Assigning an application to different sound outputs
Question: Is there a way to assign an application to use a sound output options in the mixer or another Win7application?I have installed Win7 RC 32bit. I have headphones and speaker outputs on my system. Both are detected and both can be assigned toa workingdefault sound choice. I amunable to assign an applications sound output to a certain outputs or change them.The only way I can make a sound application work through the speakers if the headset is assigned the default role is to go into sound management, then assign the speakers to default and then restart my application.Desired: I would like an application profile to default to the assigned role from the mixer. The settings could be permanent or temporary. Ifthe 1st choiceis not available, use the alternate working or (default). The sound should dynamically change or at the very least keep that profile with that application until changed.Inthe mixer, I should be able to rt click on the application in the mixer and manually assign it to a sound device. This option should be assigned toa default target to play ONLY if the desired is not available. Possible options can be, just one time, or have this device handle sound if available.Hardware: Asus Rampage 2: Gene motherboard, 6GB Ram, GTX 275 graphics, Seagate 1.5TB. Drivers auto discovered on install and appear to be functional.
September 1st, 2009 2:18am

Does Windows see it as different sound devices, or does it see it as one device?
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September 1st, 2009 11:09am

Windows sees 2 different sound devices. Each can be assigned as a default. Both work, however each application will only start under the default assigned device. There is no way to assign it to another or change it (that i know of) ousideof restarting the application with the other device marked as "default".
September 1st, 2009 4:44pm

Hi TKCDAC, As you may noticed, great improvements have been made in Windows 7. Applications can realize Stream Routing via the new Core Audio APIs. Windows 7 has the ability to distinguish between communication devices and all other audio devices. It is now possible to have both a Default Communications Device that is separate from the Default Audio Device. The Default Communication Devices will be used for PC based communication like web chat or VOIP, and the Default Audio Device will be used for everything else. Stream switching enabled dynamic stream switching based on the default device. If the default audio device is disabled or unplugged, Windows automatically tries to determine the next default audio device and will dynamically redirect the audio to that new device. For instance, if you would like to play the audio via headphone when using communication applications such as Windows Live Messenger, we can simply right click the volume icon in the system tray, click Playback Devices, right click the headphone listed and then choose Set as default Communications Device. For more information, please refer to the following articles: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd756612(VS.85).aspx http://louisgale.blogspot.com/2009/08/live-messenger-and-default.html Also, based on my test, certain application such as Windows Media Player has a sound output option. To change the settings, please open Windows Media Player, click Tools, Options, click Devices tab, double click Speakers in the Devices list, pull down the Select the audio device and then choose the device you would like to play the music from Windows Media Player, click OK. We may play another song in the play list to take effect. In the meantime, I will forward your suggestions to our Product Group. Please be assured that any improvements in the product are based on users' requirements. Thanks, Linda
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September 2nd, 2009 9:21am

Thank you Linda, I was not aware that Windows Media Player had an option to allow a targeted audio device. This will help me greatly on that application. (the main one I was wanting) I apprecaite that you will let the Product Group know of my request to allow EVERY sound application tobe assigned to a customer designated audio device from the mixer, or swapped without having to assign a separate default audio when the app is started. This seems like the most logical next step of your individual sound output settings, AND would allow far more control over each application (Microsoft or not) to have its targeted audio without having to put menu options in each application individually as most applications are not tooled for Win7.There are so many improvements in Win7, keep up the good work.
September 3rd, 2009 2:37am

I am aware of the Windows Media Player setting to set the sound device output, and I use it, however, I came upon this post because I, like TKCDAC want to be able to assign other applications to other sound outputs, other than cheating by changing the default device. Which actually I do not think is the solution anyways. I agree with TKCDAC that we should be able to right-click a device in the volume control and assign it to a different audio output. Here is the scenario I have. I have a HDTV hooked up to my Windows 7 PC as a second monitor via HDMI. I play DVDs to my HDTV via Windows Media Player and have the audio of WMP set to the TV. However, sometimes I play streaming movies from Netflix through my browser, which in my case is Firefox, to my HDTV, but since I unfortunately cannot assign Firefox's audio to the HDMI audio output without making it the default output, I have to listen to the audio of the movie through my computer speakers, which is not ideal. Making the TV the default audio would also assign other applications such as IM clients to the TV while I watch the movie, which is dumb and I will not do. What if I wanted to watch the movie using PowerDVD or some other DVD playback software other than WMP? Again, I would have to assign all of my sound to the TV. Microsoft tried to make a great feature, but only half-baked it.
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October 12th, 2009 12:23am

In Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit, I was running the same setup as wslyhbb, where I had a DVD movie playing through HDMI and optical out to my HDTV, and at the same time I could change the default sound devide DURING playback and the movie would continue to play on the previous sound setting of optical out, and I could have my PC's headset playing something else using the (now) current default sound device. I know I'm not explaining it very well, but in Win Vista I could basically change my default sound output, and WMP would not switch to the new default output, but would stay with what it was when the program was started up. I very much liked it this way, because I didn't have to keep my default sound as the TV output, but could switch it over and run ANY other program I wanted and the sounds wouldn't cross. With Windows 7, I'm having issues with that. Now WMP always goes to the new default sound device. I will try your above mentioned fix, and hopefully it will resolve the issue. However, I agree with the others that there should be an easy way to set which device any particular program uses for audio output. That would be great!RansomSide note: WMP has some issues for me where when in full screen on the other monitor (the tv), if I double click anywhere on my screen, the media player goes out of full screen mode back to normal mode. It would be nice if there were a way to lock it into full screen mode, and only hitting alt-tab would bring it out. Double clicking is a common task performed in Windows, and I need to be able to do it without messing up the movie playback! Thanks.
October 16th, 2009 5:56pm

Could not agree more. My computer is used as a media center with a DVI to my HDTV and the audio from the rear panel running to the TV as well, the computer speakers being connected to the front output. Obviously the TV is not always on, for example when i'm listening to music on itunes. It infuriates me to no end that i have to switch the default audio device everytime i shutoff my TV. This should be very simple, assign one appcation (ex. Windows Meida Player) to Rear output, assing all eslse, or individual apps (ex. Itunes) to Front output, common sense? I have switched back to Vista, because the audio options were the exact same for my setup. This should have been indroduced a long time ago seem like the microsoft team missed some logic which they should have adapted over 5 years ago. Atleaste with the large changes in vistas audio one would think this would be self-eveident, requiste change to any moron.
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November 30th, 2009 4:57am

FEATURE REQUESTI am also very much interested in improvement of the audio assignment function. From my point of view, I should be able to choose or change the audio device i am using for any application. I.e. I am playing iTunes through my stereo amplifier, but would like to play a game on the monitor. Some time later, I might want to switch the game (including the sound) to the TV, and assign iTunes to a headphones set...So using the 'default audio device' is not a proper option to do this. Applications should be assigned to devices dynamically.This functionality would be a huge improvement of the sound / audio options!
December 24th, 2009 10:49pm

Hi I am having a similar problem. I recently switched to windows 7 on my laptop. The major change in the audio control from windows XP to windows 7 is causing me problems. On windows XP, the sound card was set as the default device, and the software supplied with it managed the output. On windows 7, the spacific device is set as the default, thereby preventing me form easily switching between my headphones and my internal speakers. In the past, when I plugged my headphones in, the sound was instantly transferred to them. Now, when I plug them in, the hardware mutes the speakers, but the software conlinues sending the sound to them instead of my headphones. The result: I have to change the default device and restart my apps before I can use my headphones, as opposed to just plugging them in. I would like a way to output all audio to my headphones and my speakers at the same time, this will restore the instant hardware switching of the past.
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December 28th, 2009 7:03pm

