hello new to this forum and windows 7. if i have my machine spec's set right up you should see them. simply i'm wanting to leave both my usb mic/headphones. AND my speakers hooked up so i don't have to pull it out and unhook and rehook them. i'm using a old dell desktop so using the front plugs (thanks dell for your idiot "use this not spec") i skype alot but don't like to use the headphones for all my needs. Google isn't helping so far. so i come hat in hand asking for ideas.
a little help or ideas please. RE: sound
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Sorry...
It's all dependent on the sound drivers and they are normally third-party such as Realtek, not Microsoft.
I know exactly what you mean because I could do what you want to do when I ran XP but the W7 64-bit drivers available for my machine no longer support that. I have to pull my headphone out every time (but you can leave the mic in all the time).
It's all dependent on the sound drivers and they are normally third-party such as Realtek, not Microsoft.
I know exactly what you mean because I could do what you want to do when I ran XP but the W7 64-bit drivers available for my machine no longer support that. I have to pull my headphone out every time (but you can leave the mic in all the time).
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Fuzzy~
You mentioned you are using a USB headset/mic.
What you could do ( I do this myself) , as long as you have regular audio jacks for your speakers.
In you sound control properties( in the system tray right click, if you have it the speaker icon) and choose your different devices you can choose "on the fly" what devices you want to be default devices.
I have a set of speakers, 2 sets of head sets ( normal hard wired and one USB wireless set) I can swap between the 2 "on the fly" as I see the need. (with no need to reboot the system in between swapping)
My hard wired speakers and headset are set up with a splitter from my sound card, to run the audio out to both my speakers and headset, The microphone from the headset is plugged into the audio in port.
YES the headset and the speakers play the sounds simultaneously but that is easily taken care of by turning the volume down on the speakers when I'm using the wired headset.
I noticed in your system specs you have a sound blaster sound card. I do as well, what i mentioned above is how I have things set up.
In order for me to get things to work correctly i had to go to the Creative site and download the "BETA" version of the mixer and sound program to "activate" the various different ports. After that I didn't need to have the mixer program or other wise running on startup.
So in other words what you mentioned you want to do IS possible just takes a bit of configuring.
Hope it helps.
~LoneWolf
You mentioned you are using a USB headset/mic.
What you could do ( I do this myself) , as long as you have regular audio jacks for your speakers.
In you sound control properties( in the system tray right click, if you have it the speaker icon) and choose your different devices you can choose "on the fly" what devices you want to be default devices.
I have a set of speakers, 2 sets of head sets ( normal hard wired and one USB wireless set) I can swap between the 2 "on the fly" as I see the need. (with no need to reboot the system in between swapping)
My hard wired speakers and headset are set up with a splitter from my sound card, to run the audio out to both my speakers and headset, The microphone from the headset is plugged into the audio in port.
YES the headset and the speakers play the sounds simultaneously but that is easily taken care of by turning the volume down on the speakers when I'm using the wired headset.
I noticed in your system specs you have a sound blaster sound card. I do as well, what i mentioned above is how I have things set up.
In order for me to get things to work correctly i had to go to the Creative site and download the "BETA" version of the mixer and sound program to "activate" the various different ports. After that I didn't need to have the mixer program or other wise running on startup.
So in other words what you mentioned you want to do IS possible just takes a bit of configuring.
Hope it helps.
~LoneWolf
hmm it might work but my headphones are as i said usb. and my speakers are plug in to my cards outputs also what kind of spliter you talking about?
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I'm thinking my issue is NOT the same as yours, because I did not notice that yours are USB. In my situation I have actual MOBO stereo audio connections running to front jacks. And for me, in W7 every time I plug in the headset it disables my speakers but it was not like that with my XP drivers.
So hopefully lonewolf can help you out, sorry for the confusion.
Could you tell me, when your USB headset is plugged in do you get audio from both the headset and the speakers or are your speakers automatically disabled? Because if the speakers are disabled I believe that is driver related (which is MY situation). If they are not disabled then, like lonewolf said, you should be able to control where output goes from the mixer/sounds controls
So hopefully lonewolf can help you out, sorry for the confusion.
Could you tell me, when your USB headset is plugged in do you get audio from both the headset and the speakers or are your speakers automatically disabled? Because if the speakers are disabled I believe that is driver related (which is MY situation). If they are not disabled then, like lonewolf said, you should be able to control where output goes from the mixer/sounds controls
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Fuzzy~
Actually, forget the "splitter" idea. But for informational purposes for any on else. The splitter I speak of will have one "male" end that plugs into the sound card for audio output and 2 "female" ends to plug in a set of speakers AND a set of NON USB head sets. This way you can have both plugged in and use either as you see fit.
