Audio query

jonathanbruce · 3 Mar 2013 at 13:46

Hello everyone.

I'm now confused about my audio settings..
I am using the audio from the tv/monitor from the displayport and hdmi.. but if i plug in headphones or connect to hifi i get headphones but no sound from my monitor (Lg m2350d x2)

is it not possible to have both enabled?
what if i use spdif out? will that disable the sound to the tv?

I'm finding this very confusing..!
hoping someone can help..

many thanks

Marsman · 3 Mar 2013 at 17:37

When you say plug in headphones, I am guessing that you mean you are plugging them into the onboard audio on your PC?

If that is the case; then what is happening is that the onboard audio is being set as the default audio device. Windows will do this automatically when a jack is inserted, and will revert to the previous default audio device once removed. Windows itself can only use one audio device at any one time. So it's either set to HDMI audio out (which is how I am guessing you are getting sound to the TV/monitor) or onboard audio.

Using SPDIF will be the same, as it is treated as a separate device by Windows.

The best way to get HDMI audio out and onboard audio to work simultaneously, would be to use Virtual Audio Cable. It's free software that allows the user to set up audio streams between applications and also allows one audio stream to be sent to different outputs, other than the default set by Windows.

james.miller · 4 Mar 2013 at 16:24

windows can use as many audio devices as it likes simultaneously, but there's no 'output to all devices' option available for software to use, so software can only output to one at a time but there's no reason why multiple programs cant use multiple outputs.

is it not possible to have both enabled?
what if i use spdif out? will that disable the sound to the tv?

I cant think of many reasons to do so, why do you want to do that? If i am listening to my headphones, i wouldnt want my music blasting out of my desk speakers at the same time, for example. If you really need to do this, then VAC is the answer as Marsman said, but expect there to be some audible lag between the analogue and hdmi outputs.

Marsman · 4 Mar 2013 at 17:41

james.miller said:
windows can use as many audio devices as it likes simultaneously, but there's no 'output to all devices' option available for software to use, so software can only output to one at a time but there's no reason why multiple programs cant use multiple outputs.

Very true. I didn't word that as good as I could have done.

jonathanbruce · 8 Mar 2013 at 17:14

thanks for that. it has become clearer for me..
the sound on the tv/monitor isn't very good anyway, so might as well port it through my Hifi instead using line-out..from the back ! i don't have a hifi with spdif-in ..yet!!..
The Denon M39-DAB will be my next investment.. it has spdif-in on it!!

so it's better not to use hdmi sound then?

Marsman · 8 Mar 2013 at 18:37

HDMI sound is fine, it's digital as is SPDIF; but if you want to have output to a stereo/hi-fi or TV and headphones simultaneously with the same audio stream, then using SPDIF connection will be no different to using HDMI. As far as Windows in concerned, onboard audio (analogue) is one device, SPDIF and HDMI (digital) are separate devices. It can only use one device at any one time per audio stream.

You can have multiple devices playing different audio streams, as James mentioned; but it has to be two different audio streams at least. Just as an example; music playing through headphones connected to the onboard audio and game audio playing through SPDIF or HDMI connection.