I agree. This new instant swap feature windows 7 introduced is retarded IMHO. I loved the fact that simultaneous playback meant just that. Being able to play 2 streams to 2 different audio devices by simply assigning the application to a default sound device and then switching to the next and setting the next application to it. What does it make any difference now that any of the audio cards can silmutanious stream when the only application that is capable of this is WMP and maybe a couple others. What a joke. Get your head out of your rear end MS an get with it. You took a great feature from past OS's an screwed it all up for the fact of lazy people who wanted to switch the streams default device on the fly. Who cares if they have to take a few extra seconds to close said app to switch it to the desired output.All i can say is Windows 7 is great but in my opinion I just wasted a butt load of money on a junk OS as it doesn't fill my needs anymore. This was supposed to be a great multimedia OS yet it cant multi streaming for ____ anymore due to your changes in how the OS handles switching of audio devices and on the fly switching of the stream. FIX IT. or give us the option under sound devices to control how the OS switches audio streaming.
January 23rd, 2010 4:52am

I agree. This new instant swap feature windows 7 introduced is retarded IMHO. I loved the fact that simultaneous playback meant just that. Being able to play 2 streams to 2 different audio devices by simply assigning the application to a default sound device and then switching to the next and setting the next application to it. What does it make any difference now that any of the audio cards can silmutanious stream when the only application that is capable of this is WMP and maybe a couple others. What a joke. Get your head out of your rear end MS an get with it. You took a great feature from past OS's an screwed it all up for the fact of lazy people who wanted to switch the streams default device on the fly. Who cares if they have to take a few extra seconds to close said app to switch it to the desired output.All i can say is Windows 7 is great but in my opinion I just wasted a butt load of money on a junk OS as it doesn't fill my needs anymore. This was supposed to be a great multimedia OS yet it cant multi streaming for ____ anymore due to your changes in how the OS handles switching of audio devices and on the fly switching of the stream. FIX IT. or give us the option under sound devices to control how the OS switches audio streaming. and this is why I went back to windows xp from windows 7 RC. Perhaps they could add this functionality and I may get windows 7 again? (this I doubt). I liked XP anyway, i had it modified enough to where it thought it was sort of windows server 2003 R2 but ran like XP Pro. So to me, going "back to XP" was no loss for me, but a sales loss for microsoft.
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February 5th, 2010 11:12pm

and this is why I went back to windows xp from windows 7 RC. Perhaps they could add this functionality and I may get windows 7 again? (this I doubt). I liked XP anyway, i had it modified enough to where it thought it was sort of windows server 2003 R2 but ran like XP Pro. So to me, going "back to XP" was no loss for me, but a sales loss for microsoft. How can it be a sales loss for microsoft, since you already have bought Windows 7?The only way I can read it as being a loss, is if you are using a pirated version, in which case, the chances of a sale is low anyway...
February 5th, 2010 11:19pm

You failed to read that I said "Windows 7 RC" that's the release candidate, which was free by default (for testing purposes).
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February 5th, 2010 11:22pm

You failed to read that I said "Windows 7 RC" that's the release candidate, which was free by default (for testing purposes). Ahh, you are right, by bad :-)
February 5th, 2010 11:37pm

I agree with these points, the audio configuration settings could be redesigned to be more flexible for the consumer. Scenario: When play computer games or movies on though Win 7, usually I just play everything though my speaks by default. But every so often I need migrate to a voice head set during mid play, either because I'm about to use a chat program like ventrilo or I need to remove the sound in my room due to my other half trying to sleep. All I want to do is put my head set on and have the same sounds from my speaks also stream to my head set. Then I just 'touch' a mute button on my speakers to remove the sound in the room. Recommendation: Allow users to play single audio sources to multiple devices. i.e. duplicate the same audio to both speakers and a headset. Users then have the options to manipulate external mute and volume options when swapping between devices.
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March 22nd, 2010 1:19am

I'd like to add my voice as well to the suggestion of being able to assign application to sound devices. I came upon this post because I was trying to do just that. On top of it all, the way the mixer is now laid out with individual volume sliders for applications that are streaming sound, the interface is already in place, all that is missing is a "right-click" option to assign to another device. Since it is safe to say that most vendors will not modify their applications to accommodate this, improving Windows 7 in that way is the logical choice.
April 18th, 2010 2:13pm

This is exactly what I'm trying to do as well! I'd like to be able to watch a streaming video or use internet radio through HDMI, while someone sitting at the computer can listen to their apps through the line-out speakers. Even better then specifying separate audio devices for each app would be the ability to specify audio by individual window, or by which display the window is on. This way, I could have a video open in Firefox on my tv while my wife plays an online game in Firefox using the computer monitor and speakers. I really hope this is possible soon!
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April 27th, 2010 4:01am

