Question Windows 10 showing TV as audio device not amp

MasterYoda

Established Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2002
Messages
232
Reaction score
15
Points
101
Age
46
Ok, I’m a bit baffled as to this and suspect either an amp setting I’m being blind to or a HDMI handshake issue.

Up until recently I’ve used an Onkyo 606 amp and it’s been paired with a few generations of HTPCs. When that was plugged in I had all the various TrueHD and other audio tracks passed through to it happily and with no fuss. Windows would show the Onkyo606 as the connected audio device.

Now that amp has gone to the amp graveyard in the sky (ground) and I’ve replaced it with a Sony STR-DN1080. It got great reviews and seemed to tick my boxes. Problem I’ve found is that the device seems to be passing the panasonic TV through to the PC as the audio device and then I get no sound (unless I change sound output to TV+AMP).

ive had a play about with the various HDMI signal pass through options but can’t seem to get it to work. Any ideas as I don’t really want to try the nuclear windows re-install option that some people seem to have tried. Any additional info required just ask.

thanks in advance.
 
Seem to have resolved this - the tv showing as the device seems to be "a thing". That alongside an issue if the devices aren't turned on in the right order seems to have been the problem.

So it doesn't always work - but I do know how to resolve it. Not ideal but I'll live.
 
Seem to have resolved this - the tv showing as the device seems to be "a thing". That alongside an issue if the devices aren't turned on in the right order seems to have been the problem.

So it doesn't always work - but I do know how to resolve it. Not ideal but I'll live.

I'm having the same problem with a Windows 10 HTPC and a STR-DN1080.
So, what was your solution? How do you make sure the HTPC acknowledges the existence of the Sony AVR instead of the TV?
thanks
 
I'm having the same problem with a Windows 10 HTPC and a STR-DN1080.
So, what was your solution? How do you make sure the HTPC acknowledges the existence of the Sony AVR instead of the TV?
thanks
Simply put I stopped overthinking it.

The windows PC does show the device as the TV rather than the amp which is not how my old one worked but it still actually does what it's supposed to. The sound does play through the amp.

I occasionally had issues when it wouldn't and was again overthinking it,if it ever happens now I simply put the amp into standby and bring it back out and the audio usually kicks back in fine. In fact I don't think I've had to do it in months.
 
Ok.
But do you have multichannel audio?
I have audio on the AVR speakers, that's not an issue, but it's 2.0, which makes sense because my TV (the device windows detects) is 2.0. The PC is serving audio to a 2.0 device, the TV, but the AVR grabs it and plays it. I Don't know if the TV also plays the audio because it's muted (will test!).
As a workaround I changed the Windows device to the S/PDIF optical output. Connected the cable, programmed the AVR, but I have no audio, although the Windows graphic bar shows the sound playing.....
 
yeah I get proper surround sound. Have you checked what the audio device properties set to in the status bar? In mine I see the multiple options for surround sound, not just stereo.

I also get proper DTS/Dolby etc sound when the appropriate audio options are configured in my playback app of choice (usually Emby).
 
yeah I get proper surround sound. Have you checked what the audio device properties set to in the status bar? In mine I see the multiple options for surround sound, not just stereo.

I also get proper DTS/Dolby etc sound when the appropriate audio options are configured in my playback app of choice (usually Emby).

In the status bar there are options for 5.1 and 7.1, but they are greyed. In the settings the output device (TV) clearly states maximum 2 channels....
Somehow, I guess my system ends up making more sense..... why would you have access to multichannel setup if no multichannel device was found?
Anyway, I will experiment a bit tonight. Maybe setting the output on the AVR to "Amp only" will prevent Windows to acknowledge the TV. Maybe keeping the TV off will allow Windows to acknowledge the Amp..... maybe..... if you have suggestions I'm all ears....

PS- One interesting thing I noticed when I tried to output S/PDIF from the HTPC, was that somewhere it stated that S/PDIF being output from hdmi (?!?!)..... maybe it is..... maybe it expects me to route the optical cable from the TV back to the amplifier......
 
Last edited:
Ok, I’m a bit baffled as to this and suspect either an amp setting I’m being blind to or a HDMI handshake issue.

Up until recently I’ve used an Onkyo 606 amp and it’s been paired with a few generations of HTPCs. When that was plugged in I had all the various TrueHD and other audio tracks passed through to it happily and with no fuss. Windows would show the Onkyo606 as the connected audio device.

Now that amp has gone to the amp graveyard in the sky (ground) and I’ve replaced it with a Sony STR-DN1080. It got great reviews and seemed to tick my boxes. Problem I’ve found is that the device seems to be passing the panasonic TV through to the PC as the audio device and then I get no sound (unless I change sound output to TV+AMP).

ive had a play about with the various HDMI signal pass through options but can’t seem to get it to work. Any ideas as I don’t really want to try the nuclear windows re-install option that some people seem to have tried. Any additional info required just ask.

thanks in advance.

Solution
Method 1:
By default Windows does not route sound over the HDMI output. To change this we need to change the settings in control panel.

