Realtek Digital Output Error

[JTD777]

Hello,
I just finished my awesome computer build and am having one issue. My ASRock z77 Extreme 4 motherboard uses Real=tek audio manager, and I cannot set up my speakers properly. I want to be able to use both a set of Turtle Beach Headphones and a Corsair SP2500 sound system with my build. The Realtek device manager is saying that I have a DIgital Output device connected when none is. How to I fix that? I only ask because when I hook my speakers and headset up there are too many options for speakers in the menu and gets confusing.

Thanks
-JT

 

[Pinhedd]

Hello,
I just finished my awesome computer build and am having one issue. My ASRock z77 Extreme 4 motherboard uses Real=tek audio manager, and I cannot set up my speakers properly. I want to be able to use both a set of Turtle Beach Headphones and a Corsair SP2500 sound system with my build. The Realtek device manager is saying that I have a DIgital Output device connected when none is. How to I fix that? I only ask because when I hook my speakers and headset up there are too many options for speakers in the menu and gets confusing.

Thanks
-JT

The digital output that you are seeing is the optical S/PDIF connector, usually on the back panel somewhere. Optical connectors have no feedback mechanism which means that there's no way for a device to tell whether or not an optical cable is connected. As a result, it will always appear as being connected; this is standard behaviour and you can safely ignore it.

Using your headphones and your 2.1 speaker system is fine, but you may have a hard time using them both at once. Some codecs support separate front panel and back panel audio sources, while others simply shunt the front panel with the left/right channel on the back panel.

If they are treated as separate sources (unlikely with Realtek codecs, but some Creative Labs cards do support this), then you can simply plug your headset into the front panel and your speakers into the back. Finally, select which one you would like to use either in game (if supported) or by setting it as the default in the Windows playback devices.

If they are not treated as separate sources, you can try connecting them both at once, and simply turn off the Corsair system when you don't want to use it, and disconnect your headphones when you don't want to use those. If both are connected simultaneously you may experience a slight decrease in audio quality.

 

[JTD777]

The digital output that you are seeing is the optical S/PDIF connector, usually on the back panel somewhere. Optical connectors have no feedback mechanism which means that there's no way for a device to tell whether or not an optical cable is connected. As a result, it will always appear as being connected; this is standard behaviour and you can safely ignore it.

Using your headphones and your 2.1 speaker system is fine, but you may have a hard time using them both at once. Some codecs support separate front panel and back panel audio sources, while others simply shunt the front panel with the left/right channel on the back panel.

If they are treated as separate sources (unlikely with Realtek codecs, but some Creative Labs cards do support this), then you can simply plug your headset into the front panel and your speakers into the back. Finally, select which one you would like to use either in game (if supported) or by setting it as the default in the Windows playback devices.

If they are not treated as separate sources, you can try connecting them both at once, and simply turn off the Corsair system when you don't want to use it, and disconnect your headphones when you don't want to use those. If both are connected simultaneously you may experience a slight decrease in audio quality.

Thank you much for getting back to me so fast. The codec that I have will support both at once, with different streams. Another issue that I get is that my turtle beaches have slight feedback when plugged into the back and a high pitched whine in the front (I think this is caused by the USB and Jack sharing a ground). How can I eliminate this?

 

[Pinhedd]

The digital output that you are seeing is the optical S/PDIF connector, usually on the back panel somewhere. Optical connectors have no feedback mechanism which means that there's no way for a device to tell whether or not an optical cable is connected. As a result, it will always appear as being connected; this is standard behaviour and you can safely ignore it.

Using your headphones and your 2.1 speaker system is fine, but you may have a hard time using them both at once. Some codecs support separate front panel and back panel audio sources, while others simply shunt the front panel with the left/right channel on the back panel.

If they are treated as separate sources (unlikely with Realtek codecs, but some Creative Labs cards do support this), then you can simply plug your headset into the front panel and your speakers into the back. Finally, select which one you would like to use either in game (if supported) or by setting it as the default in the Windows playback devices.

If they are not treated as separate sources, you can try connecting them both at once, and simply turn off the Corsair system when you don't want to use it, and disconnect your headphones when you don't want to use those. If both are connected simultaneously you may experience a slight decrease in audio quality.

Thank you much for getting back to me so fast. The codec that I have will support both at once, with different streams. Another issue that I get is that my turtle beaches have slight feedback when plugged into the back and a high pitched whine in the front (I think this is caused by the USB and Jack sharing a ground). How can I eliminate this?

That is indeed the cause and I have experienced as much myself. I had one case where I had to insert a plastic splint to force the plastic header and metal case frame apart a little bit. It may be hard to do.