How do I enable multiple audio outputs on Windows 7?

Question

For Windows 7, 64 bit: I have a digital SPDIF output to my stereo, which controls speakers in other rooms. I also have a set of speakers connected to the regular audio jack at the computer. This allows me to send music to the kitchen while my child plays games on the computer. Works great. Except when I'm playing games and still want to listen to music. ;-D

I know I can manually switch WMP to play through the speakers instead of SPDIF, but I was wondering if there's any way to enable simultaneous audio out in Windows 7? Virtual Audio Card is a non-starter because I'm running 64 bits and the VAC driver isn't signed.

Answer 1

There is no way built into Windows 7 to play the same audio on multiple output devices. You can play different audio to different devices, but would need some add-on software to play to two different devices from the same application. Applications could make it possible as well. For example, VLC could choose to output to multiple audio devices simultaneously, but rarely do programs do so.

Answer 2

Virtual Audio Cable could work, if you disable driver signature checking, as explained in the help file that is included in the ZIP:

There are two ways to successfully load VAC driver under 64-bit Vista and 2008 Server systems:

At early boot time, press F8 and select "Disable driver signature enforcement". In this mode, Windows will not check driver signatures during current session. But if you reboot Windows, you should press F8 and disable signature enforcement again. So you need to make selection at every boot.

Enable Windows test-signing mode by one-time issuing "bcdedit /set testsigning on" command from a command prompt (under Administrator account). This permanently allows Windows to load drivers signed by test certificates. After issuing bcdedit command, reboot Windows. 64-bit VAC driver module is signed by a test certificate named "Eugene Muzychenko (Test)" so it will be successfully loaded in the test-signing mode.

They explain for Vista and Win2008 64-bits but it's valid also for Windows 7.