I agree with these points, the audio configuration settings could be redesigned to be more flexible for the consumer. Scenario: When play computer games or movies on though Win 7, usually I just play everything though my speaks by default. But every so often I need migrate to a voice head set during mid play, either because I'm about to use a chat program like ventrilo or I need to remove the sound in my room due to my other half trying to sleep. All I want to do is put my head set on and have the same sounds from my speaks also stream to my head set. Then I just 'touch' a mute button on my speakers to remove the sound in the room. Recommendation: Allow users to play single audio sources to multiple devices. i.e. duplicate the same audio to both speakers and a headset. Users then have the options to manipulate external mute and volume options when swapping between devices. I have a very similar scenario. I have powered speakers and a set of headphones with a volume control, so when I need to either change from speakers to headphones (because someone else is using the room), or from headphones to speakers (because I have the room to myself again), I can just turn off the output I don't want, and turn on the one I do. Seems ridiculous to have completely lost this functionality which has been around for years. Mess around with streaming audio to certain devices all you want, just give us the option of piping all output to all devices.
May 1st, 2010 2:26am

IMHO I feel that the best possible solution, to make all customers happy, would be to allow everything to initially fall to the "default device." After this the user can then open the mixer and rt click on the application giving the user more options. Among these options should be a list of all available audio devices. These should all have check boxes beside of them. With check boxes you could select a single device or you could select multiple devices, thus giving you ultimate control over your audio desires. This feature should also have an option to keep these settings for the specific app. A "make this devices select the default for this application" check box. These changes would be quite simple, and quite powerful. I am very anxious to see these features. I hope to at some point be able to have a speaker system throughout my home and have it on a separate audio device on my computer, thus giving me the power to put iTunes, or an XM radio feed on that devices and only that devices. This would allow me to also be able to game on the same computer and not have to listen to the audio feed, and/or people in the rest of the house not have to listen to the game. This would also be a nice feature to have on Windows Server 08 R2, as a side note.
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August 2nd, 2010 7:48pm

IMHO I feel that the best possible solution, to make all customers happy, would be to allow everything to initially fall to the "default device." After this the user can then open the mixer and rt click on the application giving the user more options. Among these options should be a list of all available audio devices. These should all have check boxes beside of them. With check boxes you could select a single device or you could select multiple devices, thus giving you ultimate control over your audio desires. This feature should also have an option to keep these settings for the specific app. A "make this devices select the default for this application" check box. These changes would be quite simple, and quite powerful. I am very anxious to see these features. I hope to at some point be able to have a speaker system throughout my home and have it on a separate audio device on my computer, thus giving me the power to put iTunes, or an XM radio feed on that devices and only that devices. This would allow me to also be able to game on the same computer and not have to listen to the audio feed, and/or people in the rest of the house not have to listen to the game. This would also be a nice feature to have on Windows Server 08 R2, as a side note. I couldn't agree with you more. This sounds like a perfect way of setting it up. I like it.
August 3rd, 2010 8:55am

Check out Default Sound Selector (DSS) http://dss.site50.net/ That program was a piece of junk for me. It would not let me select the default device3. Also, the lack of the feature in Windows 7 makes my new Skype phone useless because all of the sounds from my computer now come from the speaker on the phone, making it impossible to hear the person on the other end. If this feature is not reintroduced, I may switch over to a Mac and never buy a Windows PC again.
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January 18th, 2011 7:35am

I really love the question and would love to see an answer to this, and not some BS oh you can do this but then the option must be changed within the application. I agree with everyone this should be a simple right click and badabing badaboom now I have to find 3rd party software that does the job microsoft shouldve done in the first place and on top of that will eventually buy out for dirt cheap from the programmer, anyways long story short - MACS can do it but WIN still can no win =[
June 3rd, 2011 8:53am

your wish is my command! program is called "IndieVolume" you can assign any sound device to any application! if u want to assign firefox flash video to lets say "front panel audio" u have to assign plugin-container.exe to that device along with firefox. and u will do that by playing some let say youtube video , while it plays click to "show indievolume" youll find plugin-container on the list of indievolume, by clicking on plugin-container ull open lots of features like panning , efects, sound device u wanna play it on and so on. by closing that window on x all is saved for future use... u just have to open app b4 u configure all the stuff 4 that app in indie! i use it few days now, it works flawless
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September 20th, 2011 1:32am

