dual sound cards

[dricken]

I don't know if this is the right forum but,

I have just installed Another monitor (on my Nvidia fx5200) and an additional sound card in my system (in addition to the one built on my MB). The purpose behind this is I want to be able to play games and work on my computer while playing a movie or something on the other monitor/sound card for my daughter. Can I force Windows Media player 10 (or even a different player) to use the onboard sound card while my default sound card continues to be the addon? Now that I think about it maybe this is a software issue but hopefully I can get some help.

If you need to know:
Athlon xp 1.8GHz
512 Mb Mem
80Gb hd
Windows XP Pro SP2
SoundBlaster Live! addon
NVidia onboard Sound (nForce 2 chipset)
2 sets of speakers for the two sound cards

 

[Sqube]

I don't think it's possible, but that's just a gut instinct. Hopefully someone who knows will be along.

 

[Chaotic42]

I have two sound cards. One on-board AC97 and one Santa Cruz. I enabled the on-board because the microphone jack is messed up with the Santa Cruzes apparently. Even their "fix" is to buy an amplifier.

The best I can manage on here is setting the computer to record from the on-board and play from the SC. Certain apps allow you to select the soundcard, like Teamspeak 2.

 

[Hajime]

I know Winamp will do this - I've done it myself with Winamp.

It's possible, just prepare for potential instability, as Windows HATES having multiple sound devices.

 

[CalvinHobbs]

Originally posted by: Hajime
I know Winamp will do this - I've done it myself with Winamp.

It's possible, just prepare for potential instability, as Windows HATES having multiple sound devices.

or no sound at all as windows won't know which one to use

 

[Hajime]

Originally posted by: calvinHobbs

Originally posted by: Hajime
I know Winamp will do this - I've done it myself with Winamp.

It's possible, just prepare for potential instability, as Windows HATES having multiple sound devices.

or no sound at all as windows won't know which one to use

If it does have that problem, you can manually specify the devices in Windows.

But it still can lead to potential instability due to sound drivers and Windows.

 

[dricken]

well I now have the cards installed and both drivers are running without conflicts. i can hear sound out of both speakers one at a time when i switch the default audio device, just havent figured out how to use them simultaniously.

ps. Does WinAmp play video? I thought it only played audio.

 

[Hajime]

Winamp does play video, and very well I might add -types this as he is watching Naruto ep 122 being played from Winamp from his HTPC-

Not as good as VLC, though, but VLC doesn't offer support for multiple sound devices.

Also, you have to get into Winamp's internals to get it to play out of the non-default sound device.

i.e. You can be gaming on your PC, using Window's default sounds, while playing Video and having Winamp play sound through the device that is NOT windows default

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I installed an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 into my machine to serve as my MIDI and audio interface for Cubase SX, but in order to use it I have to disable the onboard sound chip in the Device Manager. They won't both work at the same time -- it's only one or the other.

 

[Cha0s]

yes, im currently using 2

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Hajime
I know Winamp will do this - I've done it myself with Winamp.
It's possible, just prepare for potential instability, as Windows HATES having multiple sound devices.

No it doesn't, not in the slightest, that I've ever seen. Are you running an SBLive card? Maybe those have issues with other cards in the system, but I've never had any trouble running an ISA SB16 or Awe64 alongside a PCI Vortex2, or running the Vortex2 alongside onboard ALC650 audio. (Although there is an issue with the Vortex2 "beta W2K drivers" and Via chipsets - I recommend avoiding that combination, as the drivers re-program the system chipset registers, assuming that the chipset is an Intel 440BX.)

There's a reason why the Multimedia/Sounds control-panel allows one to select a "Preferred" sound device, and why it allows you to disable alternative/secondary devices or not. Clearly, the OS itself was designed to support multiple sound devices at once.

As far as WMP goes, I don't know, but I know that MPC does allow the selection of a app-level preferred sound output device.

 

[Hajime]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: Hajime
I know Winamp will do this - I've done it myself with Winamp.
It's possible, just prepare for potential instability, as Windows HATES having multiple sound devices.

No it doesn't, not in the slightest, that I've ever seen. Are you running an SBLive card? Maybe those have issues with other cards in the system, but I've never had any trouble running an ISA SB16 or Awe64 alongside a PCI Vortex2, or running the Vortex2 alongside onboard ALC650 audio. (Although there is an issue with the Vortex2 "beta W2K drivers" and Via chipsets - I recommend avoiding that combination, as the drivers re-program the system chipset registers, assuming that the chipset is an Intel 440BX.)

There's a reason why the Multimedia/Sounds control-panel allows one to select a "Preferred" sound device, and why it allows you to disable alternative/secondary devices or not. Clearly, the OS itself was designed to support multiple sound devices at once.

As far as WMP goes, I don't know, but I know that MPC does allow the selection of a app-level preferred sound output device.

Heh.

Ever try running most modern onboard sound with a PCI card?

That's my experience with two sound cards - onboard device + PCI card.

