Steam causing audio problems?

[Pooka Mustard]

I have Steam, with a couple 3 games provided (Red Faction, Codename Gordon and Spiral Knights), and I enjoy it, but my bro is arguing that Steam caused audio problems, and he says that he stayed 2 hours fixing the audio.

 

I have noticed one, but it was as long as Steam was open, though. There was a headphone connected, but Windows didn't recognize it that it didn't work, until I exited Steam. But I remember that I opened Red Faction before and left Steam, and the headphones were working at this moment, so what's the problem? And what does Steam changes in the audio that bro had to deal with the audio?

 

 

My computer specs is in my sig.

[Waste]

Are you using your onboard soundcard or something else?

Exact model/make of your soundcard would helpif you aren't using onboard.

 

Otherwise I've personally never had issues with Steam messing with my sound at all.

[Pooka Mustard]

 

Are you using your onboard soundcard or something else?

Exact model/make of your soundcard would helpif you aren't using onboard.

 

Otherwise I've personally never had issues with Steam messing with my sound at all.

What do you mean with onboard sound card?

The in-built sound card?

 

I haven't changed a part since my Dell Inspiron N5010 was gifted to me, and the specs are down there.. But how to get the sound card specs? In correct form..

[Wolf68k]

I'm confused.

So you're saying that with Steam running, when you plug your headphones in Windows doesn't see they are plugged in and switch from using the laptop's build in speakers to using the headphones?

 

[Pooka Mustard]

I'm confused.

So you're saying that with Steam running, when you plug your headphones in Windows doesn't see they are plugged in and switch from using the laptop's build in speakers to using the headphones?

Steam used the headphones for Red Faction BEFORE Windows didn't see my headphones. Two different events I mean.

 

But the problem is that bro, like I said before, said that he spent two hours fixing the audio, and tells me not to open it. And I have the in-built card that came with the laptop until now. That's what I meant to.

 

I didn't do a single change to my laptop since it was gifted, no new graphics card or sounds card..

 

I finally got my sounds card name from Dell Support Center. I have two devices, IDT High Definition Audio CODEC, and Intel® Display Audio.

[Wolf68k]

The Display Audio is for the HDMI port I'm pretty much assuming you have.

The HDA is the normal sound.

 

I'm still a bit confused. So let's try this another way.

While not in-game, or even just Steam, Windows does not see your headphones are connected? Yes or no?

But when Steam/Red Faction is running it switches your speaker audio to headphone audio?

[Pooka Mustard]

 

The Display Audio is for the HDMI port I'm pretty much assuming you have.

The HDA is the normal sound.

 

I'm still a bit confused. So let's try this another way.

While not in-game, or even just Steam, Windows does not see your headphones are connected? Yes or no?

But when Steam/Red Faction is running it switches your speaker audio to headphone audio?

Ok, let me answer your question.

 

 

While not in-game, or even just Steam, Windows does not see your headphones are connected? Yes or no?

 

Yes, it didn't see the headphones while Steam was running, until I quit Steam, which I left accidently at that moment.

 

 

But when Steam/Red Faction is running it switches your speaker audio to headphone audio?

 

I had headphone audio when I was runinng Red Faction before that problem appeared. After I noticed the problem, I didn't insert a headphone, and neither did I played RF after it (Minecraft?).

 

 

 

But to make sure you understand the story, Windows seen the headphone while both Steam and RF was running BEFORE, and I'll repeat it again, BEFORE that problem appeared, so it could be a new bug or not. I have been noticing that Steam brings me in common manner, a "Steam Updating" window, sometimes before logging in, so could be the updates being the problem?

 

 

I hope you're still not confused until now, and I hope you understand the story from beginning to end, cause if you are still confused.....

Edited June 30, 2011 by Diego "DM" Mendez

[Wolf68k]

My confusion is that Steam or any other program should be affecting the sound card. The only thing that should be changing when it uses speakers or headphones on that laptop is when you plug a headphone in.

The only other thing I can thing of to try is to look to see what the audio setting is for the game. Maybe there's one that says headphones, but I don't see why or how that would matter. It could say 5.1 but on that laptop it'll still only do stereo sound.

[Pooka Mustard]

My confusion is that Steam or any other program should be affecting the sound card. The only thing that should be changing when it uses speakers or headphones on that laptop is when you plug a headphone in.

The only other thing I can thing of to try is to look to see what the audio setting is for the game. Maybe there's one that says headphones, but I don't see why or how that would matter. It could say 5.1 but on that laptop it'll still only do stereo sound.

I didn't understand the 5.1 part... And is stereo sound is speaker sounds?

[Wolf68k]

Stereo means 2 channel audio, be it 2 speakers or a set of headphones.

If a game or movie has a setting for 5.1 but you only have 2 speakers then the audio will only come out of those 2 speakers. Think about when you want a DVD on your TV and you don't have a home theater system. 99% of all DVDs, and Blu-rays, the default audio setting on the disc is to use 5.1/surround sound but your TV only had 2 speakers at the most and yet you still hear everything.

Some games, although rare these days, have a setting within the game to use 2 speakers, headphones, 4 speakers and so on. Most games these days just use whatever the OS is set to use so the audio setting is more of an override to turn off the surround sound and just use stereo or a setting as to how much more to enhance the surround sound you're already set to use according to the OS.

 

You're problem has me completely stumped as to what would cause that to happen. If it's fixed after whatever your brother did then great, and I'm not completely sure why you made the topic in the first place. If it's not then the only thing I can think of is to make sure the audio drivers are as up to date as they can be and for that go to Intel's website and the drivers from there because one's at Dell are going to be older and possibly never updated since the laptop was released.

[Pooka Mustard]

I can't find any driver version newer than mine (6.10.0.6289). There were something like 6.10.5541.0 but for some reason this driver is older than mine (my driver has been released in 2010, while that driver has been released in 2007)..

 

And I'm too lazy to check Intel's website now. I'll go see later.

[Wolf68k]

IDT isn't part of Intel, they are their own company. Sorry.

And they have no drivers on their website, which is stupid. So you're stuck with whatever Dell puts out.

 

 

Now the Intel® Display Audio is part of the display drivers and that you can update through Intel but that won't fix the problem since like I said before; that's for the HDMI port.

[Pooka Mustard]

But I saw some drivers for IDT for download on other websites. I should re-install the same version.