Running Digital and Analog Audio Output Simultaneuously on Vista x64

[Guest]

I just installed an HP s5150t with Vista x64 as a home theater PC. Sound is onboard Realtek ALC888s. The SPDIF on motherboard is connected to the SPDIF input on my videocard (GEForce GT9600 low profile low power) so that the digital audio signal goes out over the HDMI output. HDMI goes into my home theater pre-amp (Onkyo Pro PR-SC886) and all is good.

The problem I’m running into is that for my Zone 2, 3, and 4 audio I need an analog audio signal coming out of the PC. On my prior PC (Shuttle w/ WinXP) running the digital and analog audio signal simultaneously worked fine.

On Vista x64, I see both the HDMI audio device and the analog device (labeled “Speakers”) in the Sound control panel – and whichever one is set to “Default” get the audio from the PC. Problem is I’m trying to get the audio to go out of BOTH Digital and audio outs.

I know the onboard sound device supports simultaneous output because if audio is going out via digital and I click “Test” on analog, I the music keeps playing on digital and I clearly hear the Windows Test Tone come through the analog out. Same this in reverse – if Analog is set as “Default” I can run a Windows Test Tone over digital while music is going over Analog.

Sooooo…… any ideas how to run them simultaneously? Either through a Vista x64 setting, or even a 3rd party piece of software? iTunes is the primary source of the audio that I running into Zones 2-4.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[leon2006]

I'm using and XFI-Titanium sound card. I get both audio on the SPDIF and Analog at the same time.

On the control panel SOUND OPTION.... I set the default on SPEAKERS(SB XFI).

Creative has CONSOLE LAUNCHER. There is an encouder feature. The options available are OFF, DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS CONNECT. The last 2 enable 5.1 audio on the SPDIF output of the XFI Card.

I'm not using the onboard sound card of my mb. There must be feature setting on the REALTEK AUDIO CONSOLE to enable the SPDIF.

OPTOCAL CABLE OPTION:
If your motherboard has a SPDIF output you can try to connect that to your receiver. One thing to note is NVIDIA cards are not capable of 7.1 audio on its HDMI PASS THRU on its video card. NVIDIA video cards are dependent on the SPDIF stream from the mb audio card or add on sound card. SPDIF is limited to 5.1 and thats what you are getting in your HDMI.... Just for you to consider.

ASUS XONAR sound cards are one of the few sound cards that are compliant to 192KHZ 24 Bit 7.1 TRUE HD audio. That is on its Analog output, HDMI 1.3, and SPDIF. Its about $220.00....

 

[leon2006]

Check the REALTEK AUDIO CONSOLE for options to enable the SPDIF output.

Note: The OS that i use is Vista-64 Ultimate

 

[waveguider]

You can't get both to work in Vista. If you google enough, you'll find that it was by accident this great feature worked in XP and that it might work again on Windows 7.
Like Leon, I can only get the digital and analog to work simultaniously by using an external sound card such as Creative's SOund blast. Set it up as you default and then run line and digital ouputs from there.
I have been working on this for about a year because the line out on the external device is low.

If you figure this out, please email me the solution swebb@kirotv.com