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oryan_dunn
n00b
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Messages
- 24
My computer at work has Intel HD Audio, and in the Windows 7 Playback Devices tab, there is a listing for 'Speakers' (rear line out) and 'Headphones' (front line out). My motherboard at home has Realtek HD Audio (ASRock Z77 Extreme6), and only has a listing for 'Speakers'. When I plug in headphones, only the Realtek driver software seems to know that headphones have been connected. To Windows, I'm still using the same old speakers. The Realtek drivers properly handle this on the microphone side, listing both a front mic and a rear mic in the Recording Devices tab.
Does anyone know how (if it's even possible), to get the Realtek drivers to present a Headphone device to Windows for the front audio?
Edit: Wow, helps to finish my Google searching prior to posting. However, I'm going to leave this post up for anyone else who's trying to figure this out.
I wanted this to work so that I could use the Razer Surround software. The problem is that it piggybacks off a Windows sound device, so by default, I've only got speakers. So, whenever I plugin my headphones, I'd have to go into the Razer software to toggle the 7.1 option on/off, as it doesn't work with speakers.
The drivers I've got allow you to create a headphone device that shows active when I plug in my headphones to the front panel, perfect for this particular case. It's not clearly labeled, but in the Realtek HD software, in the upper right corner, there is an option called "Device Advanced Settings". The option in that dialog is called "Make front and rear output devices playback two different audio streams simultaneously." Then, I plugged in my headphones and in the Windows "Playback Devices" tab, set the headphones as the default device. That way when I plug them in, they are the default (sound doesn't go to speakers), when I unplug them, the default goes back to the speakers. Exactly what I wanted. Then I can set the Razer software to work with the headphone device, leaving the speakers alone.
Edit 2:
I may have spoke a bit too soon. While it does work how I want, the Razer software doesn't work like you'd think. I figured if the device it was piggybacking off of was disconnected, it'd show disconnected as well (which I what I want). However, when the device it's piggybacking off of becomes disconnected, it automatically changes the device it's piggybacked on (in my case to the Realtek digital output). I'll be sending an email to Razer to update their software.
Does anyone know how (if it's even possible), to get the Realtek drivers to present a Headphone device to Windows for the front audio?
Edit: Wow, helps to finish my Google searching prior to posting. However, I'm going to leave this post up for anyone else who's trying to figure this out.
I wanted this to work so that I could use the Razer Surround software. The problem is that it piggybacks off a Windows sound device, so by default, I've only got speakers. So, whenever I plugin my headphones, I'd have to go into the Razer software to toggle the 7.1 option on/off, as it doesn't work with speakers.
The drivers I've got allow you to create a headphone device that shows active when I plug in my headphones to the front panel, perfect for this particular case. It's not clearly labeled, but in the Realtek HD software, in the upper right corner, there is an option called "Device Advanced Settings". The option in that dialog is called "Make front and rear output devices playback two different audio streams simultaneously." Then, I plugged in my headphones and in the Windows "Playback Devices" tab, set the headphones as the default device. That way when I plug them in, they are the default (sound doesn't go to speakers), when I unplug them, the default goes back to the speakers. Exactly what I wanted. Then I can set the Razer software to work with the headphone device, leaving the speakers alone.
Edit 2:
I may have spoke a bit too soon. While it does work how I want, the Razer software doesn't work like you'd think. I figured if the device it was piggybacking off of was disconnected, it'd show disconnected as well (which I what I want). However, when the device it's piggybacking off of becomes disconnected, it automatically changes the device it's piggybacked on (in my case to the Realtek digital output). I'll be sending an email to Razer to update their software.
Last edited: