Choose PC audio outputs ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim Hubbard
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J

Jim Hubbard

I want to be able to play audio files (wavs) out the audio output built into
my motherboard while allowing the rest of the system to utilize the Creative
Soundblaster card I have installed.

I can't find a simple way to do it.......anybody know of anything?
 
I want to be able to play audio files (wavs) out the audio output built into
my motherboard while allowing the rest of the system to utilize the Creative
Soundblaster card I have installed.

I can't find a simple way to do it.......anybody know of anything?
Click to expand...
Don't think you can and even if you did find a way to force both
outputs at once your motherboard would very probably throw its toys
out of its pram sooner or later, the Soundblaster board will
automatically take control of sound from the MB when you install it.
You could switch between the soundblaster and the on board by going
into device manager and enabling / disabling the appropriate sound
device but this would be very tedious.

Why exactly do you wish to do this? I can probably give you a solution
if its clear what you are trying to fix by doing this. What
soundblaster card do you have?

Jonah
 
jonah said:
Don't think you can and even if you did find a way to force both
outputs at once your motherboard would very probably throw its toys
out of its pram sooner or later, the Soundblaster board will
automatically take control of sound from the MB when you install it.
You could switch between the soundblaster and the on board by going
into device manager and enabling / disabling the appropriate sound
device but this would be very tedious.

Why exactly do you wish to do this? I can probably give you a solution
if its clear what you are trying to fix by doing this. What
soundblaster card do you have?
Click to expand...

It's really kind of childish......but........

When I play online games (in which the players can talk to one another) I
use a headset and mic. I do so because using speakers and a mic causes the
game sounds to feed from the speakers back thru to the other players thru
the mic.

While I am killing and maiming, I'd like to be able to assign some wav files
to be played for certain events....like when I die, kill, capture flag, etc.
and be able to play them so that the other players can hear them without the
feedback of the game play in the background.

The only way that I can see it working is by feeding the wav sounds (taunts)
out the mobo output and connect that to the line in jack on the soundblaster
card. Then, I could taunt other players with my little wav collection while
I destroy all hopes of winning the game....all without feedback of the game
sounds that I would be listening to on my headphones that are plugged into
the output of the soundblaster card.

Sounds simple.....but I haven't found a way so far.....
 
Then.....how do PC-based mixers work? They play different sounds on
different channels and let you adjust the volume and such per channel.

Wouldn't what I'm looking for just be another "channel" played into the mic?
 
"Jim Hubbard" wrote ...
I want to be able to play audio files (wavs) out the audio output built
into my motherboard while allowing the rest of the system to utilize
the Creative Soundblaster card I have installed.

I can't find a simple way to do it.......anybody know of anything?
Click to expand...

Do you have both audio systems properly installed and
running? Concurrently?

Does your application (the one that you use to play wav files)
allow you to select which audio system to use?

I'd guess that you aren't going to find a simple (or even a
complex) way of doing this.
 
Hi Jim,
I may have answered too soon. I checked in Control Panel, Sounds and Audio
Devices and it is possible to set the AC97 to use the mic port while my
Audigy 2 is still set as my sound device.
Check in the Audio and Voice Tabs and set the mic there to use the AC97 and
then run the "Test Hardware" under the Voice Tab after changing the
settings. It mentions Playing Online Games in there as well.
 
I want to be able to play audio files (wavs) out the audio output built into
my motherboard while allowing the rest of the system to utilize the Creative
Soundblaster card I have installed.

I can't find a simple way to do it.......anybody know of anything?
Click to expand...

Set the SB as default audio output device. Use an application that
can select audio output to play the wav files.

Tell us about your application. Maybe a multi-port sound card would
be more appropriate.
 
Several methods are possible - using the AC97 mic drive for eg as has
been mentioned and while using both audio cards at once is technically
possible it is very deeply undesirable for many reasons. One problem
is this will cause all sorts of interference - buzzing and whining on
both outputs due to crosstalk problems and leakage, you will be
constanly fiddling about in the sound settings turning inputs up and
down. There are many other reasons why such a setup will cause
problems - unintended feedback loops being one for a start and that
will kill your MOBO stone dead. You can get away with twin digital and
analogue sound no problem but 2 x analogues - asking for trouble.

What you need to do is this.

Forget the on board you can do it all with the Audigy card. Use the
normal sound output for playing wav files as you wish - the green one
- as normal through an amplifier or phones or whatever. Use the
digital SPDIF output for the enhanced stuff. SPDIF chucks out a
digital composite signal for surround sound which you can plug into
digital speakers or even a decent hi-fi system these days for use with
games etc. Both outputs will broadcast the same signal all the time ie
using one will not disable the other.

I use much the same system, I have the analogue through a normal hi-fi
amp and the digital through Boston 7-1 digital surround speakers,
which I leave switched off unless I need them.

From that web link it looks like you need an add on for your card to
get the digital output you require. It may be more sensible
economically speaking to get a new Audigy 4 card or at a minimum an
Audigy ZS - the add on may cost nearly as much as a new card.

Jonah
 
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