I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using some or
all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell Windows
desktop. The PC sound system is a Dell unit containing a sub woofer, and
there are two standalone speakers.
Is somehow switching the sound source from one computer to the other
feasible? Analagous to the way I use a switch to share the monitor,
keyboard and mouse perhaps.
Any thoughts appreciated. B

--
_____________________________________________________________________

Brian Jordan
RISC OS 5.28 on Raspberry Pi _____________________________________________________________________

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <58e605e895brian.jordan9@btinternet.com>,
Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using some or
all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell Windows
desktop. The PC sound system is a Dell unit containing a sub woofer, and there are two standalone speakers.
Is somehow switching the sound source from one computer to the other feasible? Analagous to the way I use a switch to share the monitor,
keyboard and mouse perhaps.
Any thoughts appreciated. B

My KVM switch does audio too. But I've wired up the external sound system
via two pots - one for the PC, one for the RPC, so both are live at all
times (unless I turn down one of the pots). Allowing alarms from Organizer always to be heard.

--
*I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using some or
all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell Windows
desktop. The PC sound system is a Dell unit containing a sub woofer, and there are two standalone speakers.
Is somehow switching the sound source from one computer to the other feasible? Analagous to the way I use a switch to share the monitor,
keyboard and mouse perhaps.

How are you connecting the monitor?

The analogue sound output on the Pi is ropey - the HDMI audio is better.
Does that work on your monitor?

If your monitor takes in HDMI, it may have an output that's able to drive
your speaker system (although more common on TVs). Failing that there are gadgets that can split off HDMI audio.

Or did you want both PC and Pi playing audio at the same time? If you don't have two speakers that suggests some kind of mixer.

Theo

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In article <58e66a1b3ddave@davenoise.co.uk>, Dave Plowman (News) <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <58e605e895brian.jordan9@btinternet.com>, Brian Jordan
<brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using
some or all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell
Windows desktop. The PC sound system is a Dell unit containing a sub woofer, and there are two standalone speakers. Is somehow switching
the sound source from one computer to the other feasible? Analagous
to the way I use a switch to share the monitor, keyboard and mouse
perhaps. Any thoughts appreciated. B

My KVM switch does audio too. But I've wired up the external sound
system via two pots - one for the PC, one for the RPC, so both are live
at all times (unless I turn down one of the pots). Allowing alarms from Organizer always to be heard.

Likewise with the 'always on' option but my background dictates that I
have to do this sort of thing properly. ;-) The fixed devices in the
office go through a sixteen channel rack mixer and a 50W + 50W stereo
amplifier into four speakers.

In Brian's case, where he talks of a sound system already connected to
his PC I would feed the Pi into an input on the sound card or motherboard
and use the PC's own mixer. He'll need to explore and find which socket
is an input; line-in is usually blue and on most motherboards. That's
assuming it's always on and that Dell hasn't kiboshed any idea of having
a line-in of course. Look in the PC's Control Panel > Sound > Recording
and it will usually show vacant and occupied micro jack inputs.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <58e66a1b3ddave@davenoise.co.uk>,
Dave Plowman (News) <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <58e605e895brian.jordan9@btinternet.com>,
Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using
some or all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell
Windows desktop.

[Snip]

My KVM switch does audio too. But I've wired up the external sound
system via two pots - one for the PC, one for the RPC, so both are live
at all times (unless I turn down one of the pots). Allowing alarms from Organizer always to be heard.

Thanks, I'll investigate this route. Funnily enough, it was trying to
find a way to hear alarms that started me thinking about this.
Thanks too to Tim and Theo for their comments.
B

--
_____________________________________________________________________

Brian Jordan
RISC OS 5.28 on Raspberry Pi _____________________________________________________________________

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

In article <58e605e895brian.jordan9@btinternet.com>, Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using some
or all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell Windows desktop. The PC sound system is a Dell unit containing a sub woofer, and there are two standalone speakers. Is somehow switching the sound source
from one computer to the other feasible? Analagous to the way I use a
switch to share the monitor, keyboard and mouse perhaps. Any thoughts appreciated. B

You don't make clear how you currently connect your "Dell unit" to feed it audio from your 'PC'. e.g. Is this an analogue or a digital link?

In both cases, cheap switches are available from people like CPC/Farnell.

If you're outputting digital (or USB) from both machines, then you can also easily get a USB DAC to accept a choice of inputs and feed analogue out.

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me. Electronics https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/intro/electron.htm
biog http://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/history/ups_and_downs.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <58e6ef9f12dave@davenoise.co.uk>, Dave Plowman (News) <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <58e6e6132abrian.jordan9@btinternet.com>, Brian Jordan
<brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

In article <58e66a1b3ddave@davenoise.co.uk>, Dave Plowman (News)
<dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <58e605e895brian.jordan9@btinternet.com>, Brian Jordan
<brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using
some or all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell Windows desktop.

[Snip]

My KVM switch does audio too. But I've wired up the external sound
system via two pots - one for the PC, one for the RPC, so both are
live at all times (unless I turn down one of the pots). Allowing
alarms from Organizer always to be heard.

