Use laptop speakers and Audio-out jack at same time ?

Dell XPS L502X
Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1

When I plug into the Audio-out (headphone) port, the XPS internal speakers are disabled. I want to be able to use the internal speakers and Audio-out port at the same time.

I want the option to set the laptop's internal speakers to remain active (not to disable) when I connect headphones or external speakers to the Audio-out port. The default behaviour is that as soon as I connect a plug into the Audio-out port, the XPS internal speakers are disabled. Is there a way to change that behaviour?

I do not want a permanent change, because I have two usage situations:

1. Sometimes I want the internal speakers not to disable, such as when connecting tiny travel speakers so I'd want all speakers to play. In this situation, I want sound from the internal speakers and from the Audio-out port.

2. Sometimes I want the default behaviour of internal speakers disabled, such as when connecting laptop's Audio-out port to a large home stereo.



Dell-Bill_B provided a little information about this:

Anyone found a way to do this?

 

Don't quote me on this, because I'm a little hazy about it, but I believe somebody mentioned that the Creative Soundblaster software can do this. I don't have the SW so I can't confirm it - hopefully someone else can.

 

On a Dell XPS L502X? The XPS L502X comes with Waves MaxxAudio, not Creative Soundblaster.

 

No it does, there is an option for "JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3 + Creative SoundBlaster X-FI MB 1.2" when you order the L502x.

 

I have the x-fi software but haven't reinstalled it after a format. I will give it ago after work if you like. any instructions on how to do it with the software?

 

toronto, i'm not sure if this what you wanted but you can have both audio-out and internal speakers playing together BUT only if the audio-out is set to "Rear speaker out" in the S/PDIF-out. so you only get rear audio in the audio-out.

 

Blingers, thanks for the reply. I cannot confirm what you wrote. Were using some software other than Waves MaxxAudio, e.g. Creative Soundblaster? I am using Waves MaxxAudio that came with my XPS 15.

When I plug into the S/PDIF port:

- if I select Front speaker or Headphone, on-board speakers are disabled and sound is sent through the jack.
- If I select Rear speaker or Centre/Subwoofer, on-board speakers play and no sound is sent through the jack.
- If I select S/PDIF, there's no sound at all - no sound from on-board speakers or through jack (probably because I don't have a S/PDIF connector, just a regular stereo plug).

So, nothing I've tried on either port has allowed me to have both on-board speakers and sound out through the jack concurrently.

(Note: I have not tried with a proper S/PDIF cable and S/PDIF (mini-TOSLINK) adapter. I connected a regular audio cable to that post, same as I tried in the Audio-out/Headphone port.)

 

Yeah i installed the Creative soundblaster software. maybe other owners of the soundblaster software can confirm this.

 

using the the Creative soundblaster software

So, what if it's a normal stereo album (not multi-channel)? Do you get both stereo channels out to the external speakers, or do you get nothing because that's not seen as rear speaker stream?

 

good point because i only tested it in videos. but i just played some of my music on my itunes and i do get audio in the audio-out. the music and video sounds more echoe and bassy in the rear speaker stream.

Ok I can confirm that the soundblaster (X-Fi) software is responsible for creating the rear audio-out. I just switched it off and i don't get rear speaker audio.

 

update: in the X-Fi settings there is an "Upmix mode" which was set to "Stereo Xpand". I changed that to "Stereo Surround" and now I get full stereo audio in both internal and audio-out speakers. so yeah what you wanted is possible!

UPDATE 2: you can get both internal and external stereo without the X-Fi software but its not surround stereo
-disable maxxaudio
-plug headphone or external speakers to the S/P DIF jack, set to rear speakers
-right click on the windows volume control icon in the taskbar, click on Playback devices
-select the Realtek audio and click configure button
-choose 5.1 surround
-tick the boxes of speakers you have plugged in
-tick both front left and right, and surround speakers
-finish the setup and go to the realtek audio properties (in the playback devices)
-in the enhancements tab, tick "speaker fill"
-play music

 

good to know. i'll give this a try later when i'm at home! dont think my office mates would approve of me blasting Bad Religion in the office just to test my speakers...

 

I tried blingers steps. The on-board internal speakers work, but the external audio does not. (I do not have Creative Soundblaster, just WavesMaaxAudio .)

Perhaps I did not disable WavesMaaxAudio the same way you did. In the WavesMaaxAudio window(s), I toggled everything to Off.

 

toronto were you playing audio while going through the steps? the maxxaudio will be disabled anyway when you plug in the rear speakers (maxxaudio only supports stereo).

otherwise i guess the soundblaster drivers/software is required to do this.

 

following your steps above, I am able to get the Windows speaker configuration test to work, but my 5.1 DTS Serenity Bluray movie didn't play through the speakers plugged in through the SPDIF port.

ideas?

 

hmm i guess you need the soundblaster x-fi software. Im sure there are free alternatives to the X-Fi software to make it work.

i notice that i have to redo the above steps every time i unplug and plug in the rear speakers so check that they are set right.

 

I tried the steps but they didn't work. It only works when going through the tests but after I'm through and finish everything, I start my audio program and it doesn't work.

 

Sorry, what I meant was that I was able to get all 4 speakers to work, but only during the Windows speaker test (quadrophic speaker setup). I could not get my blurays to output to quad via PowerDVD (using the 5.1 DTS speaker setup). My best guess is a software compatibility problem with PowerDVD, but I'm in no hurry

 

OK i just tried playing a bluray movie in powerdvd 9.6 and it plays rear speaker audio through the headphones. in audio settings, keep the speaker environment to "current system settings" and stereo. this is with soundblaster X-Fi OFF. all i can say is keep playing around with the windows speaker settings and restarting powerdvd program and test. otherwise the soundblaster drivers/software is the difference in getting it to work.

maybe try the 5.1 system and uncheck the center and subwoofer speakers?

 

Dell has responded. They say that since the hardware is working as designed. they will not provide a tweak to allow use of laptop speakers and Audio-out jack concurrently.

Anyone here know how to tweak Realtek Audio drivers?
It would be great if a modded driver or software would enable this.

 

I don't have this laptop, but does it have HDMI out? I know I have gotten both to play at the same time in other models using HDMI. If your external receiver can accept HDMI you may be able to do what you want. Sure it is more of a video out port, but it does support up to 8 channels of audio also.

 

Thanks, but HDMI doesn't solve the need of most of us who want this functionality. We want to be able to plug in some small, supplemental speakers into the headphone jack while still hearing the on-board speakers.

 

Anyone here know how to tweak Realtek Audio drivers?

It would be great if a modded driver or software would enable this, to allow use of laptop speakers and Audio-out jack concurrently.