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.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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.