My experience seems to be that Windows HATES doing that, but once it is setup, it works nicely. DFI Lanparty UT 250gb being a perfect example of that with a chaintech AV710

 

[dricken]

what is MPC and how do i get a copy?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Hajime
Ever try running most modern onboard sound with a PCI card?
That's my experience with two sound cards - onboard device + PCI card.
My experience seems to be that Windows HATES doing that, but once it is setup, it works nicely. DFI Lanparty UT 250gb being a perfect example of that with a chaintech AV710

Well, I've done it in a few mobos with a PCI Vortex2 card, and other than the Vortex2 driver/Via chipset issue (which will cause issues even if it is the only sound card in the system), I haven't seen any specific problems. I've not tried an AV710 yet. That's why I was trying to suggest that it was more of an issue with a particular card's drivers than Windows' itself. In fact, if you have an internal PCI HCF or HSP modem, along with onboard sound, it's likely that Windows' thinks that there are two sound cards installed, because voice-capable modems show up as a sound card device too. Yet there are plenty of those systems out there running fine.

 

[Gurck]

Seems like a crapshoot to me, I have an Audigy2 ZS and Chaintech av710 in my system and, for the most part (gaming + music, etc) they work great; however if I'm watching TV (which outputs to the A2ZS) and try to listen to music using the av710, the latter card will play slowly and with bad artifacts.

 

[Hajime]

Originally posted by: Gurck
Seems like a crapshoot to me, I have an Audigy2 ZS and Chaintech av710 in my system and, for the most part (gaming + music, etc) they work great; however if I'm watching TV (which outputs to the A2ZS) and try to listen to music using the av710, the latter card will play slowly and with bad artifacts.

That could be the fault of craptastic Creative drivers, though, Gurck.

Even with onboard sound + AV710, I don't get that. Just instability untill Windows decides to pull its head out of its ass, and play nicely.

 

[imported_Slash]

Originally posted by: dricken
I don't know if this is the right forum but,

I have just installed Another monitor (on my Nvidia fx5200) and an additional sound card in my system (in addition to the one built on my MB). The purpose behind this is I want to be able to play games and work on my computer while playing a movie or something on the other monitor/sound card for my daughter. Can I force Windows Media player 10 (or even a different player) to use the onboard sound card while my default sound card continues to be the addon? Now that I think about it maybe this is a software issue but hopefully I can get some help.

If you need to know:
Athlon xp 1.8GHz
512 Mb Mem
80Gb hd
Windows XP Pro SP2
SoundBlaster Live! addon
NVidia onboard Sound (nForce 2 chipset)
2 sets of speakers for the two sound cards

MULTIMEDIA PROPERTIES and WINDOWS (98SE)
I use two sound devicees (Audigy2 Crystal Audio chip (4232) but only one can access like wav at any one time. I use one card for dos and the other for windows games and mp3's. All I did was to setup the Preferred Device to "USE ANY AVAILABLE DEVICE" but keep in mind you cannot use wave on both at the same time unless your using dos on one and in windows on the other. Works just fine no instablity what so ever. Also check the USE ONLY PREFERRED DEVICES box. You may be able to make it work fine having them both using windows wave at the same time I have never tested that out.
I also have them both feeding to the same amp at the same time.
If you need to make adjustments to your cards you just goto multimedia properties and select the one that you want to adjust then set it back to USE ANY AVAILABLE DEVICE...
Connecting both sound sources I used an 1/8" pin connector from the dos output to the audigy2 input rca jacks on the line in on the front panel but can also work to the input on the card I am sure that will also work.

Your situation may not even work like this due to not enough IRQ's or not enough other resources available to operate both devices at the same time.
The audigy does not use dos at all which makes this work, so making the onboard chip the dos support works without to much trouble.
Some device is disabled when looking under sound properties and the drivers listing and I am not sure what or why.

Good Luck

 

[tr1kstanc3]

im running a chaintech av710 as my main "windows" soundcard and an external firewire motu 828mkII as my pro-audio card. i have no problems running 2 different applications with both cards running simultaneously.

 

[imported_Reck]

I run 2 sound cards as well.

 

[Dubb]

Originally posted by: Reck
I run 2 sound cards as well.

same. onboard handles windows souds/ default/ most web stuff, the RME uber boxen handles music. works fine for me.

 

[dricken]

so i just have to find an app that lets me choose my output sound device?

 

[CSMR]

dricken, why not plug in both amplifiers (or powered speakers) to the same sound card? Then just switch on the one you want.

 

[bluemax]

Technically it will work, just don't expect it to work WELL.

It MAY work if the application allows you to select the sound output device, like Winamp does. Most do not.
Sometimes drivers conflict and the combination is simply impossible (ala. unCreative Laughables SandBlasters.)

And besides, if someone is playing a movie or game, a second person doing work on the same PC will likely disrupt the actions of the other... I wouldn't recommend that either.

This sounds like a case for a second PC. Simple PC for movies and ineternet/word processing, fancy for games and heavy work.

 

[GreenGhost]

I'm about to try enabling my onboard sound card. I want to have separate output for my Skype through a headset, while still using the speakers for everything else. Skype allows you to choose separate devices for audio in/audio out, and ringing. I'm sure Windows supports it, otherwise they would not bother to put these options. My concern is that I'm using W2000. I will tell you about it later, as I can't reboot now...

 

[GreenGhost]

It works! Just rebooted and enabled on-board sound. On the control panel, I had to reset the preferred sound card as the one on the PCI slot. All my sound apps are working, and Skype calls go to the headset, which is now connected to the main board. The calls should ring over the pci card, where the speakers are connected. No more muting the radio and killing the speakers to answer a call...