Thanks, I'll investigate this route. Funnily enough, it was trying to
find a way to hear alarms that started me thinking about this. Thanks
too to Tim and Theo for their comments.

I made up a small box containing the two pots and fitted it in a
convenient place. Set things so normal is about half way. Allowing easy lifting the level for quiet stuff - and much quicker than delving into software. My external sound system had plenty spare gain, so a passive
unit did all that was required. Would add it is monitoring only - if I
want a high quality signal for other uses I take it from the proper
outputs for that.

I'd say most computers still have an analogue output to drive headphones.
Or rather all mine do.

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is connected.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

In article <58e6e6132abrian.jordan9@btinternet.com>,
Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

In article <58e66a1b3ddave@davenoise.co.uk>,
Dave Plowman (News) <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <58e605e895brian.jordan9@btinternet.com>,
Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9@btinternet.com> wrote:

I'm interested in getting sound output from my RPi, ideally using
some or all of the hardware sitting on my desk connected to my Dell Windows desktop.

[Snip]

My KVM switch does audio too. But I've wired up the external sound
system via two pots - one for the PC, one for the RPC, so both are live
at all times (unless I turn down one of the pots). Allowing alarms from Organizer always to be heard.

Thanks, I'll investigate this route. Funnily enough, it was trying to
find a way to hear alarms that started me thinking about this.
Thanks too to Tim and Theo for their comments.

I made up a small box containing the two pots and fitted it in a
convenient place. Set things so normal is about half way. Allowing easy
lifting the level for quiet stuff - and much quicker than delving into software. My external sound system had plenty spare gain, so a passive
unit did all that was required. Would add it is monitoring only - if I
want a high quality signal for other uses I take it from the proper
outputs for that.

I'd say most computers still have an analogue output to drive headphones.
Or rather all mine do.

--
*I like cats, too. Let's exchange recipes.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

In article <Xjr*yOU+x@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

[Snip]

If your monitor takes in HDMI, it may have an output that's able to
drive your speaker system (although more common on TVs). Failing that
there are gadgets that can split off HDMI audio.

Yes HDMI input from the Pi but I don't think there is any audo output,
I'll take a look though... Oh, there is, and a solution to my problem
begins to show itself, thanks.

Doesn't it get dusty around there!

[Snip]
B

--
_____________________________________________________________________

Brian Jordan
RISC OS 5.28 on Raspberry Pi _____________________________________________________________________

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <58e6f0d625charles@candehope.me.uk>, charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is
connected.

Just discovered that to be the case on my partner's laptop when trying to
use an external monitor, HDMI being the only monitor output available and
the monitor not having internal speakers.

Any ideas gratefully received!

Alan

--
Alan Calder, Milton Keynes, UK.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <58e6f5a177alancalder.8@btinternet.com>,
Alan Calder BT <alancalder.8@btinternet.com> wrote:

In article <58e6f0d625charles@candehope.me.uk>, charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is connected.

Just discovered that to be the case on my partner's laptop when trying to
use an external monitor, HDMI being the only monitor output available and
the monitor not having internal speakers.

Any ideas gratefully received!

From eBay. a little unit HDMI in : HDMI and (in my case) optical sound out.
You can get them with 3.5mm jack out instead.

Alan

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

In article <58e6fc322bcharles@candehope.me.uk>,
charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

In article <58e6f5a177alancalder.8@btinternet.com>,
Alan Calder BT <alancalder.8@btinternet.com> wrote:

In article <58e6f0d625charles@candehope.me.uk>, charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is connected.

Just discovered that to be the case on my partner's laptop when trying to use an external monitor, HDMI being the only monitor output available and the monitor not having internal speakers.

Any ideas gratefully received!

From eBay. a little unit HDMI in : HDMI and (in my case) optical sound out. You can get them with 3.5mm jack out instead.

Thanks! I'll have search.

Alan

--
Alan Calder, Milton Keynes, UK.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

In article <58e6f0d625charles@candehope.me.uk>,
charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is
connected.

On mine this happens too. But you can reselect the headphone output if
needed, while leaving the HDMI video. Discovered all this playing around
with Zoom meetings.

--
*A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it uses up a thousand times more memory.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

In article <58e6f0d625charles@candehope.me.uk>,
charles <charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is
connected.

On my W7 desktop there are options to set the default sound output. I was recently trying to figure out why I had no sound when watching iplayer and
it turned out default sound output was not set to HDMI.

--
Stuart Winsor

Tools With A Mission
sending tools across the world
http://www.twam.co.uk/

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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In article <58e7084781dave@davenoise.co.uk>, Dave Plowman (News) <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <58e6f0d625charles@candehope.me.uk>, charles
<charles@candehope.me.uk> wrote:

on my W10 laptop, the headphone audio is muted if an HDMI lead is connected.

On mine this happens too. But you can reselect the headphone output if needed, while leaving the HDMI video. Discovered all this playing
around with Zoom meetings.

Oh, the sweet irony that my Pi3 is driving an HDMI monitor while
providing analogue sound so I judge it better than a W10 laptop, then!
;-D

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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