Setting Steam Games to Output Audio to Headphones Rather Than Speakers

[xTheDarkChemist]

I'm trying to figure out how to setup my computer to where I can have the audio coming from my games go into my headphones, while all other audio goes through my speakers. My girlfriend sometimes uses my left monitor to watch tv/movies (especially on the weekends), and I'm trying to be able to use my right monitor to play my pc games while she's using the other monitor, without having to play my games without sound (which is dumb) or only being able to choose from my console games.

If any of y'all know of a way to set this up, please let me know, as it's frustrating to want to play a computer game, but my girlfriend wants to watch tv and I basically have to give up the option of playing my pc games.

Thanks in advance for the help, guys!

[{AMI}SirMisAlot]

depends some games allow you to select the headphones for sound some just use the windows default.if the windows default is the only selection in game then you cant change it.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Most games and apps, u usually will not have such a selection. Such a select in games usually will have no control over how Windows has it setup. Selecting Headphones, 2.1, 5.1 in a game does not change a Windows setting, which is what is really needed to be changed. In game settings just reflect how the playback sounds in-game.

You just have to select your default Playback device in Windows. Or set it up to play out of both, then turn off your Speakers when u want to only use headphones.

[xTheDarkChemist]

Originally posted by Bad-Motha:

Most games and apps, u usually will not have such a selection. Such a select in games usually will have no control over how Windows has it setup. Selecting Headphones, 2.1, 5.1 in a game does not change a Windows setting, which is what is really needed to be changed. In game settings just reflect how the playback sounds in-game.

You just have to select your default Playback device in Windows. Or set it up to play out of both, then turn off your Speakers when u want to only use headphones.

well, the main problem is that I want my speakers and headphones playing sound simulatneously, but I want the game audio to come out of my headphones and the "tv" audio (usually from Windows Media Center or Netflix/HBOGo) to come out of the speakers. so far I've had no luck, but there has to be a solution to this problem; I can't be the only one who shares their dual monitors with someone in this way.

[Kargor]

Well, of the software you want to use, you will need one that allows a selection of output devices. You can make the other the default.

Check the media center settings; for a software like this I would be surprised if it didn't have a audio-device setting somewhere. That way you can set the headphones as default, and instruct the media center to output to the speakers.

[{AMI}SirMisAlot]

do you have another sound card perhaps? you can use 2 sound devices
some games might not like it though

[Satoru]

Windows has a default device option. That's generally what you need to set.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1656534

I use this program to switch between devices via a tray icon

[N3RDG4MER]

Hey, I don't know if you've (the OP) has resolved his problem yet but I may have some helpful input if you haven't. I'm in a similar situation as I like to play music out of my speakers (using iTunes) while playing a game at the same time through my headphones. My speakers going through the normal stereo 3.8 mm output and my headphones go through SPDIF/ Optical Audio Output. The way you accomplish this is by using the windows 'Default Communication Device' and the 'Default Device' function. I don't think Microsoft actually meant these functions to work in the way I've made them work but nevertheless I got them to.
I'll use the OP's situation as an example for this. First you set up your speakers as the 'Default Device' and you start up what ever your girlfriend is using to play the movie. Make sure you get sound from that. Second, you set your headphone output as the 'Default Communication Device'. Third, you set your headphone output to 'Default Device'. Yes, you read that correctly. In other words, your speaker output is no longer marked as anything. Despite this, however, you should still be getting the movie sound coming through your speakers. Now you should get all sound except the movie through your headphones.
It sounds complicated in writing but you'll get quick at it. Unfortunately, you have to do all of this every time your girlfriend wants to watch a movie. If you exit out of the application you began the process with, you will need to set it up again once you re-open it.
In your specific situation, it might be a better long term solution to just use Windows Media Player to play the movie. WMP has a setting in the Tools>Devices(I think) to select an individual sound output for the program. Sorry for the long post but I've been struggling with this for quite a while and wanted to help out others that were in a similar situation. I may make a Youtube video explaining all of this in the near future and I'll post a link to it here when I do for future readers. Happy gaming :)

[GalakFyarr]

Originally posted by CHGamer29528:

Third, you set your headphone output to 'Default Device'.

as soon as I do that, sound immediately stops playing from speakers and everything goes to headphones (like it's supposed to anyway). Not sure what's wrong with your computer if you're able to do that though.

[N3RDG4MER]

What version of windows do you have? This may only work on Windows 8.1, which is what I have.

Originally posted by Galak Fyarr:

Originally posted by CHGamer29528:

Third, you set your headphone output to 'Default Device'.

as soon as I do that, sound immediately stops playing from speakers and everything goes to headphones (like it's supposed to anyway). Not sure what's wrong with your computer if you're able to do that though.

[Safari]

fgdhdfgh

[GalakFyarr]

Ah, I'm on Windows 7

Originally posted by CHGamer29528:

What version of windows do you have? This may only work on Windows 8.1, which is what I have.

Originally posted by Galak Fyarr:

as soon as I do that, sound immediately stops playing from speakers and everything goes to headphones (like it's supposed to anyway). Not sure what's wrong with your computer if you're able to do that though.

[Kargor]

Part of this also depends on the drivers (read: the audio hardware you're using), and the specific settings for these. If you want to play through headphones and speakers at the same time, and both are connected to the same hardware, there needs to be some way to tell the driver that there are two devices -- so it's not like one 4-channel setup, but 2x2 channels.

There's also (usually) a setting that says something like "if you plug in something on the frontpanel audio jack, the rear jacks are muted and sound is redirected".

[I Be A Yeti]

If anyone is actually interested in a solution to this even after the year it has been up, here are a few programs that will do the job;

http://www.chevolume.com/Default.aspx
http://www.indievolume.com/

They willl let you assign what programs to come through whatever output you like, I've mainly used CheVolume and it's very userfriendly!

[JMTAotP]

I just use Skype. It has a setting that Steam should have. I use Turtle Beach XP400 which was originally bought for use on Xbox. When I used them on PC and was using Steam Voice Chat both the sound and voice plays as game audio.

This means when I turned down the "chat volume" on my Turtle Beach it would not turn down their voice like it is supposed to do. Turning down the "game volume" on my Turtle Beach would turn down their voice and the game.

To compensate for this I would have to turn down the audio in the game settings so I could hear peoples voice over the game volume. This was a temporary fix.

Using Skype eliminates this problem completely. It allows my Turtle Beaches to operate as they are supposed to. Voice no longer comes out of my speakers and the chat volume controls the voice and the game volume controls the game audio.

*Note you have to select your headset in the Audio section of the Options menu in Skype.*

P.S. TeamSpeak probably works just as good if not better.

[hazE]

KENDER OS!