Audio Settings

[JGD]

I have an HP Probook 4530S, running Windows 7. It is connected to a Yahama Receiver (RX V765). The HDMI out from the Probook is connected to the receiver which sends the video to a TV and the audio to surround speakers. That works fine. The receiver has an audio Zone 2 that I output to an external amplifier to drive outdoor speakers. Zone 2 requires analog sound.The only audio output from the laptop, other than HDMI, is the headphone jack. I have that connected to an analog input jack on the receiver.It just does not work. All other devices connected to the receiver's zone 2 analog inputs are pushed out to the speakers and work fine.

The laptop connection is the only one that does not work.I was going to use an HDMI to RCA converter (HDMI in - HDMI/RCA out) and attach that to the HDMI port. But, those devices all convert the HDMI out audio to two channel and they require that the source (laptop) is only a 2 channel output.

How do I tell if the laptop audio output is 2 channel?

I could solve the problem without using the converter if I could get the headphone jack to send a signal to the receiver at the same time the HDMI is also sending a signal to the receiver. The problem is probably caused by the Windows 7 audio settings, but I have tried just about every option, and none of them are working. Probably because I really am a novice at these things.

Any thoughts or suggestions would really be appreciated.

 

[fireberd]

Windows only allows one default audio playback device. If the HDMI is active then HDMI is set as the default audio playback device and nothing will come from the PC's sound. You can manually select the "Speakers" (PC Sound) as the default audio playback device and get sound from the headphone jack.

If you only want to use the headphone audio, disable the HDMI audio in the Device Manager. Then when HDMI is active (for video) the Speakers will still be the default audio playback device.

To access the Sound Panel, go to Control Panel/Hardware and Sound and finally the Sound Playback panel.

 

[JGD]

Thanks!

 

[mrjimphelps]

I would be careful about connecting the computer's headphone-out jack to the analog input jack on the receiver. The headphone jack is amplified and will cause distortion in the sound. Also, your receiver could get damaged if the signal is too strong. If you have a line-out (unamplified) jack on the computer, use that rather than the headphone-out jack.

To work around this problem, you could get an attenuating patch cable. (Attenuation reduces the signal). Here is one which would solve the problem:
https://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-ATEN-6

Here is an explanation of why attenuation is needed:
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/

 

[JGD]

Thank you.