Constantly have to change default playback device

[jim97219]

Can I have two default playback devices, one for HDMI and the other for analog? I have an Onkoyo TX-SR605 receiver and I am using both zone one and zone two. Zone one is HDMI and is in the living room which I use for TV, movies, music, etc. 1. Zone two is in the dining room and it is analog which I use it for music, specifically Rhapsody via my HTPC. The TV is then used as a monitor.

If I am watching TV in the living room and want to listen to Rhapsody in the dining room, I use my Harmony remote to switch everything. But I have to go into Control Panel/Hardware and Sound/Sound/Playback and manually switch the default playback device from the Onkyo TX-SR605 (HDMI) to Speakers (analog) every time. Is there a way to make that default playback device switch automatically?

My HTPC configured as follows:
HTPC => HDMI => Onkyo TX-SR605 => HDMI => Sony KDL-46W3000
HTPC => VGA => Sony KDL-46W3000
HTPC audio => splitter=>red/white analog cable => Onkyo TX-SR605
Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate
Gigabyte GA-H55-USB3

Thanks in advance!

 

[fireberd]

The short answer is No. On many systems if there is an HDMI cable plugged into the PC it automatically defaults to the HDMI as the "default sound playback device" and with the cable inserted you have to manually switch it back to the speakers.

On some others, You have to manually switch to which output you want, the HDMI or the Analog (or digital) "speakers".

But in either case it has to be done at the PC.

I would suggest some other hookup method, with HDMI, at your theatre system, so you can do it somewhere other than at the PC.