Melatonin06
Premium
join:2002-02-05
NJ
 ·Optimum Online
| [Vista] Speakers deactivated?
Just got Vista and wanted to watch a DVD in Media Center. I "deactivated" or "disabled" my speakers so I could use my headphones. Now my speakers are not in the list. How can I get them recognized again?
They are the regular green plug, 2.1 speakers. And my headset is USB.
Also, is there any way to temporarily turn off one output to use the other? |
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Jahntassa
What, I can have feathers
Premium
join:2006-04-14
Conway, SC
| When you use USB headsets like that, you actually have two different soundcards running. Your onboard sound, and the USB headset show up as two different devices.
Usually the best way to 'switch' between them is to NOT disable the speakers, but to just plug in the headset before you open the software you want to use, then unplug it afterwards. That's 'if' Vista operates the same way as XP, and sets the USB device as the primary audio driver when its' plugged in.
Otherwise you need to go into the sound part of the control panel and set the internal soundcard as the primary audio output. You possibly may have to go into the device manager and re-enable the onboard sound. |
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tahoejeff
join:2001-07-01
Wisconsin Dells, WI
clubs:
| reply to Melatonin06
exactly how did you disable them? enabling should be nearly the same. do you show anything in device mgr?
normally, to listen to headphones, you would click the speaker icon in your system tray and choose mute.
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The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth |
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Melatonin06
Premium
join:2002-02-05
NJ | I went to control panel, Sound, right clicked on the speakers, properties, at the bottom "Device Usage", enable/disable.
It makes me sad that I cannot figure out how to enable them. They dont even show up in the list anymore. |
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tahoejeff
join:2001-07-01
Wisconsin Dells, WI
clubs: | that's strange the wouldn't stay in the list, unless you created a different 'hardware profile'.
i'd say download and reinstall the driver for your sound card or onboard sound.
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The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth |
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Melatonin06
Premium
join:2002-02-05
NJ | I did and they are back, yay.
How can I switch between speakers and headphones in the future? |
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tahoejeff
join:2001-07-01
Wisconsin Dells, WI
clubs: | do you have it set to display the speaker icon by the clock (system tray)? dbl click that icon, and mute the speakers. i don't think that would mute the usb audio.
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The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth |
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Owlbet
Ignite the Ice
Premium,MVM
join:2002-09-24
Palmer, AK
clubs:
 ·MTA Online
| reply to Melatonin06
said by Melatonin06  :How can I switch between speakers and headphones in the future? When you find that out, let me know. I have the same dilemma as you. With XP, I could flip flop between desktop speakers and the headphones. With Vista, I have to unplug the headphones from the tower. 
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Team Discovery
Alaska Aces 2007-2008 record as of this post: 14-8-2 |
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dickies
join:2008-02-25
| reply to Melatonin06
i just bought these USB Logitech Headphones w/ mic about 3 hrs ago and i have windows vista, i have a 3 piece set up with speakers and sub hooked directly up to my motherboard/soundcard so when i hooked my new pair of headphones up i was like 'wtf' right, so i set the default device to my headphones right, it worked i was like ok i can deal with this right, then i unplugged them ok, so like then it took me this long to try to get my sound to go back through my headphones like they did the first time, i did the same routing set default still didnt work, so this is what i did, i was also using my windows media player to play my music although this should work with any app ur trying to use to play ur music on a vista machine. 1st close the app then plug in ur headphones then right click on the 'windows' speaker and then click playback devices and then set ur headphones as default then open ur app (that ur trying to play music/sounds with) ur windows sound will auto default as well so that u can hear ur incoming email etc...and this worked for me hope it does for those w/ vista installed, if not let me know please thnx......... |
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