Outputting sound to multiple sounds cards.

[Biggles604]

I've spent several hours scouring the web looking for a solution to my problem.
I have a computer in my basement that is wired to my TV/Receiver upstairs.
In my system I am running an Audigy OEM and have an NForce 2 AC97 sound board on my motherboard.
Hooked up to my Audigy is a set of 5.1 logitech speakers, and then off the front channel I have a 'y' splitter to send a dual RCA cable up to my receiver.
I wish to upgrade to a 5.1 system upstairs (currently stereo), so I would like to use one of the already wired RCA cables as an SPDIF output.

My question: What's the best solution?

I see two possible solutions, one is to use the Audigy SPDIF output and keep switching between analogue and digital modes when needed, the other solution is to use the onboard SPDIF and switch primary sound drivers, which brings me to question number 2:

Is there a way of running two sound cards with the same output? ordinarily, you can only select one driver, but is there an application that will clone the output to the second board?

 

[spine]

I'm not sure I fully understand your situation, but to simply answer your final question;

The only way I know to have 2 soundcards in the same system outputting the same audio would be to have one set as the primary and plug a 3.5mm splitter into the speaker out on that card. Then plug a 3.5mm jack to jack lead into one of the splitter's outs and have that lead plug into the line in of the 2nd soundcard.

 

[Fuse]

Ahhh, I think I understand all this now. Had to open up mspaint and draw myself a diagram, but hey - whatever works.

Check out the Philips PSC706 Acoustic Edge sound card. I believe you can use digital and analog out at the same time on this card.

 

[Biggles604]

What I intended to do was have my system in my basement output the sound through my Audigy in 5.1, and also send the sound signal through a digital coax to my receiver upstairs so that it can convert the signal to stereo, rather than me have to keep doing it with the creative control panel.

I tried hooking up my speakers to the onboard AC97 (soundstorm) adapter and using the digital output to the receiver, but I couldn't get the digital to work (I think I need a proper 75ohm cable) and the sound quality from onboard is total crap in comparison to the audigy.

So what I need now is a good macro program that I can set up a hot key to switch audio properties much like the Catalyst drivers allow you to do.
Any ideas?

 

[Mister X]

What I intended to do was have my system in my basement output the sound through my Audigy in 5.1, and also send the sound signal through a digital coax to my receiver upstairs so that it can convert the signal to stereo, rather than me have to keep doing it with the creative control panel.

What are doing with the "Creative control panel"?

There is no need to change anything because the card will always output a digital audio stream from the S/PDIF interface.

 

[squeezee]

Yeah the SPDIF output will always send the same signal as the Left/Right channels as long as its a) enabled and b) not outputting a Dolby Digital/DTS stream.

At least for Audigy 2 and X-Fi cards it does, i know the old Live! cards could only use one of digital or analog at a time. I haven't used a vanilla Audigy though.

Also if you do have two sound cards running, most audio/video apps will let you select which soundcard to use for output without having to switch the primary card in windows.