Realtek Audio Front and Back Panel audio

robertkjr3d

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How do you run HD Audio from the rear panel (using the discrete outputs L,R - Sub, Center - Rear channels L,R) and at the same time run the Front Panel head phone jack in stereo? ---

The problem that occurs is: When something runs in true 5.1 sound - The Amplified speakers connected to the front panel are only getting the L and Right front sound and none of the voice dialog... - it is not mixing it for stereo sound.

In my realtek manager I did figure out how to connect the front panel without killing the sound in the rear. There is a setting, that says 'disable front panel jack detection'. When that was unchecked, I would plug in the front panel, and it would take over. What I'm trying to do, is run sound in two different rooms: one in 6 channels (with a 5.1 receiver) and one in 2 channels.(with a standard ancient amplifier)

My computer is a Dell Inspiron 560. I've upgraded to what I believe is the latest Realtek drivers: 6.0.1.5963 - But I haven't noticed anything different yet. I checked for bios settings, but found nothing. There is no setting for the front panel audio. If we are trying to hear audio in the bedroom at the same time as the receiver in the living room, we have to dumb it down to 'Quadraphonic'. - but this defeats the purpose of the HD audio. d'oh

On this link is what I'm looking for http://superuser.com/questions/120602/how-to-get-headphones-and-speakers-working-at-the-same-time - Where a guy mentions the 'HD Audio 2nd Output' - But it appears that my onboard audio may not have this ability. He mentions two separate audio streams. If he is correct, than my only recourse is to purchase another audio card, that can handle this job. But then who know whether I would even be able to use the front panel at all.

Ideas? Cheap USB 2Ch 2nd Audio? Edit: Another idea, is to find a special 3rd party application that would do the work. Codec? A mixer.

edit: See this post http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/55642-6-splitting-audio-headset-speakers Except just like 'blackxdragon' I do not get 'Device Advance Settings' dialog. Is there a link for newer download that I'm missing for the RealTek HD Audio Manager that will have this? Or am I missing this functionality because of a hardware component?

edit: I've come up with a poor-man's hack. I happen to have the equipment hanging around the house to do this: Consider this wiring diagram to downmix 5.1 back to stereo. I'm just going to add in the Center Channel to the Left and Right.

Back Port Center (3.5mm splitter) --> Center RCA --> Y-Adapter --> 2RCA connections --> Ground Loop Isolator (this is to keep the two sides of this connection from touching) --> 1RCA After GLI Mix with the Left Channel (Y-Adapter) and 1RCA After GLI mix with the Right Channel (Y-Adapter) - This is so both the Left and the Right are actually Left+Center and Right+Center - and the GLI should keep out feedback into the connection. --- Not tested yet...
 

robertkjr3d

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Or better: Get another set/or 1 powered speaker hooked in as the center channel. I have a pair to be used already for this function. Hook that in to the 3.5(splitter...) This is a much better solution than the downmix concept above.