How do I easily change the default Audio output in Vista?

Bat123Man

Member
Nov 14, 2006
191
4
81
Hi,

How do I change the default Audio device easily? Does anyone know of a Vista gadget which will allow me to do this, or any other less cumbersome method? I have speakers and USB headphones. In order to change the audio output, I have to shut down whatever application is currently outputing audio, right click on the speaker icon, choose Playback Devices, right-click on the one I want - Set as Default - OK, relaunch the original app, and then push play. That will make it change from one output to the other, but it is a total hassle.

Does anyone know if there is a Vista gadget or some way I can configure key combos to toggle between outputs? I have been googling for an answer, and have come across a fair number of claims that this cannot be done because the Vista Audio API is not public. However, I know that is not correct. The API may or may not be public, but I also run J.River Media Center (MC12), and it has a feature called Zone Manager which allow me to toggle outputs just by setting up individual outputs to a certain zone. Then Control + T will change zones (and outputs). So there must be a way of doing this outside of MC12. The main reason I want it is to watch streaming video via the DIVX video player for FireFox with headphones when the kids are asleep.

Thanks,
TH.
 

Evander

Golden Member
Jun 18, 2001
1,159
0
76
Been wondering the same thing myself, but in my case it's for a bluetooth stereo set (pain in the ass to switch on windows mobile as well).

For the link above, at first I thought it was BS but then I saw a link at the bottom for the audio thing. Downloaded it, but haven't tried it. If you give it a shot let us know how it works