Vista - How to setup an specific sound card to work with specific programs

Hi, I have two diferent sound cards, one with surround sound capabilities on
a PCI slot, and I have an onboard card that has headphones, and mic plugs at
the fron of the pc. I would like to know if there is a way to tell windows,
or an application to use such card for certain purposes. For example, I
would like to use my onboard card for chatting online since it has the plugs
in the front, so I can listen to the converstation on a headset rather than
listening to it on my 5.1 surround sound on the PCI sound card. Can that be
done?

Thank you.
--
Stuserver

Hi,

Only if the program in question supports it (selecting from multiple sound
cards). Otherwise, any program will always use whatever is identified as the
default.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Stuserver" <Stuserver@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2874DD68-F3B7-4D58-9022-CE111CB65489@microsoft.com...
> Hi, I have two diferent sound cards, one with surround sound capabilities
> on
> a PCI slot, and I have an onboard card that has headphones, and mic plugs
> at
> the fron of the pc. I would like to know if there is a way to tell
> windows,
> or an application to use such card for certain purposes. For example, I
> would like to use my onboard card for chatting online since it has the
> plugs
> in the front, so I can listen to the converstation on a headset rather
> than
> listening to it on my 5.1 surround sound on the PCI sound card. Can that
> be
> done?
>
> Thank you.
> --
> Stuserver

Well, I was wondering that since the Windows Live Messenger 8.1 (Beta) has
the option to select a diferent sound card. The problem is: When I select
the onboard card, IT redirects the phone conversation to the PCI card (I set
it as the default card.) And I can't listen to the converstation on the
headset. Since the program that I use to get true surround channels to the
5.1 surround sound does not have the choice to select between sound cards, I
am stuck there.

If I choose the PCI 5.1 surround sound card, so that the program plays, and
then I put the onboard card as default, the next song will play over the
onboard card, not the 5.1 surround sound one.

Thank you.

Stuserver
--
Stuserver


"Rick Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Only if the program in question supports it (selecting from multiple sound
> cards). Otherwise, any program will always use whatever is identified as the
> default.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Stuserver" <Stuserver@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:2874DD68-F3B7-4D58-9022-CE111CB65489@microsoft.com...
> > Hi, I have two diferent sound cards, one with surround sound capabilities
> > on
> > a PCI slot, and I have an onboard card that has headphones, and mic plugs
> > at
> > the fron of the pc. I would like to know if there is a way to tell
> > windows,
> > or an application to use such card for certain purposes. For example, I
> > would like to use my onboard card for chatting online since it has the
> > plugs
> > in the front, so I can listen to the converstation on a headset rather
> > than
> > listening to it on my 5.1 surround sound on the PCI sound card. Can that
> > be
> > done?
> >
> > Thank you.
> > --
> > Stuserver
>
>

Hi,

There's no good anwer for you. As to Windows Live Mail, well it is a beta,
so don't expect things in it to work fully correctly. Frankly, I'd disable
the onboard sound and get a set of speakers that have a headphone jack.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Stuserver" <Stuserver@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C238B3C3-A545-47EF-87FC-47CDEFDC79CA@microsoft.com...
> Well, I was wondering that since the Windows Live Messenger 8.1 (Beta) has
> the option to select a diferent sound card. The problem is: When I
> select
> the onboard card, IT redirects the phone conversation to the PCI card (I
> set
> it as the default card.) And I can't listen to the converstation on the
> headset. Since the program that I use to get true surround channels to
> the
> 5.1 surround sound does not have the choice to select between sound cards,
> I
> am stuck there.
>
> If I choose the PCI 5.1 surround sound card, so that the program plays,
> and
> then I put the onboard card as default, the next song will play over the
> onboard card, not the 5.1 surround sound one.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Stuserver
> --
> Stuserver
>
>
> "Rick Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Only if the program in question supports it (selecting from multiple
>> sound
>> cards). Otherwise, any program will always use whatever is identified as
>> the
>> default.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>
>> "Stuserver" <Stuserver@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:2874DD68-F3B7-4D58-9022-CE111CB65489@microsoft.com...
>> > Hi, I have two diferent sound cards, one with surround sound
>> > capabilities
>> > on
>> > a PCI slot, and I have an onboard card that has headphones, and mic
>> > plugs
>> > at
>> > the fron of the pc. I would like to know if there is a way to tell
>> > windows,
>> > or an application to use such card for certain purposes. For example,
>> > I
>> > would like to use my onboard card for chatting online since it has the
>> > plugs
>> > in the front, so I can listen to the converstation on a headset rather
>> > than
>> > listening to it on my 5.1 surround sound on the PCI sound card. Can
>> > that
>> > be
>> > done?
>> >
>> > Thank you.
>> > --
>> > Stuserver
>>
>>

I do have a set of 5.1 speakers with headphone jacks, BUT I need the Mic, and
Headphones so that I can use my headset with the mic to talk via Messenger.
I think I will just have to listen to music after I am done with Messenger so
I can use the 5.1. Thanks though for your answers. Maybe when the Final
release of Windows Vista is available, this issue will be fixed.
--
Stuserver


"Rick Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> There's no good anwer for you. As to Windows Live Mail, well it is a beta,
> so don't expect things in it to work fully correctly. Frankly, I'd disable
> the onboard sound and get a set of speakers that have a headphone jack.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Stuserver" <Stuserver@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C238B3C3-A545-47EF-87FC-47CDEFDC79CA@microsoft.com...
> > Well, I was wondering that since the Windows Live Messenger 8.1 (Beta) has
> > the option to select a diferent sound card. The problem is: When I
> > select
> > the onboard card, IT redirects the phone conversation to the PCI card (I
> > set
> > it as the default card.) And I can't listen to the converstation on the
> > headset. Since the program that I use to get true surround channels to
> > the
> > 5.1 surround sound does not have the choice to select between sound cards,
> > I
> > am stuck there.
> >
> > If I choose the PCI 5.1 surround sound card, so that the program plays,
> > and
> > then I put the onboard card as default, the next song will play over the
> > onboard card, not the 5.1 surround sound one.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Stuserver
> > --
> > Stuserver
> >
> >
> > "Rick Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Only if the program in question supports it (selecting from multiple
> >> sound
> >> cards). Otherwise, any program will always use whatever is identified as
> >> the
> >> default.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >>
> >> "Stuserver" <Stuserver@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:2874DD68-F3B7-4D58-9022-CE111CB65489@microsoft.com...
> >> > Hi, I have two diferent sound cards, one with surround sound
> >> > capabilities
> >> > on
> >> > a PCI slot, and I have an onboard card that has headphones, and mic
> >> > plugs
> >> > at
> >> > the fron of the pc. I would like to know if there is a way to tell
> >> > windows,
> >> > or an application to use such card for certain purposes. For example,
> >> > I
> >> > would like to use my onboard card for chatting online since it has the
> >> > plugs
> >> > in the front, so I can listen to the converstation on a headset rather
> >> > than
> >> > listening to it on my 5.1 surround sound on the PCI sound card. Can
> >> > that
> >> > be
> >> > done?
> >> >
> >> > Thank you.
> >> > --
> >> > Stuserver
> >>
> >>
>
>