Solving the Simultaneous Audio Problem

Back in July I posted about my new Kitchen PC an sound system. At its heart is a (Red) Dell ZPS One, now running Windows 7.

The challenge I had was that I could not simultaneously drive the XPS One speakers and drive the external stereo system for the kitchen at the same time. 

I was using a USB to audio peripheral to connect to the stereo as an RCA L/R audio jack, but the system would only let me select one audio output device – the USB port or the internal sound system.

Therefore, you would have to go through this jumbly right click, change default audio scheme every time you wanted to play the PC through the stereo speakers in the ceiling of the kitchen – not good!

I came up with a solution, more of a hack, that gets me what I need. I ran a headphone jack audio line out from the back of the XPS One and I split it with an adapter. One one leg I connected a simply PC speaker (powered, not battery operated) and placed that behind the XPS One. On the other leg I ran the the cable to the stereo.

Now, the PC has audio all the time through the speaker behind the screen, and you can simultaneously drive that audio through the stereo by simply turning in the stereo. Not ideal, which I think could still be done by software, but at least it’s simple for the user (my family).

Comments

[dell xps batteries]

"I came up with a solution, more of a hack, that gets me what I need. I ran a headphone jack audio line out from the back of the XPS One and I split it with an adapter. One one leg I connected a simply PC speaker (powered, not battery operated) and placed that behind the XPS One. On the other leg I ran the the cable to the stereo." That's a good idea! I also have the same problem and have no idea, thank you for sharing!

[Audio Speakers]

play the PC through the stereo speakers in the ceiling of the kitchen – not good!