Playing two separate audio sources to two separate devices?

[RBrim08]

First off, I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask this, but it seemed like the most logical choice to me.

Now, this is a little confusing, at least to me, so I'll try to explain it as best I can.

I have my TV hooked up to my computer via an HDMI cable and a monitor hooked up to it via a DVI cable.
I want to use my TV to watch YouTube videos and Netflix, but I also want to play video games on my monitor without the audio mixing.
Is there a way to make it so that YouTube and Netflix can play on my TV speakers while making any other audio play on my computer speakers?

I don't have an actual sound card, just the integrated sound on my motherboard, an ASUS M4A87TD EVO.
And my computer speakers are hooked up to my PC in the standard manner, I suppose? I can think of how to explain that.

 

[T_T]

This was possible with XP, but last I checked, Microsoft left out this option in Win7. Still, there were limitations, as there weren't many applications that allowed you to choose the playback device.

In XP, you needed to do Extended Desktop view and have a sound card (mainly because HDMI wasn't available yet, and not all GPUs were capable of transferring sound). With your desktop extended, move Netflix to your TV and if possible, have audio played back on TV. If you can't specifically choose the playback device, then all you'd have is video. Finally, you'd do the same for the game on the monitor.

 

[jayarebee84]

I have exactly the same question as you RBrim. I have Windows 7 64 bit. I have a GeForce 550ti in which I have 1 DVI out to my monitor's DVI. I also have 1 DVI out to my TV's HDMI (DVI to HDMI cable). I admit I am slow on the HD technology.

I thought it was amazing finally having actual sound coming out of my TV's speakers while watching videos/movies. Before the new video card, I only had DVI to VGA and relied on my PC speakers. Not the case anymore, but unfortunately while watching movies on my HDTV, ALL of my PC's sounds go through the TV.

I want to have the option to split which applications output their sound on one of the two devices that I specify. My VLC player plays on my TV speakers as I do in fact want. BUT, I would like my Diablo III (or whatever games), any iTunes, youtube, etc... to output through my PC's speakers... not ALL through the TV.

I am experimenting quite a bit searching all over, I understand your frustration posting the question and I feel your pain. Hopefully we can figure it out!

 

[jayarebee84]

If this helps I took two snip-its of the Windows "Sounds" and "Mixers" to identify what and where I would like specific things to be, it just does not seem to be as easy as we would like when moving an application like iTunes from say my Olevia232/HDTV to my PC Speakers. Currently the HDTV is selected as the Default Playback device as I had a movie playing and wanted the sound through the TV's speakers. For a moment I had what I wanted, my movies on the TV with the sound through the TV, and I was playing Diablo and had the game's sound through my PC's speakers. It either reset or I changed something and now everything is through the TV again... oh well hope this helps.

 

[Daniel White]

Okay i know this is an old thread but last night i figured out a trick and thought i would share. So most people want to play movies on their second monitor (Tv) and also be able to play games and stuff using the pc sound.

All you need to do is download vlc player and in that once your movie is on go to the audio tab at the top and go Audio/Audio Device/(select your tv)
and hey presto you should have sound coming out of the pc(default playback device and the movie playing from tv

 

[chaoscontrol]

I know this is an old topic but I found a work-around. its not the perfect solution although it can be done with 3rd party software called Virtual sound cable as i've read on other topics. Either way if you dont wanna go through the hassle of all that and you are playing games that leave your desktop (for example Darksiders II, World of Warcraft, Smite etc. and other games that dont use the desktop after they have been started). You can force your game audio through a HEADSET (I have not tested with the PC sound speakers but that should also be possible I guess).

anyway steps you should take, Connect your TV through HDMI with your laptop and connect the headset. start up youtube, netflix or whatever website you want to play from (for me I am watching LoL and Smite tournaments on twitch.tv) while having your standard audio device set to your HDMI audio from the Television.

Now switch your standard audio to your headset. Since the browser is a desktop application it will auto move its sound to your headset, this is normal dont care about it much. Start up your game, in my case I start up Smite or dragon age II / darksiders II etc.Now you should get all sound feed coming through your headset. once the game's started up tab out and switch your standard device back to your HDMI audio, this will force the sound from your desktop applications (Chrome, firefox, VLC media player etc) to put their sound output through the HDMI audio. When you tab back into your game however. the game sound is coming through your headsets. Ofcourse once you close down your game and you want to fire it up again later you will have to do the same trick each time you start up the game. This is annoying specially in LoL as LoL launcher runs on the desktop and you'd have to switch audio every time you begin a game.

another tip: If you are using VLC media or windows media player to play a movie you can set the sound output in the program themselves meaning you dont have to use the trick provided above.

hope this helps future people looking for this ;-)