In regard to the USB headset/mic and speaker use. YES you CAN have both available for use AND have both plugged in at the same time.
As I mentioned I do have a wireless USB headset/mic combo that plugs into my front USB port with a "nano" reciver. I also have a set of speakers AND a NON USB headset/mic combo also hooked up. I have yes to experince a problem with the sound cutting out on anything.Unless the headset/mic is low on battery. Whichis why i have a non usb set hooked up to be able to swtich "on the fly"
You SHOULD be able to control (in the windows sound properties by right clicking on the speaker in your System/clock tray or in Control Panel and they the sounds catagory) which audio set you are using. However this is ALSO taking into consideration that you have the drivers installed correctly. As I mentioned if you have the Audio mixer and other software for your creative card you HAVE TO activate the various ports on the sound card that you need.
Also as I mentioned, even thou you DO install the software you DO NOT have to have it running at startup once you activate the ports with the software. Once you are done with the initial setup of your ports on the sound card you can then stop the service/process/program from running at startup. From what I am able to determine, it seems, that the Creative software, for lack of better, "forces" windows to recognize that the ports on the sound card are active ports and capable of being used.
The only time I have had some issues is when I have formatted and reinstalled windows OR updated the creative software then the whole procedure with the software has to be repeated. As long as you remember that you need the software and the procedure to activate the ports, its actually easy.
Hope that helps. Any other questions feel free to ask
~LoneWolf
Edited to add for TM: I looked at your specs as well, and you SHOULD be able to the same thing that I'm describing for Fuzzy to do with the sound properties. I think, if i remember correctly from when I worked on some systems including my own that had at one point a Realtek sound card, there is also a "mixer" type of program out for Realtek that does the same thing that the Creative software does. Might want to check that out
Actually, forget the "splitter" idea. But for informational purposes for any on else. The splitter I speak of will have one "male" end that plugs into the sound card for audio output and 2 "female" ends to plug in a set of speakers AND a set of NON USB head sets. This way you can have both plugged in and use either as you see fit.
In regard to the USB headset/mic and speaker use. YES you CAN have both available for use AND have both plugged in at the same time.
As I mentioned I do have a wireless USB headset/mic combo that plugs into my front USB port with a "nano" reciver. I also have a set of speakers AND a NON USB headset/mic combo also hooked up. I have yes to experince a problem with the sound cutting out on anything.Unless the headset/mic is low on battery. Whichis why i have a non usb set hooked up to be able to swtich "on the fly"
You SHOULD be able to control (in the windows sound properties by right clicking on the speaker in your System/clock tray or in Control Panel and they the sounds catagory) which audio set you are using. However this is ALSO taking into consideration that you have the drivers installed correctly. As I mentioned if you have the Audio mixer and other software for your creative card you HAVE TO activate the various ports on the sound card that you need.
Also as I mentioned, even thou you DO install the software you DO NOT have to have it running at startup once you activate the ports with the software. Once you are done with the initial setup of your ports on the sound card you can then stop the service/process/program from running at startup. From what I am able to determine, it seems, that the Creative software, for lack of better, "forces" windows to recognize that the ports on the sound card are active ports and capable of being used.
The only time I have had some issues is when I have formatted and reinstalled windows OR updated the creative software then the whole procedure with the software has to be repeated. As long as you remember that you need the software and the procedure to activate the ports, its actually easy.
Hope that helps. Any other questions feel free to ask
~LoneWolf
Edited to add for TM: I looked at your specs as well, and you SHOULD be able to the same thing that I'm describing for Fuzzy to do with the sound properties. I think, if i remember correctly from when I worked on some systems including my own that had at one point a Realtek sound card, there is also a "mixer" type of program out for Realtek that does the same thing that the Creative software does. Might want to check that out
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Fuzzy~
The Audio Control panel is the one you want as well as DRIVERS ONLY .. make sure it for your version of widows .. even if its a "beta" version.. (that is what i am using or my system)
all the other "junk" you SHOULD NOT need all I have installed on my system is the Audio control Panel..
Hope this helps.
~LoneWolf
The Audio Control panel is the one you want as well as DRIVERS ONLY .. make sure it for your version of widows .. even if its a "beta" version.. (that is what i am using or my system)
all the other "junk" you SHOULD NOT need all I have installed on my system is the Audio control Panel..
Hope this helps.
~LoneWolf