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I'm using a Realtek audio card and driver. Unfortunately, the one device it recognizes in the windows sound menu is listed as speakers, and used both the front and back sets of audio jacks. Since I have both headphones and speakers, both plugged in, it chooses one to output to, prioritizing the front panel with my headphones. I need to create separate devices so I can have a headphones device and a speakers device, and as such, I need to change which jack they use, but I can't figure out how to change that. It would also help if I could select just one of the two jacks for each side instead of using both, so I can have left being output and right being input, on both the front and back.
chexo3
Posted 2016-12-10T23:15:18.053
Reputation: 3
Pretty sure this can't be done b/c typically inserting a headphone plug physically disconnects a cable that goes to the other jack. – Jens Ehrich – 2016-12-10T23:29:23.663
@JensEhrich Wait, what? How or why does that happen? – chexo3 – 2016-12-10T23:33:50.923
Nope. I mean the amplified analog audio cable that goes to the headphones, is disconnected from the read jack when a headphone is inserted. This technique has literally been around for dozens of years. See this stack exchange question for a detailed explanation: http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/95575/how-does-the-phone-detect-if-3-5-mm-jack-circuit-is-closed
– Jens Ehrich – 2016-12-10T23:40:29.1071
Although, this question suggests that some Realtek implementations can control the jacks separately which, if true, would mean they are not connected the way I previously suggested: http://superuser.com/questions/930739/windows-toggle-front-or-back-audio-jack-using-software?rq=1
In that case you would be at the mercy of the Realtek driver/control panel and its options.
1@JensEhrich
It worked! I just right clicked on the realtek taskbar icon, selected the sound manager, and then clicked device advanced settings. There was an option to mute the back output when the front is plugged in, I disabled that, so now they're seperate devices. Now I follow a different tutorial to make them output at the same time. – chexo3 – 2016-12-10T23:51:20.160
@Jens: Please post your answer as an answer so that chexo3 can accept it. :) – Xavierjazz – 2016-12-11T00:02:41.743
I have posted it as an answer, however, I think @chexo3 deserves the credit for figuring out the details! – Jens Ehrich – 2016-12-11T00:15:23.010