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2 sound cards, 2 pairs of speakers. Possible?


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#1
Timbo

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I recently got myself 2 pc speakers with sub for a reasonable price. Plugged them into my sound Blaster, they work fine.

Now only a few days ago i found a plug that goes from a headphone jack into 2 AUX cords (most commonly know as them Red an White cords, from dvd players, xbox, ps2 etc...) So i bought this cord.
I then plugged it from my 'Audio out' plug (or simmiliar name whatever...) into my stereo. With no supprise it worked, and i have perfect 5.1 sound.

Now the story has passed, heres me Question...

I still have my Intell® that came with the computer, this still works fine.
Now,
Can i have my 5.1 stereo plugged into my sound blaster (where it is now) and my speaker with sub plugged into my Intell® and have both speakers playing the same sound, at the same time?.
My sound blaster & Intell® only support one Audio out, which is the green outlet.

Oh if this matters i have win XP, with SP II. some ppl ask what OS i have, so there it is.
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#2
Comnir

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I've been searching for a way to do this, but it seems that there is no way to use two sound cards to play the same music. The problem was that I couldn't find a program that allows you to choose two output devices. Eventually I plugged 2 sets of speakers into one sound card & used it that way.
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#3
Timbo

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In my Sound Blaster i have: A Black, green, pink, blue and yellow. in that order.

In my Intell® i have: Green, blue and pink

Can any of these colors provide me with an Audio out. I know green is the one you use. Thats why i pluged my stereo into SB green, and my pc speakers into the Intell green.
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#4
Comnir

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So I suppose the green will give you audio out, but the problem is that you need to find a program which will allow you to use two output devices, and not just one of them.
I think you can use a splitter to connect two sets of speakrs to your sound card. Also I would suggest looking in your cards software for an option to change those outputs on your sound card, for ex. using a the place of the mic as output.

Edited by Comnir, 20 April 2005 - 04:58 AM.

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#5
Timbo

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okay, ive just looked at the cd that came with the card. Ive found nothing, but i looked at the specs on the Sound Blaster website. I got this from my model:

Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit On-Board Connectors
Line level out (Front / Side / Rear / Centre / Subwoofer) or Headphone out
Line In / Microphone In / *Digital I/O
Aux Audio in

* Supports SPDIF Out for Stereo Digital Speaker/ connection with Creative Digital I/O Module (sold separately)

That Digital I/O i gather is my yellow plug?

I have then gone into my 'sounds and audio properties', by right clicking on the speaker in the taskbar and selecting 'adjust audio properties', then i selected advanced to bring me to the sound volume seltings, then advanced again. I see a tick box saying '1 digital output only', this was unchecked so i have clicked on it. Maybe this will activate that yellow plug? yes?

Oh well, i have a pic to see what i am talkig about...
view1.jpg

By the way, in 'play control' (that thing with the volume and all the sliders) all of them are set to maximum, i have also added every possible volume i can have and draged them to maximum as well.

Oh well, im off to plug this in, hope if this will help and others...
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#6
Timbo

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how much would this Splitter cost me, what am i looking at anyways. i dont think ive seen one. Would any tech computer shop seel one, or hardware store etc..
Are these things cheap?

Edited by Timbo, 20 April 2005 - 06:23 AM.

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#7
Comnir

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Clear that checkbox :tazz:.
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#8
Timbo

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sh.it, i posted that as a edit. oh well, read that comment above

Oh, and i turned off that thingo

Edited by Timbo, 20 April 2005 - 06:24 AM.

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#9
Comnir

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The splitter type dependes on your connecters. I had two paris of speakers, each of them has one AUX connecter which I connected to an AUX splitter, that doesn't fit in with my sound card input. So I also have a transformer, or I something which I don't know how you call, that is connected to my sound card.
The splitter I bought was about 2$, more precisely.
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#10
Timbo

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Yeah i think i know what you mean, its like a T peice, i use the same for my dvd/ps2.

i have a cord going from the AUX to a headphone, so i dont need a transformer. i think the only way im going to solve this is if there is some way to have both Sound Blaster and Intel running at the same time... :tazz:
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#11
Samm

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You may be able to install both sound cards (if different resources assigned to each etc) but they won't be working in sync with each other. i.e you won't get simultaneous output from both cards.

he easiest thing to do probably, is just buy a Sound Blaster Live card, even the old versions had 2 speaker ports on the back. You can even but the SB Live 7.1 now for very little money.

To be honest with you though, unless your computer speakers are excellent, then I don't know why you would want stereo speakers & computer speakers playing at the same time. Stereo ones are far superior to PC ones, they will just make the PC ones sound crap in comparison
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#12
audioboy

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the splitter is the best and cheapest option. it will have 1 stereo mini plug, to 2 stereo mini jacks. around $2 at radio shack, etc.

you could get both the soundblaster and intel soundcards outputting the same signal, but it will not be synched- I have done this, its no good.
are you really getting 5.1 out of the stereo outs? seems odd...

if your home speaker amp has a SPDIF in, then use that, and you will have 5.1, once you set that in properties.
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#13
Timbo

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My pC speakers cost me $250 and where well worth it, there Altec Lansings, very good with sound and all of that.

I get perfect 5.1 sound through my stereo, the idea of having both AL and Stereo was just an idea in mind, and seeing that i have 2 sound crads i might as well give it a shot.
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#14
audioboy

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its totally doable with the Y-cord. that is actually what you want, a Y cable, which breaks the stereo out from the PC to 2 stereo outs thru the cord.
Have fun!
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#15
Timbo

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but i just bought a cable that splits from a headphone to two RCA :tazz: , that wasnt cheap either at $17, its a rip off. plus i needed an extension from a headphone female to a headphone male, and that too was $19 ;) agggghhhh! now your telling me i need t buy yet another cable! LOL
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