Laptop Audio Issue

[Solid Snake]

...Whether I'm using headphones or speakers, my laptop is presently recognizing all audio output from my computer as "Communications Headphones" as opposed to "Speakers and Headphones", which is messin' with my audio quality generally. I'm using the same audio plugin port I've used for "speakers and headphones" previously.

I can't figure out how to force my computer to recognize that audio output from iTunes and Youtube is, in fact, "Speakers and Headphones" and not "Communications Headphones."

[Nikose Tyris]

Which OS you usin'? I got a few thoughts but I don't want to assume you're on 7 when you might be on 8.

[Solid Snake]

I'm on Windows 7.
...And just confirmed, even without a headphone or a speaker plugged into that port, that when I initiate any audio whatsoever the computer is auto-recognizing it as "Communications Headphones" audio.

[Nikose Tyris]

right click on your audio icon, next to the time on the taskbar; Select "Playback Devices".

Can you please confirm for me what options are listed?

[Solid Snake]

Just two:

"Speakers and Headphones
IDT High Definition Audio Codec"

"Communications Headphones
IDT High Definition Audio Codec"

Usually, when I play sound on my computer, the "Speakers and Headphones" fluctuates as volume increases / decreases.

I'm not even sure whether "Communications Headphones" has even appeared as an option before. Now it's behaving as if it's the default output, even though "Speakers and Headphones" is still listed as the default.

[Nikose Tyris]

Can you please right click on "Communications Headphones" and select to disable? Tell me if the issue continues or if it corrects itself.

I would also recommend changing the default to communications headphones, and then back.

[Solid Snake]

Can you please right click on "Communications Headphones" and select to disable? Tell me if the issue continues or if it corrects itself.

I would also recommend changing the default to communications headphones, and then back.

When "Communications Headphones" are disabled, sound simply does not go through "Speakers and Headphones." If I play an audio file, "Speakers and Headphones" remains unresponsive, as if it's not recognizing that I'm trying to play sound. The moment I re-enable "Communications Headphones," the green bar comes back there, it recognizes sound output, and sound begins to play -- but the sound is categorized under "Communications Headphones".

I can set "Communications Headphones" as my "Default Communications Device," but not my "Default Device." Whether or not I do so has no effect.

[Solid Snake]

...Well, wait: Audio works under "Communications Headphones" with Google Chrome, but...iTunes now isn't working at all. Won't even attempt to play music. I press the "Play" button and nothing happens.

It's like my computer is literally being fooled into believing it lacks any audio output capacity.

...Heh. Okay.

[Nikose Tyris]

What happens if you select "Test" for your "Speakers and Headphones" while you have "Communications Headphones" disabled?

[Nikose Tyris]

(Based on that, I am beginning to suspect the issue isn't so much with 'audio' so much as possibly a system intrusion/trojan)

[Solid Snake]

What happens if you select "Test" for your "Speakers and Headphones" while you have "Communications Headphones" disabled?

Immediate message: "Failed to play test tone."
(And then after I press "Okay" it...played the test tone? What the hell? Let me try that again.)

...Yup! It did it again. Even moved the "Speakers and Headphones" up a single notch with that green -- I don't know what they call it -- "Sound output recognition" thing.

So the computer can play audio, it just...doesn't want to?

[synkr0nized]

edit: OK so a couple posts were made while I made this one, and it really does sound like shitty drivers.


did some poking around the Interbutts

It reads, to me, like the IDT drivers are kind of rubbish, from not really allowing proper control over what is normal vs. communications to seemingly ignoring changes regarding using communications devices.

This isn't exactly the same issue [user here has sounds sometimes diverted to speakers], but it might be a helpful step in troubleshooting. (http://superuser.com/questions/193197/sound-card-is-switching-output-headphones-speakers)

You may simply get away with disabling "communications devices" in SKYPE and Gtalk and whatnot, which should remove that as an option in your sound preferences. But if you ever wanted your SKYPE chats and the like to be filtered to a different sound device, this isn't a good solution.

A suggestion I read was to try to do an update/repair of the IDT drivers from whomever is the manufacturer of your laptop. OR, more drastically, just remove them and let Windows use its own default drivers (http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-PC-Sound-and-Audio-Reply/Cannot-set-headphones-as-default-playback/td-p/224580), as users in this thread appear to have done with success.

I wouldn't do that if you didn't know you could re-install them, though.


I have a default device and default communications device set up, but I also have two separate sound cards. And this is a desktop I built, so I had more control. In any case, what you describe does really sound to me like poor drivers, as indicated by it failing to let you use "default audio device" and forcing the "default communications device" settings.



edit2: A trojan or intrusion? Really? Like, what makes you jump to that conclusion, Nikose?

[Solid Snake]

I haven't downloaded Skype or Gtalk on this computer, so I'm not sure where exactly this "Communication Device" prompt originated from. I know that merely disabling "Communication Devices" from the Sound panel doesn't accomplish anything.

I'm running full system scans of all my anti-Spyware stuff and they aren't catching anything.

[Solid Snake]

Well, the more I play around with the computer the more I'm realizing that this problem doesn't appear to be so much a matter of misidentifying codecs but more a matter of the audio just plain not working properly.

The "Communications Headphone" workaround solution works only with Google Chrome, for some reason.
There's no similar workaround for iTunes, video games or other sources of sound.

So I just have no idea why sound isn't playing. It's definitely not a problem with speakers or headphones because regardless of what's plugged in the computer's not recognizing any attempts to play sound at all.

[Solid Snake]

...Well, whaddya know. Nik was right for a change.

(The problem has been at least temporarily resolved)

[Nikose Tyris]

@Synk: I usually get a gut instinct on what I think is the problem, and try and eliminate it as a possibility. A trojan is equally likely to a corrupted driver, but... when I see corrupted drivers, it's usually a sign that there's something else wrong in the system that needs addressing, like failing hardware.

And I try and go through the least expensive/time consuming checks/fixes first. *shrug* Apologies for vanishing, I had to say goodbye to my best friend at the airport.