Windows Enabling nVidia Sound

[-=HipKat=-]

Right now, I have 2 monitors connected via HDMI to the 2 HDMI outputs on my nVidia 1080 GPU using Realteck Digital Audio output via SPDIF/Optical out on the MB to a Polk Audio 5.1 Surround Sound system. If I  try to switch my Audio to nVidia, I get no sound, so what am I doing wrong? Or is the what I have now better?

[MikeSlayer]

HDMI > Optical   more bandwidth and more supported multi channel audio codecs

 

How new is the polk audio system?

does it have hdmi inputs, if so does it have hdmi pass through https://www.samsung.com/au/support/tv-audio-video/what-is-hdmi-pass-through/ if it does then you can continue to run 2 monitors and the sound otherwise you may have to sacrifice one of the monitors to output the sound through the graphics card and out second hdmi port into your polk audio

[-=HipKat=-]

2 hours ago, MikeSlayer said:

HDMI > Optical   more bandwidth and more supported multi channel audio codecs

 

How new is the polk audio system?

does it have hdmi inputs, if so does it have hdmi pass through https://www.samsung.com/au/support/tv-audio-video/what-is-hdmi-pass-through/ if it does then you can continue to run 2 monitors and the sound otherwise you may have to sacrifice one of the monitors to output the sound through the graphics card and out second hdmi port into your polk audio

I wish. The only inputs are optical and Analogue. It's about 3 yrs old, but I thought I had read that the nVidia would use the onboard audio outputs, too. Maybe not

[MikeSlayer]

Optical is still superb quality and if you mostly listen to stereo music its fine hdmi is only really required for a home theatre set up

[DoubleDragon]

you might need a audio converter for Toslink Optical cable connection

 

even tho it has HDMI ports the audio codecs wouldn't match I don't think

[DoubleDragon]

something like this maybe https://www.amazon.com/LinkS-Extractor-Splitter-Converter-Chromecast/dp/B00XJITK7E/ref=asc_df_B00XJITK7E/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194017009123&hvpos=1o22&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13239598099124705111&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010558&hvtargid=pla-315259832393&psc=1

[-=HipKat=-]

8 hours ago, MikeSlayer said:

Optical is still superb quality and if you mostly listen to stereo music its fine hdmi is only really required for a home theatre set up

Optical is fine, but for the Computer I built and the surround system, I'd like to take advantage of 5.1 sound, if I can

[-=HipKat=-]

7 hours ago, DoubleDragon said:

something like this maybe https://www.amazon.com/LinkS-Extractor-Splitter-Converter-Chromecast/dp/B00XJITK7E/ref=asc_df_B00XJITK7E/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194017009123&hvpos=1o22&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13239598099124705111&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010558&hvtargid=pla-315259832393&psc=1

That's cool. For $21, I might get that and play with it

[-=HipKat=-]

 Do you think it’s possible I may not have something plugged in right on time other board? Because when I go to windows audio settings and I have something like music playing, the Nvidia HDMI setting shows the green light meter moving up and down, but if I try to use that device, I get no sound. In the old days , There was a cable that connected the GPU to an SPDIF pin on the motherboard.

 

I’ll look at it when I get home from work, but if somebody wants to research it, In the meantime, I have an ASUS Maximus X Hero motherboard

[Snuffs99]

When you say use the "Nvidia sound" surely that can only be sent through the HDMI? its like that on mine at least in which case you cant send it elsewhere other than through the HDMI cables in which case your stuck with the mobo sound outputs??

Even though it will show green bars in the sound settings when you switch to it it will still only ever be through the HDMI(s).

 

And no you certainly should not need a cable from the Gfx card to the mobo or vice versa, that is the ancient way of doing things like when you had to connect to the back of a CD/DVD ROM etc to get sound in win 95/98 etc.

[DoubleDragon]

May have to turn exclusive mode off https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/coreaudio/exclusive-mode-streams

 

Disable all enhancements

 

set the gpu to default device which it probably is

 

that is all you should need to do

 

WASAPI in to SPDIF out on Microsoft has nothing on windows 10 even tho Windows 7 is supported with its own definition

 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/coreaudio/device-formats

 

Also you can check in the device it self in properties it should look like this if your connected through a HDMI cable you can click on Supported Formats to see if the device is supported and read for instance one of  my TVs is displayed in this test NS-32D311NA17  

[-=HipKat=-]

3 hours ago, Snuffs99 said:

When you say use the "Nvidia sound" surely that can only be sent through the HDMI? its like that on mine at least in which case you cant send it elsewhere other than through the HDMI cables in which case your stuck with the mobo sound outputs??

Even though it will show green bars in the sound settings when you switch to it it will still only ever be through the HDMI(s).

 

And no you certainly should not need a cable from the Gfx card to the mobo or vice versa, that is the ancient way of doing things like when you had to connect to the back of a CD/DVD ROM etc to get sound in win 95/98 etc.

Which makes sense....