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#1
HD Audio stereo and S/PDIF simultaneous output?
Hi,
1st a little set-up explanation:-
My mobo is an ASUS P5n-E SLI with Realtek ALC883 on board. It has a co-axial S/PDIF output for my digital connection to my DD/DTS 5.1 surround system.
I used to be running XP SP3 and the PC is in an adjacent room to my Lounge so I have a PC monitor but also connections into my LCD HDTV and surround system. (DVI video and S/PDIF digital audio).
For watching DVD and Bluray I would switch displays and use media portal and TMT3. I would get DD and DTS sound through my amp, and, if i switched back to my PC monitor for general PC use (not watching movies) the standard two channel stereo speakers on it would work with windows & internet explorer etc.
Now i have switched to Windows 7 (using 7MC and TMT3 for movies) and windows updates included a new driver for the realtek audio, i notice the interface for the realtek audio manager has changed visually for the better but for my particular set-up, it now appears I have to choose a "default playback device" between either standard analogue output to my pc monitor, or choose my digital S/PDIF output. That means I have to jump through more hoops when switching displays to watch a movie with digital sound or standard pc monitor use in stereo. (note I have to use either monitor stereo speakers or my digital 5.1 surround amp because they are in adjacent rooms and the amp might be being used by somone watching TV whilst i am on the PC).
Further more, if it helps, i followed the sticky on the AVS HTPC forum for setting up 7MC with the shark007 codec pack, media browser, TMT3 for Bluray and the internal 7MC player for everything else.
Have i got something set-up not quite right or am i dreaming??
My only other thought is to leave it set as digital S/PDIF as default and switch to analogue if i need it for you tube or something but hope that for the other users logging in to use the PC, (like the kids and the wife), their profile can remain as analogue in the realtek settings??
So in summary, in my old set up with XP (Same PC) I had a sort of simultaneuos sound output with windows sounds and internet flash video through my monitor's stereo speakers but if i wanted to watch a movie on the HDTV, i turned my surround amp input over and got digital audio via the S/PDIF.