Hey! It's been two years and nothing has happened. What gives? Is there anybody working with this problem at the Product Group? I'm seriously considering going back to XP. Sure XP is slower, but at least it allows the user to do what they want with their computer. sincerely, a dissapointed customer
September 25th, 2011 12:23pm

The original question for me on this forum still was not answered. It was a simple question in windos 7 "sound" problem. Somehow I thought it would be cool to put sounds when I took actions, so I set sounds to play each time I took any kind of action. Well I clicked everything, applied, clicked OK and rebooted. Whallah, cool... a day or so later the sounds just kepts donging, and donging, and doging for no reason. Not even per action any more, but guess what? windows 7's control pannel is not computer friendly, and I forgot how I set up the sound per action. I EARNED THAT RIGHT! I am a 70 year old wndow, fairly computer savvy, but going to go crazy if I don't stop this donging.......Please tell me how to reverse what I did. Thanks (pjhodes@att.net)
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October 2nd, 2011 12:56pm

your wish is my command! program is called "IndieVolume" you can assign any sound device to any application! if u want to assign firefox flash video to lets say "front panel audio" u have to assign plugin-container.exe to that device along with firefox. and u will do that by playing some let say youtube video , while it plays click to "show indievolume" youll find plugin-container on the list of indievolume, by clicking on plugin-container ull open lots of features like panning , efects, sound device u wanna play it on and so on. by closing that window on x all is saved for future use... u just have to open app b4 u configure all the stuff 4 that app in indie! i use it few days now, it works flawless Has anyone used this? Not having a simple function like this is absolutely insane. Mac keeps sounding better and better.
October 26th, 2011 3:10pm

I have recently encountered exactly the same problem as the TS mentioned. After finding this thread I have found another thread that solved my problem http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=630780&start=0 It is not obvious and it's a very bad UX, and it may not work for all cases, but it works for some. What you need to do is change the default device for "System sounds": - open volume mixer - click "System Sounds" (somehow other icons are not clickable, but this one is - hail to UX designer!) - select "Playback tab" - right click the device you want to route your sound to and choose "Set as default device" After this the sounds of all applications that do not allow to choose their sound output are rerouted to the device you specify as default. Hey, Linda, how's your Product Group doing?
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November 8th, 2011 2:04pm

Has it really been two years and no practical solution has come about? I read this thread, and agree with the majority of people here, i dont see why there would not be the option in the Volume mixer to right click on applications and assign it another audio output. The majority of people here have multiple speaker setups, including headphones, and want to assign each device its specific purpose. I myself am one of those people, and already $500 deep in an audio setup, its frustrating to not be able to assign applications to specific audio devices, and allowed to be changed quickly and efficiently. I was never a mac fan, but to see that this was mentioned to the support group, two years ago, and a resolution has still not come about for such a simple, extremely practical and useful option is truely just disrespectful. The computer is becoming the sole entertainment system of households of the future, and you guys needs to step it up in listening to what the people want. If you dont, Mac surely will. -___- Disapointed.
January 7th, 2012 5:35am

