Using both hdmi and analog output as the same "device"

Hi,
It's quite simple:
- my monitor supports stereo audio through HDMI cable
- i have 2 stereo external speakers that i generally connect to audio out.

I was wondering, can i trick my computer somehow into thinking i have "almost" dolby surround using monitor's HDMI audio as Front Left and Front Right AND my external speakers as Side Left and Side Right?

I can connect the speakers so the side output connector of the motherboard, but then they'll only work alone as side, and i can't find any way to use HDMI as front.

Windows won't natively split surround sound across multiple devices. However, I was able to get this setup working, which may be possible on your system, depending on your sound drivers.

1. Set your internal sound card as the default playback device in Control Panel->Sound->Playback.
2. Enable 4 channel audio in your sound card config. Plug in your speakers to the side channel jack on your PC.
3. Enable Stereo Mix in Control Panel->Sound->Recording. Set the Stereo Mix->Listen->Playback through this device to your monitor.

This will make your sound card process all 4 channels but nothing is plugged into the front speaker jack. The Stereo Mix device will loop the front channel audio back to your monitor.

Barnack said:

Hi,
It's quite simple:
- my monitor supports stereo audio through HDMI cable
- i have 2 stereo external speakers that i generally connect to audio out.

I was wondering, can i trick my computer somehow into thinking i have "almost" dolby surround using monitor's HDMI audio as Front Left and Front Right AND my external speakers as Side Left and Side Right?

I can connect the speakers so the side output connector of the motherboard, but then they'll only work alone as side, and i can't find any way to use HDMI as front.

Hi there

@Barnack

Why not use HDMI->HDMI+Audio out device -- about 25 EUR (inc tax).

The HDMI will pass through to say monitor or whatever and the Audio can be passed to speakers, phones, etc.

The Audio out can be optical as well depending on the split mechanism -- IMO you probably just want basic stereo analog output to go to speakers / phones etc.



Cheers
jimbo