Laptop audio doesn't go to TV via HDMI

[xantub]

I recently got an ASUS laptop with HDMI output. I've never done HDMI from laptop to TV, so my first attempt was yesterday. I plugged the cable, restarted the laptop (just in case) and selected a movie to play. Video showed on TV but audio was coming from the laptop.

I went to Google for answers, and none of them worked for me. First, a popular solution mentioned was to go to control panel - sound - devices (or something like that) and enable the HDMI line. Problem is, that line doesn't show in my window, only the Realtek High Definition Audio line (and it's enabled).

One thing I did that temporarily worked was when I changed the display output from 'Duplicate' to 'External only', that made the sound go to the TV and there was much rejoicing! Except that I switched it back to duplicate (or PC only don't remember), then a bit later tried it again, it wouldn't do it anymore, no matter how I set output, sound still comes from the laptop. If I restart the computer it works again, once.

So, what's the deal?

 

[corkyg]

Apparently the sound can't be split away via HDMI when the laptop display is on. Try a separate audio patch cable from the headphone port to your external whatever.

 

[xantub]

Apparently the sound can't be split away via HDMI when the laptop display is on. Try a separate audio patch cable from the headphone port to your external whatever.

Well, I don't need the laptop on while I'm watching a movie, so I'm ok with turning the laptop monitor off (by switching display to 'external only'). Problem is, it only works one time per-reboot that I can see, I'm probably doing something wrong just don't know what.

 

[razel]

When you go to the sound control panel. you can right click an empty area of the list of device and 'show disabled devices' Also depending on the movie you may need to choose audio your TV can handle such as Dolby Digital instead of DTS.

 

[xantub]

When you go to the sound control panel. you can right click an empty area of the list of device and 'show disabled devices' Also depending on the movie you may need to choose audio your TV can handle such as Dolby Digital instead of DTS.

yes I did that and nothing new showed.
About the dolby digital thing, not sure how I can do that (divx player), but I wonder why it works one time ok, but if I switch output back to PC and then back to external, audio remains in the PC :hmm:

 

[piasabird]

When I installed Win 7 the first time I had to change a setting to get the sound to be output with the HDMI. For some reason it did not work by default it took me hours to figure it out. To get to it you have to have it plugged in and go to the little speaker icon on the taskbar and right click on it and go to the bottom option called volume control options. I have a sound bar at work but it shows in the box the option to output to the speakers or to HDMI which is unchecked. So you just check on HDMI also. There may be other options if you have things like Skype or a microphone, or a webcam.

 

[Ketchup]

If you right-click on the Windows speaker icon in the taskbar, and select volume control options, what selections do you have?

 

[xantub]

If you right-click on the Windows speaker icon in the taskbar, and select volume control options, what selections do you have?

I'll check when I get home

P.D. unrelated. I tried to delete this message and merge it with the next, but couldn't find a way to delete a message, is it not possible? (Edit button says 'Edit/Delete Message' when hovering over it)

 

[xantub]

When I installed Win 7 the first time I had to change a setting to get the sound to be output with the HDMI. For some reason it did not work by default it took me hours to figure it out. To get to it you have to have it plugged in and go to the little speaker icon on the taskbar and right click on it and go to the bottom option called volume control options. I have a sound bar at work but it shows in the box the option to output to the speakers or to HDMI which is unchecked. So you just check on HDMI also. There may be other options if you have things like Skype or a microphone, or a webcam.

yes that's the most common solution I found when I Googled for my problem, but in my list there's only one option 'Realtek High Definition Audio' (I even went and downloaded the latest version of this, but nothing changed)

 

[astrosfan315]

My ASUS laptop (a G73) I had to use the HDMI audio through the onboard ATI video card, and not use the realtek audio. If I recall I had a few options for sound once I hooked in the HDMI one was Realtek audio and the other AMD HDMI output.

Anyway, the point being maybe the HDMI audio needs to run through your GPU.

 

[LoveMachine]

My ASUS laptop (a G73) I had to use the HDMI audio through the onboard ATI video card, and not use the realtek audio. If I recall I had a few options for sound once I hooked in the HDMI one was Realtek audio and the other AMD HDMI output.

Anyway, the point being maybe the HDMI audio needs to run through your GPU.

That was my thought. Get the latest AMD Catalyst package and install the whole thing. It will include an HDMI driver. After installing, reboot and go back to the sound device page in Control Panel. Set the HDMI device as the default driver, and also click on Configuration/Preference and set it up according to whatever it is plays your sound (e.g. if you have a recent AVR, select 7.1 or however many speakers you have, or stereo 2 channel if just the TV). If connecting to an AVR, there is a separate tab that should show all the codecs supported like DTS, DD, etc.

You may then have to change the sound device back to the on board speakers (Realtek) when not connected via HDMI. kind of pain...

 

[astrosfan315]

You described what I do on my laptop to a tee.

 

[Legios]

I know that on my macbook pro, I have to set the TV speakers to display sound when I connect via the mini HDMI port. I havent used my windows laptop that why yet to see if it works the same way.

Right clicking on the volume icon in lower right, going to sound, and from there playback, do you see other sound options when plugged into your TV?