I've been trying to find a solution to this problem for years now, too. My problem is slightly different. I run a recording studio. There are three zones. We'll call them Control, Chamber and Listening. The control zone is where I listen to what's going on. The chamber zone is where the musician being recorded is, and listening, of course, is where you listen to the final product. The software I use (Record/Reason from Propellerhead) allows eight different mixes to be sent to eight different outputs. I use the internal speaker output for the listening zone, an M-Audio firewire breakout for the control room, and optical out to my studio monitors in the control room. Under XP this worked...under windows 7 it does not. I have modified the system to where I can use WMP for the listening room (which means converting to WMA before replay), which is frustrating if you are trying to get the mix right (affect a change, convert to WMA, playback, affect another change...) but I have to listen to the mix at the console the way the musician wants to hear it in the chamber...very frustrating. There is a product called VAC (Virtual Audio Cable), but it only mirrors one signal into another. I can change the volumes at each zone by tennis shoe (run to each room and change the volume at the speaker level), but this also is compromise...maybe Propellerhead will make a breakout box that will make MS obvious error better. I guess after 2 years, I should ask them, because MS obviously doesn't care about our needs. So off to Mac for me. Record/Reason works on Mac. My M-Audio Firewire mixer works with Mac. Sorry, MS! BroKen H
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January 9th, 2012 8:17am

I see that after 2 1/2 years, Microsoft has left the user based under the bus. I am trying to do kind of the opposite. I have used my computer for making music for years. Now with Windows 7, I can only use one audio creation software at a time. This is a SEVERE limitation. I cannot record from a midi device while keeping a DAW application open. With XP, I could have a sampler, a drum machine, a DAW and recorder for audio or midi all enabled and active at the same time. Now, I have to close everything other than the SINGLE application I need to use at the present moment. Adding specific restrictions to the operating system may have had some great thought behind it when the marketing people came up with the idea, but the real users would tend to disagree. And I'm sure there will be some lamebrain response from Microsoft about security or some other FUD. But this is why there are more and more developers leaving the proprietary world of Microsoft for the freedom to accomplish what was once easy and now has become restricted. Just like Apple, Microsoft is becoming Big Brother and wants absolute control over the applications, as well as all of the data and personal information, on any machine they can grab control over. I am now in the market for a USABLE operating system that allows the users to control the computer and not for an operating system that wants control of the user.
January 18th, 2012 12:42pm

I think my problem is a similar one.. I am running Windows 7 Ultimate edition on an ASUS M4A89 series mobo, an AMD Phenom II 965 CPU, 12GB DDR3 RAM, 5.1 Surround sound system plugged into the "speaker" output on my PC, 2GB Radeon 6950 GPU, 7+TB of HDD's. All of my drivers are up to date and so on and so forth.. Anyway.. I play games on STEAM on a 24" HP LCD display and when I wish to watch movies, I do so on a Hitachi 42" LCD Plasma TV. both are attached VIA HDMI. Often when I am playing games, my partner wishes to watch movies, which means I have to silence the game.. I wish to plug my headphones into my secondary case output and listen to my game on the cans, whilst my partner listens to her movie on the 5.1 surround sound.. Any sort of help/program or update would greatly re-introduce harmony into my household haha.. PLEASE HELP!!! It used to work in XP.
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January 23rd, 2012 8:45pm

I would love to see Microsoft develop on this, as when you open the volume mixer, the different output devices are listed in a drop down box and under each different device (when selected) the audio stream, or application that is using the device is listed and the volume of said application/stream is able to be adjusted. May I suggest to Microsoft, that the applications are listed one mixer panel, with a drop down box below the title of the application that enables the output device to be selected, with the ability to change the preferred default output device for each program that is being run that is listed in the mixer panel. Vista (and I think XP) had something similar and it was farking fantastic... Why the hell would Microsoft let go of a good thing? Just a thought, Samik.
January 23rd, 2012 8:57pm

I used this to have 2 audio devices (speakers and TV via HDMI) play at the SAME time. Hope it helps See http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-sound/is-it-possible-to-have-speakers-and-hdmi-play-at/4563a5f8-4be4-4463-b312-eff594a9ae49
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February 27th, 2012 2:18am

hi there, Im a software developer. We attempt to run our build on group of different computers. Sometimes our executable will register with the windows volume mixer (pc dependent) and somtimes not. works on some and not others. tried everything with this, but is there any known issues regarding this. It jsut wont appear on the volume mixer in some cases, and therefore we can hear any audio. We are using windows 7 with a realtek high def audio sound card. All machines are HP Z800's, so pretty modern. Any help appreciated as we are at a loss to indetify the issue. Everyone has the same version of direct x and the same drivers installed.
March 8th, 2012 10:26am

