Realtek doesn't identify speakers & headphones

[turtleneck]

This seems like such a simple thing and I don't understand why it's not working.

- I have speakers plugged into the rear green jack
- I have headphones plugged into the front audio jack
- In Control Panel > Sound, speakers appear (and "Realtek Digital Output" - I'm not sure what that is) but not headphones
- In Realtek HD Audio Manager, BOTH audio jacks seem to be assigned to speakers

I want to switch between my speakers & my headphones.

I saw in other threads that some have had success by clicking on the settings in the top right of the Realtek HD Audio Manager panel. However, I don't have that option (see attached).

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[fireberd]

Your RealTek HD Manager looks similar to mine. I also show the Stereo Mix (recording device).

Normally, only the "Speaker" is shown in the Sound/Playback panel. Also normally, when you plug in your headset to the front panel headset jack it will mute the speakers. SOME RealTek panels will allow the option to either set it for the "normal" speaker mute when a headset is plugged in or allow the speaker to also be on when the headset is plugged in.

I don't see that option in your RealTek panel. In mine it is there. There is a link in the upper right of the Panel that states: "Device Advanced Settings" and this is where you set the option for the speakers to be on or off. In some cases the PC vendor has disabled this function in the chip.

In most cases the Dell provided sound driver is preferred as non-Dell many times will either not work or not work correctly. You can try the generic driver from RealTek to see if it will work - no guarantees. Create a System Restore point BEFORE installing the RealTek driver and also have the Dell sound driver on the hard drive in case its needed if the generic RealTek doesn't work.

Realtek

 

[Faladu]

This is why I have a headphone jack on any speaker rig I buy, skip this one port only at a time hassle, since I don't care about the mic jack I dont even bother worrying about case front jack connectivity either, other than USB.
..and yes it shuts the speakers off when I plug them in.