GameCube Pro-Logic

[Moonwalker]

Hi guys, I did do a search for this but couldn't find anything.

Basically my 5.1 surround setup doesn't decode Pro-Logic II, only Pro-Logic. But I am not receiving any sound out of the rear speakers, only the front 3, and the sub (when using GameCube). I was under the impression Pro-Logic should output something out of the rear speakers?

On my decoder I can select various options, firstly I select the AUX option, then I have to select Pro-Logic, but when I do this soundly only comes out of the center speaker!?

Anyone got any ideas? Are all GC games at least Pro-Logic? I was testing Resident Evil 0 and Monkey Ball. My setup is probably a bit crap, but it does do DD 5.1 with my Xbox/DVD player fine.

Thanks in advance.

[mt50]

hi, you will need a amp that outputs Pro-Logic II to get surround sound from the cube.

EDIT: try what is said below as i think i got mixed up somewhere

[RLench]

Are your games set to output stereo or pro logic sound? That's the default setting but it sounds like it's set to mono (hence centre-only when in pro logic mode)

I can't remember, but does the GC itself have a mono/stereo option? Maybe that's set to mono

[Moonwalker]

The GC is set to stereo, there is no 'Surround' option, as for the games the only one that has the surround option is Metroid Prime, the others in my collection have mono or stereo only.

[RLench]

Then it could be a problem with your cables, wiring or amplifier

[Moonwalker]

Managed to find a link to my setup, it's pretty old, but it does 5.1 fine. Anyway, if this helps here it is:

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=1751&productId=83935&Trail=C$cip=12724>C$cip=12802>C$cip=12806&categoryId=12806

[RLench]

First thing I'd do is check your wires and cables are set up properly. Does that system have a 'test tone' that lets you check each speaker is set up correctly?

Have you tried Pro Logic from another source (video, TV etc)? Plug that into the AUX on your amp and set it to pro logic, and see what happens. If that works fine (dialogue through centre, effects etc through right/left and surround effects through rear), it means your amp, the input on your amp, and your wires and speakers are fine and it's either a problem with:

a, your gamecube (settings or hardware problem) or
b, your audio leads going from GC to amp.

Also, remember Pro Logic uses mono rears (same signal goes to both rear signals). So if you can't differentiate between surround left and surround right, that's how it should sound.

[Moonwalker]

First thing I'd do is check your wires and cables are set up properly. Does that system have a 'test tone' that lets you check each speaker is set up correctly?

Have you tried Pro Logic from another source (video, TV etc)? Plug that into the AUX on your amp and set it to pro logic, and see what happens. If that works fine (dialogue through centre, effects etc through right/left and surround effects through rear), it means your amp, the input on your amp, and your wires and speakers are fine and it's either a problem with:

a, your gamecube (settings or hardware problem) or
b, your audio leads going from GC to amp.

Also, remember Pro Logic uses mono rears (same signal goes to both rear signals). So if you can't differentiate between surround left and surround right, that's how it should sound.

Thanks for the tips, I will try them out and see what I find.

[RLench]

Let us know how you get on and if you need any more help

[007]

You'll also need to turn Pro Logic on in the games menu. Though the option is always PL2, it might still work...

[Moonwalker]

Right guys,

I have tested out other equipment that uses the AUX inputs to do Pro-Logic and they all worked fine, so it must be down to the GameCube, probably the lead? I am using the GAME RGB scart lead with 2 phono outputs, it does stereo fine, but maybe it's faulty? I could be scraping the barrel here...

[Moonwalker]

It goes from bad to worse ft:

O.k I am ready to give up on this bloody thing now. Basically I have discovered that my setup CAN output GameCube sound in Pro-Logic. BUT there is a problem.

I am using the GAME RGB scart lead with seperate stereo outputs. I plug these into my decoder. If I turn on the GC without having pluged in the scart into my tele, my speakers will output the sound as Pro-Logic, but as soon as I plug the GC scart into my tele, it reverts back to mono sound comming from my center speaker only, then as I remove the scart, back comes the Pro-Logic. Whats up with this?

I tried an alternate method of feeding the sound through the switch box and into the decoder, but the same thing happens when I plug/unplug the GC scart into the switch box.

Well I'm lost and out of ideas. Bloody boring topic too, sorry

[Galaxyguy]

Hi mate,

Just thought I might throw a few ideas into the melting pot, sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs at all but anyway. Pro Logic sound is derived from a normal stereo signal i.e the GC feeds a stereo signal via the two phono cables and your amp decodes this into Pro Logic. It's an old format and the surround information has never been particuarly pronounced, it's only 30% of the output of the fronts and it's in mono. Bearing this in mind, all GC games are capable of Pro Logic. My Denon amp is only Pro Logic one and when watching TV or playing on the old Cube, most of the sound seems to come from the centre channel. Some amplifiers have a 'Panorama' processing mode, this can often help draw sound away from the centre speaker. Pro Logic 2 is slightly different in so much as the rears are stereo and therefore much better surround steering is possible. It's also highly likely that when the game is written, certain information can be 'sent' to the rears, although I don't know too much about the PL2 encoding process when it comes to gaming. Ok, well, it sounds like youe Game RGB cable is wired strangely if when you plug the SCART in, you only get mostly centre channel, but when you unplug it with the phono cables left in its' ok. Do you have analogue audio outputs on your TV set? If you do then use a set of phono to phono cables to go into the AUX input of your system and used a fully wired RGB cable to go to the TV set, that way the sound is routed through your tv, this might solve the problem. You may have to get a new RGB cable, without the audio breakout leads though, perhaps the official Ninty one? Let me know if this was any use.

[RLench]

It sounds like a faulty scart lead IMO. Is it the one with the audio-out plugs attached to the scart head?

[randombs]

lol. i have the same system as yours so maybe i can help you out a bit...

yeah i think it's your scart lead too. if your telly has phono output on the back, try hooking your scart up like normal but instead of plugging the phonos into the scart, plug them into the telly (telly->amp). the telly can still send the pro logic signal to the amp anyway...

there's a button on the remote (lemme have a look...)

ok press the Listen Mode button and have a look at the blue display on the amp. keep pressing till it says Pro Logic...

you've probably done this already so it's probably your scart...