jedmeister wrote:
> My parents have skype, and a USB headset. They sometimes unplug the headset
> because when it is plugged in the audio CD's don't come through the computer
> speakers.
>
> I assume the audio CD was not playing because the player software they use
> is configured to play through the usb headset. I can change the media
> settings to go through the main speakers OK.
>
> However, I would like a way to lock the audio settings such that when the
> usb headset is in, the audio settings for skype/other programs that use
> audio remember the 'headset plugged-in' settings.
>
> Then, if the headset is unplugged, I want the audio settings to switch to
> the 'headset-unplugged' settings.
>
> I'm tired of typing instructions to my parents on how to configure their
> audio settings each time I call them on skype.
>
>
Ahaa...
I had exactly the same problems with USB headsets.
AFAIK, Skype actually does things okay, as of course does WMP 10. For
example, play a media file / CD etc through headphones via Windows Media
Player, and if you unplug the headphones, Media player intercepts the
event, and after a short delay it should redirect output via the other
soundcard. But other applications (including Winamp) will crash
seriously, and fill your screen up with never-ending error messages.
Normally, once an application is up and running, then it will play
through the one device, and if you change the default device via "audio
properties" , it will not play through the new device until the program
is started again.
I couldn't find any application to help, so I have made one - as
explained below:
Runs in background - if only one sound output device is present.
If a USB headset (or other USB sound device) is plugged in, it will
detect it, and an icon appears in the system tray. Hover mouse over the
icon, and name of current selected device is displayed. Right-click,
and both (or more if there are more than two sound devices on the
system) are displayed - you can quickly change the default output device
from the menu. Double-click, or select "settings..." to enable/disable
application starting on user login, enable/disable playing of a sound on
the "new" card when device is changed by user...
Unplug the second device (USB headset), and the icon disappears until
you plug it in again. Application runs in the background, using minimal
resources. It doesn't do anything that you can't do via the Audio
properties dialogs (except play a test sound if you want), but is much
easier to get at.
You can play different media through both devices simultaneously by
switching default devices. For example, you can have winamp playing
though your speakers, while you talk on Skype on your headphones (why
you may want to do this is another question) In testing some code, I
also forced simultaneous output through both devices at the same time,
but sound quality was very poor. It would however be easy to do via a
USB soundcard with line out or line in connection. But I want to keep
the application simple, so maybe not.
You can download this program from here:
http://www.geocities.com/angels2000photos/setup.zip (~400kb)
(contains "setup.exe" Windows installer)
I am working on options for simple access to mute/unmute both sound
devices. As it is with windows, if one device is muted, and the other
unmuted, then there are some problems with the "volume control" system
tray icon displaying the wrong icon, and in any case it is a pain in the
.... unmuting a non "default" device. I can add to it so that if a USB
headset is plugged in, it will automatically switch to that device, and
when it is unplugged, it will properly change the default device back to
the main soundcard. But remember, if an application is initialised with
one soundcard set as default, there is nothing that you can do to change
it (with the rare exception of a few programs that allow this) except by
closing and restarting the application.
If you try the program, please let me know if it does what you want, and
any suggestions to improve it.
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