Home Cinema Speakers

[rogerab]

I have recently purchased a Samsung home cinema system. It comes with five speakers (2 front, 2 rear, 1 centre).

Am not sure what to do to get all 5 speakers to work. When playing FM or a CD only the front ones work and nothing comes out of the other 3. Not sure whether it's a fault with the system or whether that is what's supposed to happen.
Am wondering whether I need to hook it up to a TV or DVD for all 5 to work.

Hope someone can help me out please. Thanks in advance.

[Frank97]

Try adjusting the output settings, there should be different modes for different inputs. My sony one also plays a cd only through the front L and R speakers unless you select a different setting as cds are usually stereo and not dolby surround so it play the sound as it was intended.
Hope that makes sense, I'm not sure it does.

[gingejbee]

CDs and FM radio provide only two channels of sound - so you only get sound from L and R front speakers. Some equipment has circuitry to give an artificial surround-sound - dubious at best! To get authentic surround-sound, you need equipment that provides all the right information to all the speakers - it will usually say something like "Dolby Surround" on the front panel.

[gingejbee]

....or have "dts" or "dts-HD" somewhere.

[rogerab]

Thanks all for your help

[magicmerlin]

1. It has been designed and sold as a 'cinema' system therefore it is meant to be hooked up to the tv. Does the system have a dvd player included?

2. Modern films on dvd usually have 5.1 sound so that any sound that is meant to come from behind the viewer is output through the rear speakers. Obviously, to get the full benefit you would have the system connected to the tv according to manufacturer's instructions.

3. Telling us what to model no. of system would help tremendously.