Sound Cards

[pegisys]

I desided to use 2 sound cards in my PC, one for headphone and mic the other for surround sound, it works out good sofar, but some programs don't allow you to select what device you want to use.

I wanted to know does anyone know of a way to force programs to use certain device or is there an app out there that does something like that. Thanks

 

[Blazkowicz]

with Windows Vista there will be sound mixing per application, so you'll probably able to choose the output there.

I have no other idea and don't know if it's even possible in XP.

 

[archie4oz]

For chat, have you considered using a USB mic/headset? For Battlefield 2 my friends are an TeamSpeak and I have that set to use the USB headset (it's actually the logitec/PS2 one that came with SOCOM), and then route the game main audio through the main speakers.

 

[Blazkowicz]

it would be the same thing no? the USB headset being actually a "sound card" on its own

 

[pegisys]

For chat, have you considered using a USB mic/headset? For Battlefield 2 my friends are an TeamSpeak and I have that set to use the USB headset (it's actually the logitec/PS2 one that came with SOCOM), and then route the game main audio through the main speakers.

I have no problem with teamspeak it other apps that don't allow you to choose the sound device, becasue as Blazkowicz_ said it would be it's own "sound card" witch would give me the same proble

with Windows Vista there will be sound mixing per application, so you'll probably able to choose the output there.

I have no other idea and don't know if it's even possible in XP.

Thanks, I didn't know that about vista.

I think the settings should be stored in the registry somewhere should be easy enough to come with a profile manager of some sort I was just someone had did something like that already. I toy around with it tonight and if I find any thing usefull I'll post back here.

 

[hey69]

can somebody explain to me why you would want to use 2 soundcards... i cant really follow here

 

[thegrommit]

I wanted to know does anyone know of a way to force programs to use certain device or is there an app out there that does something like that. Thanks

Windows allows you switch the default output device. Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Properties > Audio tab.

 

[willardjuice]

can somebody explain to me why you would want to use 2 soundcards... i cant really follow here

Some people like to use gaming cards (like the Audigy 2 ZS) to hardware accelerate their games, but since the A2ZS has weak DAC's and a horrible SRC, they use a professional card like the EMU-0404 for audio playback and recording (and since anything but the Audigy series has weak gaming support, one cannot not solely use the 0404).

Not sure if that is the case here though.

To the OP, I am not aware of such a program that exists, what kind of problems are you running in?

 

[pegisys]

Windows allows you switch the default output device. Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Properties > Audio tab.

yeah I know but I have to change it everytime I use different programs

To the OP, I am not aware of such a program that exists, what kind of problems are you running in?

no problem realy, just to lazy to go in to the control panel every time I use different programs, I was just looking for something I could setup once and have it running in the back ground

can somebody explain to me why you would want to use 2 soundcards... i cant really follow here

pretty much what JustPassingBy said, one of the cards has better mic input and hardware acceleration, and the other has better sound output

I did find the regisry key for the primary sound device, I might make a small app like I mentioned, that will change the primary device when select programs are launched. I don't know if it will be usefull to anyone else though, if everything works out I'll post back later