Simultaneous HDMI and Analog Audio Out - Is it possible?

I don't know about the Zotac but I've done this before even on XP.

One of your media players/front ends needs to be configurable to use a specific audio device. You could test this by installing Foobar2k and setting the analog output as the output device for foobar2k in the output settings. You could then set the HDMI output as the default device and use it with MCE. This only works with independent outputs, but I think the HDMI output is separate from the analogue outputs.

Are you trying to run two applications at the same time, and have each one send audio to a different card? Or, are you trying to get the same audio stream out of both sound cards?

I just spoke with a ZOTAC live chat person and here was the string...

Geo: Hello this is Geo from tech support, how may I help you?
me: I have a question about the onboard hd audio
me: I have the ZOTAC H55ITX-A-E LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
Geo: Yes sir.
Geo: What about the onboard audio?
me: I would like to hook up the analog out (just stereo) to zone 2 of my AV receiver.

Right now I have to manually change the audio out every time I want to accomplish this in Windows 7.

How can I connect the 2 so that they both output sound simultaneously without having to (annoyingly) switch it in Win 7 every time?
me: HDMI goes from my motherboards HDMI to the HDMI on the AV Receiver also
Geo: I am sorry, however you may only choose one, either, HMDI audio or the onboard audio
me: really? Most are not like this
Geo: Yes sir, you may only choose one. Either you use the audio from HDMI or use the onboard.
Geo: Would there be anything else I may assist you?
me: no

Bummer. I'm hoping to do the same with my Gigabyte GA-E7AUM-DS2H board and passing both the HDMI audio and analog to my Denon 2309ci AVR so I can play music on both zones. Looks like I'm facing the same issue.

If you don't mind adding a hardware box to your setup this looks like it would do the trick:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

You wouldn't need the switching capability but it provides simultaneous HDMI, digital and stereo audio output.

Does your receiver have a "tape out" on the main zone or a pre-amp out to amp in loop? You could loop one of those back into the Zone 2 input.

Peter

Thanks for finding this, I'll have to try it out. Previously I've solved this problem by using a macro program. I have a button on my harmony remote setup to turn on zone 2, and then trigger the macro which opens up the audio properties, arrows down to the analog audio device, and enables it. It's worked good so far, but it would be nice to have both active at the same time.

I believe that it is working but I am unsure that I am still receiving digital audio from through the HDMI cable through my receiver while playing digital audio from
the HTPC. Has anyone confirmed that we still get digital audio with this set up or does it convert the HDMI signal to an analog signal where we can no longer receive Dolby Tru HD or Dolby Digital?

Most AVR's won't send digital sources out the analog outputs.

I agree. If it would just automatically switch between between the "Denon-AV-AMP" (HDMI connection) and the "Speakers" (analog connection) when my "Zone 2" signal is activated that would be perfect. I have a friend running Windows 7 Pro and his automatically switches. I am running Windows 7 Home. Does this make a difference?

I guess I don't quite understand your setup, but if you have the HDMI cable only going to your TV from the PC, why would it matter whether it downstreams it or not?

CFC

What about BIOS settings? Maybe there is an automatic setting in the BIOS to tell the HTPC that you want to automatically detect the audio and if there is an analog signal to default to this?

Windows Vista/7 cannot output simultaneous audio streams. MS rewrote the audio stack and this functionality was lost. If you absolutely must have it, install XP.

I'm not sure I understand your setup though. Zone 2 functionality on most receivers requires you to choose an input to output through Zone 2. Thus you could leave your PC outputting through HDMI all of the time and then tell the receiver to output through Zone 1 or Zone 2. If your receiver has no HDMI inputs, then use HDMI just for video to the TV and use S/PDIF from the HTPC to the receiver.

I think the issue is that the receiver does not support outputting the same signal across both zones. I know in my case, a Denon 2309ci, that zone 2 only works with analog inputs (re: http://www.batpigworld.com/fadq.html#multizone). So even if my zone 1 is hooked up to HDMI, I have to separately input a signal to the L/R analog inputs.

Thanks, that makes sense, though the OP didn't specify whether he was using a muti-zone receiver with HDMI. I got the impression he was hooking it up straight to TV.

CFC

I believe the problem is that he has both HDMI and Analog signals hooked up to the multizone receiver but he simply can't get the computer to automatically switch to the analog output when he turns on the zone 2 on his receiver to send analog to his other receiver.

He has to manually go into the sound properties in the HTPC and switch to speakers instead of the HDMI selection (AV-Amp). Does anyone know how to have the computer sound in the control panel automatically switch between the two?