I'm going to hook up my PC to my HDTV via HDMI cable, also going to get two USB extension cables, one for the wireless keyboard and mouse and one for the xbox controller. My question has to do with headphones. I plan on getting a headphone extension cable so I can game on the HDTV at night when my family is asleep. If my PC is hooked up to the HDTV via HDMI cable and the headphones are plugged into the PC, will there still be sound via the headphones?
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Hooking up PC to HDTV?
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CaptNumbNutz
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Depends on where you plug the headphones in. If you are plugging them into the front jacks, Windows is smart enough to know to mute the main speakers no matter where the speakers are sourced from (be it analog jacks, HDMI, etc.). The same thing happens with USB headsets, however it won't matter which USB port you use.
Things start to get a little more complicated if you use the analog jacks on your motherboard's onboard audio (backside only). However, it is not overly complex and easy to tweak with the windows volume control panel or the onboard audio's control panel.
Things start to get a little more complicated if you use the analog jacks on your motherboard's onboard audio (backside only). However, it is not overly complex and easy to tweak with the windows volume control panel or the onboard audio's control panel.
I see. Right now I have my headphones hooked up to my PC via Fiio E17 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier, which is hooked up to the PC via USB port. I plan on putting the extension cable into the Fiio E17 and the headphones into that extension cable. I guess one way is to just try and find out if it works. A 25ft extension cable is only $12.
CaptNumbNutz
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This setup should end up working just like the USB solution I mentioned above. "Should" being the key word here. I'm not 100% sure how the DAC amp acts under windows.
Situation #1: You have HDMI audio already setup through the video card. Windows sees that as the default. You plug in DAC Amp via USB, I'm guessing it sees it like a USB Headset, then sets that as the default output and thus muting the HDMI. Unplug the DAC Amp, Windows reverts back to the HDMI output. If you want Windows to output to both at same time, you will adjust yourself via windows control panel and you will have to adjust which source you want muted yourself.
Situation #2: You have HDMI audio already setup as before. Plugging in the USB Amp *does not* mute the HDMI audio and Windows defaults to outputting to both devices. If you don't want sound output to both at same time you will adjust which one you want muted either thru windows control panel or by muting the DAC amp or the speakers on your tv.
If anyone knows more about these DAC amps, please chime in and correct me. I'm taking a huge guess by extrapolating my current knowledge on headsets.
Unless the DAC has software like the Realtek control panel that automatically switches for you, Windows won't do it.
You'll need to change your default sound device manually by right clicking the speaker in the system tray. Its a little less cumbersome if you make a batch file with something like nircmd.
You'll need to change your default sound device manually by right clicking the speaker in the system tray. Its a little less cumbersome if you make a batch file with something like nircmd.
westrock2000
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Type "sound" in the search bar of the Start Menu. Open Sound. On the Playback panel you will see everything that presents itself as capable of playing sound.
If you have HDMI video plugged into a TV, you should see a TV looking display. What ever has the green checkmark on it will be what windows directs sound to. To change it, click on another device and set to default. You can also change the name of each device as well as the icon as most soundcards and USB headphones will look very similar on that panel.
If you would like TWO DEVICES to play sound at the same time, for instance sound going both to your TV and your headphones at the same time then you need to enable "Stereo Mix" in the recording panel of Sound. Look on the internet for how to do that. You would then tell Stereo Mix to output to the second device.
If you have HDMI video plugged into a TV, you should see a TV looking display. What ever has the green checkmark on it will be what windows directs sound to. To change it, click on another device and set to default. You can also change the name of each device as well as the icon as most soundcards and USB headphones will look very similar on that panel.
If you would like TWO DEVICES to play sound at the same time, for instance sound going both to your TV and your headphones at the same time then you need to enable "Stereo Mix" in the recording panel of Sound. Look on the internet for how to do that. You would then tell Stereo Mix to output to the second device.
Surprised nobody else has brought this up: Why two cables and not one and a (powered) hub at the end? Will give you more ports for either less or about the same cost.