Enabling audio through 2 devices

[geoffgarcia]

From time to time I'd like to use my television as my monitor (to watch youTube vids, and random other things).
I'd like to be able to play audio through both my computer speakers and through my television.

My video card has a DVI to HDMI dongle which ran to my television and have been able to get the audio and video to work. The downfall is that I need to open the Control Panel/Sounds and switch the default audio device to my HDMI connection each time I want the audio to go through to the TV. Ideally it would automatically do this.

Any suggestions on how I might do this?

My motherboard also has onboard video with an HDMI output, but I haven't been able to figure out yet how to get that to work (to tv) alongside my video card (to monitor).

System:
Windows 7 64 bit
Motherboard: Asus M4A78T-E
Video Card: Asus EAH4770

 

[The_Prophecy]

I don't believe 7 supports automatic switching of audio outputs, even when HDMI is involved. AFAIK, you're stuck doing this manually.

Regarding your video question, the BIOS will automatically disables the onboard video chipset when you plug in a discrete graphics card. Since your HD 4770 has an HDMI, DVI and VGA port off the back, I'm curious as to why that's not working? Is Windows not allowing you to configure simultaneous outputs from both the HDMI port to your TV, and the DVI port to your monitor?

 

[geoffgarcia]

I don't believe 7 supports automatic switching of audio outputs, even when HDMI is involved. AFAIK, you're stuck doing this manually.

Thanks. Is there another solution outside of the OS that could be used? Either additional software or hardware (like a HT Receiver?)

Regarding your video question, the BIOS will automatically disables the onboard video chipset when you plug in a discrete graphics card. Since your HD 4770 has an HDMI, DVI and VGA port off the back, I'm curious as to why that's not working? Is Windows not allowing you to configure simultaneous outputs from both the HDMI port to your TV, and the DVI port to your monitor?

I think the problem is that I have the computer running all the time and the TV is rarely on. When the TV is off I don't believe that the OS can detect it and it drops the connection. When I turn the TV on the computer then gets the source information and makes a connection.
At that point Windows immediately detects my television in the "Screen Resolution" settings. But even still there is a delay in the signal actually reaching the television (5-10 minutes).
I'm using a 50ft HDMI cable and have noticed that when I twiddle with the cable towards the rear of the computer that it picks up the signal - so it is likely just a connection issue, although I don't have a shorter cable to test that with.

The adapter dongle that goes along with the video card, and the girth of the HDMI cable I'm using probably are going to spell trouble for the video output jack that I'm using.

Given the audio and video issue - I'm contemplating now just going DVI to VGA (rather than DVI to HDMI) and running a mini-splitter out of the computer's audio output with the extra line going to the TV so I don't need to manually swap it.
Any thoughts on that? I'm not using my computer to play any high def stuff (DVDs or BlueRays), just random YouTube junk and to show friends pictures from time to time.

The tv has plenty of inputs so I have a lot of options there. The video card has 2 DVI outputs and came with DVI-> HDMI (female) and DVI->VGA adapters (female).