sound question

[James Turland]

On Thu, 2009-02-19 at 20:33 +0000, Chris Mohler wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 8:20 PM, James Turland <jturland at bmts.com> wrote:
> > hi;hope I'm posting this question in the right place.I am new to ubuntu
> > and am quite impressed.My problem is I have a 5.1 speaker system that
> > worked fine on windows.The speakers are plugged into the three jacks at
> > the back.Is there some way or some script I can write to make them all
> > work.I saw something on an alsa site about changing my asoundrc file.
> > .Being a newbie to ubuntu I don't know how .I have barely
> > used the terminal because you ubunters have filled the synapses with
> > everything I have needed so far.I would like  a step by step guide to
> > the editing if that is what you suggest I should do.thanks so much to
> > the ubuntu community James
> 
> Hi James,
> 
> If you're using Gnome, there should be a volume control icon on the
> right side of the top panel.  Double-click it and then click
> "Preferences".  See if you have some unchecked channels that look like
> playback channels - if so, check them, click "Close", then try the
> sliders on the new channels.
> 
> Chris
> thanks chris;I found and tried the playback switches.I still can only  get stereo sound.When I was using HP there was a special program for coverting the mike and input jacks to be outputs.I think I have to trick the sound card into thinking all three jacks are outputs.Thanks james