a major sporting event or a movie, then almost all the time it will be broadcast in surround sound. Many times it will even be advertised at the beginning of the program. However if you are watching the news or an old rerun of Murder, She Wrote, then it will most likely be broadcast in plain old two-channel stereo. What does this mean?
In a surround sound situation, not all the speakers are working at the same time. It is directional, so if a sound on the screen appears to come from the left, then the left speakers will produce the audio with the others quiet. That being said, generally, dialogue comes from your center channel speaker.
This is a very common question that we receive on a regular basis. Just because we installed a 5 or 7 speaker surround system in your house, doesn’t mean all the speakers will be playing all of the time. This is totally normal. If you are watching an HD program and you still don’t have all speakers firing, let us know and we’ll help troubleshoot it for you.
