Mixing multiple sound cards in windows - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Scorpion23 · 01-20-2005, 04:53 PM

So here's my question. I've got an HTPC with an ATI AIW 9600 Pro and a Chaintech AV-710 sound card with optical out. The AIW outputs sound from the TV tuner through an external 1/8" jack which must be plugged in to a line-in on a sound card. The sound then passes through the computer and back out of the sound card.

So currently I have the TV tuner passing through the Chaintech, and the sound exiting via the optical S/PDIF out. I also have my DVD software pass the AC3 signal through the optical port. It then goes to a home theater receiver.

The problem is that due to a limitation of the drivers/software for the chaintech I can't select both at the same time. I either have to pass the line-in through the optical port, or let the AC3 signal through. But regular window's sounds pass through on either setting. This is a problem since it's an HTPC and doesn't have a regular keyboard/mouse input.

It just so happens that I also have an onboard sound system with the motherboard. I was thinking that I could plug the AIW output into the line-in on the motherboard card and have it route through windows to the chaintech. This way I could use AC3 and line-out pass-through at the same time without switching settings.

However, when I tried putting the AIW output through the motherboard I got no sound. Does anyone know if it's even possible to mix soundcards like this? Is there a program better than the standard windows mixer that could do it?

pie_man · 01-21-2005, 12:01 PM

Yes, it's definately possible to sustain more than one sound card at once in a windows machine. However, certain applications always seem to want to output sound through the card you don't want them to. Windows implementation of multiple cards is rather ugly.

As for the sound ont he motherboard, make sure the on board sound is enabled in the bios.

Scorpion23 · 01-21-2005, 12:29 PM

It's turned on in BIOS, and it works by itself in windows. It just won't transfer the sound to the other card's output.

I've got the sound recording option in the control panel set to the motherboard card, and the playback set to the chaintech.

pie_man · 01-21-2005, 04:44 PM

After re-reading the question.... I think I now understand what you're trying to do. With the standard windows apps I don't think you can route a digital signal from one card to the other internally. As far as I'm aware the only real option is either to use an analog or a digital interconnect cable between the cards.

01-20-2005, 04:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho	Mixing multiple sound cards in windows So here's my question. I've got an HTPC with an ATI AIW 9600 Pro and a Chaintech AV-710 sound card with optical out. The AIW outputs sound from the TV tuner through an external 1/8" jack which must be plugged in to a line-in on a sound card. The sound then passes through the computer and back out of the sound card. So currently I have the TV tuner passing through the Chaintech, and the sound exiting via the optical S/PDIF out. I also have my DVD software pass the AC3 signal through the optical port. It then goes to a home theater receiver. The problem is that due to a limitation of the drivers/software for the chaintech I can't select both at the same time. I either have to pass the line-in through the optical port, or let the AC3 signal through. But regular window's sounds pass through on either setting. This is a problem since it's an HTPC and doesn't have a regular keyboard/mouse input. It just so happens that I also have an onboard sound system with the motherboard. I was thinking that I could plug the AIW output into the line-in on the motherboard card and have it route through windows to the chaintech. This way I could use AC3 and line-out pass-through at the same time without switching settings. However, when I tried putting the AIW output through the motherboard I got no sound. Does anyone know if it's even possible to mix soundcards like this? Is there a program better than the standard windows mixer that could do it?

01-21-2005, 12:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
pie_man Upright	Yes, it's definately possible to sustain more than one sound card at once in a windows machine. However, certain applications always seem to want to output sound through the card you don't want them to. Windows implementation of multiple cards is rather ugly. As for the sound ont he motherboard, make sure the on board sound is enabled in the bios. __________________ just plain wrong.....

01-21-2005, 04:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
pie_man Upright	After re-reading the question.... I think I now understand what you're trying to do. With the standard windows apps I don't think you can route a digital signal from one card to the other internally. As far as I'm aware the only real option is either to use an analog or a digital interconnect cable between the cards. __________________ just plain wrong.....

01-21-2005, 12:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho	It's turned on in BIOS, and it works by itself in windows. It just won't transfer the sound to the other card's output. I've got the sound recording option in the control panel set to the motherboard card, and the playback set to the chaintech.