Escalate this to someone who can actually fix it goddamnit. Immediately. This is unforgiveable.
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March 27th, 2012 1:11am

I completely agree with the rest of this thread that we should be given the ability to assign which applications output to which audio devices. I have a speaker system hooked up to my desktop and my personal headphones. I would love to play my music through just the speakers for say, LAN parties, so we can all listen to tunes, but then individually we can listen through our headsets to the actionable audio that is solely game related. Instead we have to listen to my music, PLUS what I'm doing in-game. It's retarded beyond belief.
May 18th, 2012 7:46pm

There is a lot of good information in this thread pertaining to sound device associations, however my scenerio is a bit different. (Albeit similar) I am running a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) on my home PC. I am faced with a situation where I must use an ASIO driver for a USB Microphone and other USB devices to share the audio inputs. Unfortunately, in Windows7 the default sound device has the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synthesizer associated with it. This conflicts with my ASIO driver. To eliminate the conflict, my only option is to plug a headphone adapter into the analog output on my mainboard and set it as the default in Sound Control Panel. Then the Midi Synth is moved to the analog output. Once it is out of the way, I set my output device to use s/pdif in my DAW software and configure my ASIO driver to make it work. I am using s/pdif output to my receiver/amplifier from the PC. This configuration works, however, when I want to view a tutorial on using a plugin, the DAW itself, or any video using MSIE I get no audio. The reason being that MSIE uses the default audio output device which is simply a jack to redirect the GS Wave Synth to. I cannot change the audio device for the MSIE so I am basically out of gas. I need to be able to task-switch between the videos and the DAW so I can follow the instructions and hear the results. Going into the Sounds Control Panel each time is very time consuming for me to say the least. It would be a wonderful thing to be able to simply disable the GS Wavetable Synthesizer from the default audio output device! Add in the aformentioned I/O assignment capabilities and I would be able to use Windows7 and not have to go back to WindowsXp (x64) to use my DAW.
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May 27th, 2012 2:30pm

I still want this fixed. This is not ok. It is absolutely shameful that there has been apparently no effort on Microsoft's part to improve their audio settings to allow for this. Multiple applications to multiple outputs, all selectable, any number of them to any number of them. Hardware's already more than capable of it, software's already capable of it. It's just setup in a way that does not allow users to configure it. Not all of your users are dumb - make us have to click a "show me advanced options" button to get to it. I don't care, but make it doable. Blaming it on software companies (itunes, etc.) for not implementing their own set of options is no excuse, and sidesteps the problem. It should be in the windows settings, not up to 3rd party programmers what random features they will and will not include. The ghetto-ass solutions mentioned (those involving terrible 3rd party software, headphone splitters, etc) are not solutions worth mentioning. Of the hundreds of programmers at microsoft's disposal, please, please, let one of them work on changing this situation to one that works for everyone, not just the lowest common denominator of your customers. It will probably take no time at all. Please. This is clearly important to a lot of people. The kind of people who spend a lot of money on hardware, software, and entertainment. Or, please direct me to the proper channel to request this at. And at least, someone from microsoft reply so we know someone's at least hearing that we're not happy with this.
June 10th, 2012 12:36am

Or how bout - and I know this is going to sound crazy - a powertoy? You know, an awesome little add-on to an OS, that does a whole lot of good, but no one knows about so it doesn't ruffle any feathers either. Don't care how, just make it work.
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June 10th, 2012 12:46am

your wish is my command! program is called "IndieVolume" you can assign any sound device to any application! if u want to assign firefox flash video to lets say "front panel audio" u have to assign plugin-container.exe to that device along with firefox. and u will do that by playing some let say youtube video , while it plays click to "show indievolume" youll find plugin-container on the list of indievolume, by clicking on plugin-container ull open lots of features like panning , efects, sound device u wanna play it on and so on. by closing that window on x all is saved for future use... u just have to open app b4 u configure all the stuff 4 that app in indie! i use it few days now, it works flawless This IndieVolume is awesome.... Thanks....
June 17th, 2012 9:10am

IndieVolume does not, as of today, support Win7 x64.
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June 18th, 2012 12:50pm

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