Note: This will turn off sound from the speakers or normal audio output on the laptop. To get that back you will have to reverse this process.

a) Press Windows key + X
b) Click on "Control Panel"
c) With the Control Panel in "Control Panel Home" view please click on "Hardware and Sound"
d) Where it says "Sound" in green letters there are three options below that are in blue click on "Manage Audio Devices"
e) This will bring up a window labeled "Sound"
f) On the "Playback" tab there is listed the sound options available to you. One should read "Digital Output Device (HDMI)" Click on that.
g) There should now be a check mark on that option, make HDMI sound output as default .
h) The Sound should then play through your HDMI hookups to the TV.

Method 2: Update the Sound driver

a) Press Windows key + X key when you are at desktop.
b) Select Device Manager.
c) Double-click Sound driver from the left panel to Update.
d) Right-click the device, and click Update driver Software
e) Windows will prompt you to confirm the device’s removal. Click OK to remove the driver.

Please reboot your computer.

Regards,
Rick Bale
 
Well, I've tried the AVR "Amp only" option for sound output and Windows 10 still can't see my AVR, just the TV or the projector (which, unfortunately also has 2 speakers).
I also tested removing the output device "TV" and start windows without a TV connected to the AVR. When I connect the TV to check what's going on, the output device is the TV again. I had no time to test connecting to Windows with VNC to check what's going on when there's no TV connected to the AVR. I suspect there won't be any DVR either.....

Anyway, I'm beginning to think it might be a Sony issue. I installed Linux (more complex but less random than Windows to setup) and the result is exactly the same. The only audio output device the OS finds is the TV or the projector, whatever I connect to the AVR output..... I wonder what would happen if I had another Sony AVR to connect to the output of the first one.....

It seems Sony took "hdmi switching" literally..... it's just a few copper wires connecting the hdmi input to the hdmi output :)
 
Warning: If there is a risk of injury due to ROTFL, be carefull!

Since my problem seems to be a Sony issue, I decided to have a go at the Sony Support.
They were very efficient and answered in less than 1 hour.

They told me the DN1080 was not engineered to work with computers!!!

They sent me this link to show that there is no example using a computer:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/C672/C6721003M.pdf#page=33

And they sent me this link to show me all I can do with a computer:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/C672/C6721003M.pdf#page=50
 
Warning: If there is a risk of injury due to ROTFL, be carefull!

Since my problem seems to be a Sony issue, I decided to have a go at the Sony Support.
They were very efficient and answered in less than 1 hour.

They told me the DN1080 was not engineered to work with computers!!!

They sent me this link to show that there is no example using a computer:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/C672/C6721003M.pdf#page=33

And they sent me this link to show me all I can do with a computer:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/C672/C6721003M.pdf#page=50

Gotta love support!
 
Well, I'm reporting that after many experiments, involving connecting everything, everywhere, in everyway and powering devices in every order, I gave up...
One week later, I'm about to enjoy a 7.1 DTS movie in the usual stereo experience and..... Windows shows me the Sony AVR as the output device. Restarted the computer in Linux and there it is, the Sony AVR as the output device again. Everything is working ai it should now. I just have no idea why.....
 
Warning: If there is a risk of injury due to ROTFL, be carefull!

Since my problem seems to be a Sony issue, I decided to have a go at the Sony Support.
They were very efficient and answered in less than 1 hour.

They told me the DN1080 was not engineered to work with computers!!!

They sent me this link to show that there is no example using a computer:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/C672/C6721003M.pdf#page=33

And they sent me this link to show me all I can do with a computer:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/C672/C6721003M.pdf#page=50
I have a SONY AV amp too (STR DN1040) and I can tell you I have suffered with this issue for years. It works normally ok if you switch the amp on with the PC input selected before the PC boots. If the amp switches on after PC boot, I normally get no audio and the PC shows stereo output only (with no sound). The other reason it fails is if my Samsung TV has TV set as the audio output (that just happened now!) and I usually reboot, but that doesn't fix it, you have to change the TV output to the Sony Receiver first. As it usually works when doing that, and using the right boot up order, I haven't swapped the amp, given they cost a few hundred quid.
 
Last edited:
Ok, I’m a bit baffled as to this and suspect either an amp setting I’m being blind to or a HDMI handshake issue.

Up until recently I’ve used an Onkyo 606 amp and it’s been paired with a few generations of HTPCs. When that was plugged in I had all the various TrueHD and other audio tracks passed through to it happily and with no fuss. Windows would show the Onkyo606 as the connected audio device.

Now that amp has gone to the amp graveyard in the sky (ground) and I’ve replaced it with a Sony STR-DN1080. It got great reviews and seemed to tick my boxes. Problem I’ve found is that the device seems to be passing the panasonic TV through to the PC as the audio device and then I get no sound (unless I change sound output to TV+AMP).

ive had a play about with the various HDMI signal pass through options but can’t seem to get it to work. Any ideas as I don’t really want to try the nuclear windows re-install option that some people seem to have tried. Any additional info required just ask.

thanks in advance.
Dont forget to set the TV to use the receiver for audio, and boot your PC after the amp is switched on a the PC input selected. Usually works for me on my STR DN 1040
 
On the sound settings, where it shows your tv as an endpoint device, go to properties and allow exclusive control of the audio device. Then you will get bit streamed audio.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom