What are all the High Definition Audio Devices on my XPS L502x?!

Hello. Here are instructions if you want to insert a screen shot into your posts.

Is your question about "High Definition Audio Devices" (as per the tittle of your thread) or plug n play devices that are not plugged in (in your text).

I don't know about the latter. That question might go better on the Windows part of this forum.

As to audio, if you are seeing multiples of "High Definition Audio Device"  in Device Manager, one of them should be the Windows native audio driver. That one should disappear from Device Manager when you install the Realtek audio driver from the XPS L502x support page.

If there are others with the same name it could indicate a problem. I would remove the Realtek audio driver if installed, and all but one instance of "High Definition Audio Device", then re-install the Realtek driver unless you are satisfied with the native audio driver.

  A long time ago there was one named something like "Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus". That was the name for the HDMI audio section of the  Windows native graphics driver for Intel graphics. (I mean there is a native driver for the integrated Intel HD graphics separate from the user-installed driver  for the discrete nVidia, and the graphics driver has an audio section for HDMI).).

I believe that the name "Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus" would get changed when "updated" through Device Manager. I don't know if the L502x even had "Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus" or if the name was no longer in use by then. Nowadays it is just named "Intel Display Audio".

Hey Jim :emotion-2:

When my (Samsung, LCD) TV isn't connected I have these Playback Devices

when I plug in the TV, I see these

In devmgmt.msc under "Sound..."

The "unplugged" devices are only plugged in when the TV is plugged in ... 

Hope that clarifies it a bit!

Sorry for the delay -- working.

There might be a problem with the nVidia driver installation. I don't see anything that indicates nVidia.

See the HDMI Audio FAQ to make sure the connections were done properly.

The 4 instances of High Definition Audio Device might indicate that something went wrong during the Windows installation. I am assuming that those are all multiple instances of the native audio driver. Do they all have the same device i.d.? (Right click on name, click Properties, Details tab, Hardware ID in the dropdown menu.

I would remove the Realtek driver (right click, select Unistall, check the option to remove the files.) Reboot and check for another instance of the Realtek driver (only one instance of it will appear in Device Manager at any one time.) Then remove all but one native audio driver.

Sorry this isn't better. I think I've got the flu and brain is mush.

Forgot to put in the link to the FAQ.

Hi, thanks for the support and sorry to hear you're not feeling 100%.

after further reading I'm beginning to think this is normal and just leave it.

re HWID, yeah they're all the same. The HD audio devices (x4 in  devmgmt.msc) disappear when HDMI is unplugged.

I think I'll just leave it be and keep an eye on it.

thanks again

Back again. Everything's normal on my l502x, I just don't know what the Intel Display Audio driver is for!

Realtek is used for speakers...

Is Intel Display Audio used in HD Audio?

(I read that NVIDIA handles the HDMI, + thought either they or Realtek handled the HDA..

There's a display port that's powered by Intel, but I thought they were 'display only' {no audio!}

Anyone got any ideas?

(in other news I'm testing latest drivers from manufact's direct.... just testing v2 microaccelelerometer from here

:)

Thanks

I just don't know what the Intel Display Audio driver is for!

When Intel came out with its "i" processors (Core i5, Core i7, etc) it integrated graphics into the cpu just like on AMD cpu's. If you connect the laptop to a tv and send the graphics to the tv through an HDMI cable, the audio also goes to the tv as HDMI audio. "Intel Display Audio" is the driver for the HDMI audio function of the graphics in the cpu.

In laptops without Core i cpu's, the driver for the HDMI section of Intel graphics is named "Audio device on high definition audio bus".

Is Intel Display Audio used in HD Audio? (I read that NVIDIA handles the HDMI, + thought either they or Realtek handled the HDA..

You have 2 graphics devices. Intel graphics is "integrated" onto the motherboard and would normally be used for less intensive tasks to conserve a laptop's battery. Higher end laptops also have a "discrete" graphics such nVidia to handle the more intensive tasks like games, but it uses more power. Both are capable of HDMI audio.

handled the HDA.

HD audio is an Intel specification for audio in modern computers. HD replaces Intel's old specification named AC97 audio.

A motherboard with HD Audio (all modern ones) has to be designed with an HD audio codec (hardware) and an HD audio bus. These handle the HD audio.

If this is the case then why does the HDMI Audio continue to work even when Intel Display Audio device is disabled?!

(I thought it may be used for the WiDi connection - no hardware to test, + I've read it's about as useful as Samsung's AllShare 'technology')

If this is the case then why does the HD Audio continue to work even when Intel Display Audio device is disabled?!

Sorry but I don't follow your thought process here. Why wouldn't HD audio work when HDMI audio is disabled?

(I thought it may be used for the WiDi connection

"Intel Display Audio" has been around for a while. I don't don't know if it has a role in the relatively recent WiDi innovation.

I don't understand your question!! Maybe one too many negatives...

I'll rephrase. You posted that you believed the Intel Display Audio was used for HDMI Audio.

I am using HDMI Audio. It is not affected by Intel Display Audio (mine is disabled, but the HDMI audio still works, suggesting that Intel Display Audio is not needed for HDMI Audio).

I hope that clears that up a bit!

Thanks again

I don't understand your question!! Maybe one too many negatives...

Sorry for the confusion. You had asked, "why does the HD Audio continue to work even when Intel Display Audio device is disabled?", which did not make sense to me because HDMI audio is one thing and HD audio is a different, and disabling HDMI should not disable HD audio. But now I see that when you wrote "HD" audio you meant HDMI audio.

You posted that you believed the Intel Display Audio was used for HDMI Audio.

Intel Display Audio is the name of the driver for the HDMI audio portion of Intel graphics.

I am using HDMI Audio. It is not affected by Intel Display Audio (mine is disabled, but the HDMI audio still works, suggesting that Intel Display Audio is not needed for HDMI Audio).

Perhaps you are getting HDMI audio from your discrete graphics, nVidia. If not, I don't know the answer but as you say it suggests the driver is not needed..

Hi again Jim' (et al:)

I've now got a toslink adapter and an optical cable. spdif is now available on my realtek soundcard as a distinct audio device (along with HD + 'internal') - this is great news for me (aspiring to record over ASIO with reaper) as I can now monitor or just listen to tutorial content (YT, Chrome) without having to activate DirectSound (with it's hit on latency).

Can you try + explain something for me? (Sorry I've never used dolby surround 5.x or anything)

my realtek soundcard (labelled 'Speakers') has the following sub-units

Black In, Center, Sub, Rear, Front... are these all related to having one multi-unit system? What's Black In?!

Are these levels always listed?

(I'm wondering why I see them, they seem to have no impact on my levels)

I have an l502x which has an awesome bass sub, but this doesn't appear to be recognised as a physical sub-unit (the subwoofer level does not control the sub)... any ideas what that's about?

I found my datasheet

I'm trying to see if there's a significant structural difference between it & a counterpart (the 880) which, I believe, is capable of a 'multi-out' setup

Any knowledge (or beliefs!) most welcome : D

Thanks

That's brilliant Jim. Thanks!! That all makes sense (I think). So, if using 5.1 without S/PDIF, you'd have to use a USB mic (for example). What's the green/yellow  usually 'mapped 'to' btw?

So, in the absence of HDMI, SPDIF etc, where headphones or phono line-outs etc are being used, Virtual audio cabling solutions are the only way of trying to overcome the 'exclusivity issue'?

Right now I'm on the main bus/device 'Speakers/Headphones', + Nirsoft's SoundVolumeView tells me that's Device ID: 

{0.0.0.00000000}.{9c4662e9-beb5-49cd-ba72-f896c48fc4da}

I can also see all those sub-units that aren't currently being used (volume+audio tests tell me I'm on the front)

Couple of things I still don't get -

The relationship between the device(s) and subunits - is one device full-surround and all it's subunits are listed (and if so where is the info re WHICH device is the 5.1surround-device..

Or maybe you can have more than one 5,1 stereo config?! (h/w dependence would almost definitely eliminate me!) would you then see lots of subunits?

Also, previously you mentioned there's a difference  between HD + HDMI audio - what is it? 

(I have a Behringer USB audio interface winging it's way to me - and I believe that will address this...  but I'm feeling a little impatient since my Evo keyboard arrived!!)

Many thanks

What's the green/yellow  usually 'mapped 'to' btw?

Green is the center and the sub.  Yellow is for the front. These are the usual colors but probably not every manufacturer uses them. Here are instructions for using analog 5.1 on the XPS Lxxx models.

1. Connect the speakers together by following the diagram in the manufacturer's instructions, but do not connect them to the laptop yet.

2. On the laptop, go to Start>Control Panel> Realtek (Dell) HD Audio Manager> Speaker/Headphone> Speaker setup.

3. In the "Configuration" drop-down box -- the box with the down arrow -- click the arrow and select "5.1Speaker".

4. Connect the 5.1 speaker system to the laptop using regular stereo cables with a mini phone plug (3.5 mm plug) on each end.

a.  Connect the rear speakers to the laptop's microphone jack socket.

b.  Connect the center/sub speaker to the left headphone jack socket.

c.  Connect the front speakers to the right headphone jack socket.

5. Power up the speakers.

6. On the laptop, click the "Audio Test".  If the audio does not come out of the correct speakers, re-arrange the cables.

So, in the absence of HDMI, SPDIF etc, where headphones or phono line-outs etc are being used, Virtual audio cabling solutions are the only way of trying to overcome the 'exclusivity issue'?

Sorry but I don't know about virtual cables. If I needed to use the mic jack to record a phono for example, I would reconfigure the laptop to stereo while performing that task. The laptop would only need to be setup for 5.1 audio when playing back some surround multi-channel material.

Also sorry but I cannot comment on Nirsoft, profiles, and sub-units as I had never heard of any of that before and have no idea if those can help you achieve your purpose. That might be something I would want to look into later but don't have time now to spare from other projects.

Also, previously you mentioned there's a difference  between HD + HDMI audio - what is it?

Originally
 PC's got audio from a card inserted into a PCI slot in the tower. The most popular card was a Sound Blaster. Often the requirements for an audio program specified that a computer have a "Sound Blaster 16 compatible" sound card. That was not very helpful because there was no such specification among manufacturers of card.

Later manufacturers started making audio chips that could be integrated onto motherboards (codecs). This time Intel intervened by writing the exact requirements of the codecs, which was helpful in ensuring compatibility between manufacturers and programmers. That initial specification was called AC '97. (AC = audio codec.) When Intel updated the specification they changed the name to HD. That was around 2006. So HD audio is a specification for the audio codec. HDMI is a specification for a video interface  that became common on computers later.