Two for one

[reaply]

Hello,
Well me and my friend want to watch a movie but I don't have speakers. And I can plug in my headset and my headphones (both get detected) but how can I make them both produce sound from the movie? Because it only plays with only one headset.

 

[seekermeister]

That would be a difficult question to answer, without knowing what headset and sound card that you have?

 

[reaply]

I have a G330 headset, and realtek soundcard. And some cheap headphones.

 

[seekermeister]

Have you tried plugging the headsets directly into the sound card with splitters?

 

[reaply]

Have you tried plugging the headsets directly into the sound card with splitters?

Is it possible without splitters?

 

[seekermeister]

I do not know your sound card, therefore I can't say that it is, nor can I say that it is not. However, I seriously doubt it. I use a Sennheiser cordless head, which is capable of supporting up to 4 headsets at a time, but that is done by the headset transmitter, not the sound card. Frequently, plugging a headset into the front I/O will mute the speakers, so even if you connected one headset at the sound card, and one at the front I/O, you would have what you have already described, one working, the other not. If your sound card has an audio control center, you might explore it for a means to not have it mute the speakers, when a headset is installed, but whether that is there or not is anyone's guess.

 

[reaply]

How can I tell what model my soundcard is

 

[reaply]

I do not know your sound card, therefore I can't say that it is, nor can I say that it is not. However, I seriously doubt it. I use a Sennheiser cordless head, which is capable of supporting up to 4 headsets at a time, but that is done by the headset transmitter, not the sound card. Frequently, plugging a headset into the front I/O will mute the speakers, so even if you connected one headset at the sound card, and one at the front I/O, you would have what you have already described, one working, the other not. If your sound card has an audio control center, you might explore it for a means to not have it mute the speakers, when a headset is installed, but whether that is there or not is anyone's guess.

I said my card is a realtek high definition audio.

 

[seekermeister]

As I said, I do not know your sound card. As far as I know, all Realtek sound is onboard, not what I consider a sound card, but that is immaterial. Unless someone specifically uses the same setup as you do, and they can offer greater insight, I think that you are on your own experimenting in the audio control center.

I would highly recommend that you fill out your system specs (lower left corner of you posts). It might help with this question, and even if not, it might help with future questions.

 

[reaply]

Isn't there a third party program that will allow audio through both?

 

[seavixen32]

Unless you have a built-in splitter on a dedicated sound card your best bet is to buy a headphone pre-amp/splitter that has two or more headphone sockets.

http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/morgan-acoustics-4way-stereo-headphone-splitter-box--18403

http://www.studiospares.com/headphones+speakers/headphone-amps+splitters/icat/heaampssplitters/

 

[seekermeister]

Isn't there a third party program that will allow audio through both?

If there is, I'm not aware of it. The function that you are looking for is something that would be controlled by the sound card itself, and I don't know of any apps that are designed for that purpose, except those provided by the manufacturer.

 

[reaply]

Well I have read posts about people with dells being able to do it (with a cheap soundcard). I thought realtek would be able to do it but I can't find anything specific in the control panel. :/

 

[seekermeister]

If you wanted to buy a cheap sound card in addition to your Realtek audio, you "might" be able to connect a headset to each of them. But that would depend on your motherboard, because it will often disable onboard sound, when it detects a sound card. Even if that would work, it would be a lot easier and cheaper to get the splitter that you seem resistant to.

 

[reaply]

Well thanks anyways.

 

[seavixen32]

You're welcome.

Buy a splitter, they're not very expensive. You know it makes sense.

 

[stormy13]

I have read posts about people with dells being able to do it

That would be from using the front panel jack as well as the one on the back of the computer. What you're asking isn't going to happen when using a sound card (actual card or onboard) and a USB anything audio device, as it is the same as using two separate sound cards. USB headsets/speakers/whatever use their own (or the default Windows) driver and function totally independent of what (or even no) sound card you have.

To do it with what you have you need to headsets that are not USB and use either a stereo splitter, or configure it in the Realtek controls so that both the front panel and rear jacks can be used at the same time (have to wait on how that is done as I don't have anything with Realtek audio on it).