[SOLVED] Getting HDMI to appear in Playback

plodr

plodr

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I have two Acer netbooks. The one (AMD) has no problem playing audio through the tv. The troublesome one (Intel) doesn't offer anything but speakers as the only playback option. Everything else is grayed out:Configure, Set Default, Properties
Just to answer questions you might ask: both netbooks use the same HDMI cable, so that rules out a faulty cable and both connect to the same HDMI 1 port on the same tv, so that rules out a faulty tv or HDMI port.

Pictures to show what I see.
1. Playback shows that I have enabled Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices.
2. Device manager shows that I have Intel Display Audio and Realtek High Definition with no yellow ! nor red X so those don't seem to have a problem. The Wireless Keyboard Filter_01 has something to do with the MS connected mouse. (The other Acer with a MS connected mouse shows the same yellow ! for Wireless Keyboard Filter_01 so I don't think that has any bearing on the sound issue.)
3. I checked the Intel device for an updated driver and got this message.
4. I checked the Realtek device and got this message.

As a double-check, I went to the Intel site, downloaded, installed and ran Intel Driver Update Utility. It gave some sort of warning that it would be a generic driver and if the manufacturer made some alterations, I might lose something. I was afraid to try the generic driver.
I went to Acer's site for my model V5-131 and the driver given was v 6.0.1.6577 and it matches exactly what I have installed.

If anyone has any idea what else I might try to get the sound working through the HDMI, I'm willing to try. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.

I know the easy solution is to just connect the other Acer to the tv but I'd love to gt this one working.
 

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Hello, and welcome to Sysnative,

HDMI is fiddly and unreliable when it comes to connecting PCs to TVs, at least in my experience, and especially in relation to sound. There have been laptops I've had physically in front of me and been unable to get connected to a TV via HDMI. Sometimes I manage to run a separate 3.5mm cable from the headphone port to the back of the TV and jury rig it that way, sometimes I just haven't been able to get it to work :noidea: :(

You're not alone and sadly I don't think I'll be able to offer you a magic bullet which will solve everything.

Having said that playing around with drivers is your best and pretty much only bet. It's essentially and almost certainly a driver problem at some level but whether the manufacturer has managed to create reliable, stable drivers which actually work in practice is hit and miss.

I suggest you give the stock Intel (generic) drivers a go. Similar to Microsoft's generic drivers they tend to be less feature rich but significantly more stable and reliable than some of the OEM drivers. The risk posed by installing them should be minimal. So I suggest you give them a try. Similarly install any offered graphics/"VGA" drivers which often have a significant impact on HDMI function.

If no luck, go back to the Acer website and make sure to update - audio, VGA, and chipset drivers. All of these could be having an effect here.

Finally, go back to the Acer website one more time and this time go to the Windows 8.1 drivers. Oftentimes manufacturers push their latest and best drivers only to the driver download page for the latest version of Windows download but in practice they work perfectly well on previous versions of Windows too. I notice indeed that there is a more up to date version of the Realtek driver offered through the Acer website for your particular netbook. I suggest you download and attempt to install it. If it installs happily - as it often will - that's great. If the installer fails with a "not compatible with this version of Windows" or words to the effect of, don't force the issue. It is still worth trying though, I've seen a number of issues get fixed by trying this.

Best of luck.

Richard
 
HDMI is fiddly and unreliable when it comes to connecting PCs to TVs, at least in my experience, and especially in relation to sound.
Click to expand...
I agree completely. I note HDMI was forced on the computer industry from the home theater entertainment equipment industry - primarily because the major big screen TV makers happen to be the same major makers of computer monitors. But most users have separate computer speakers and don't use those integrated in some monitors.

This means audio needs to be routed through the graphics solution. So you may need to look at your graphics solution drivers or graphics control panel. Otherwise, I was going to suggest the headphone out to RCA in solution.
 
Thanks to Richard and Bill for some more thoughts on the issue.

Richard, looks like I'll be downloading and stock piling some drivers. I always like to have ALL the drivers current and newer ones before I start fiddling around.
I just needed a nudge to get me to try a generic driver.

Bill, I have some nice portable speakers and the easiest thing to do is simply put one of those in the headphone jack to increase the sound rather than RCA cords, which I also have. My plugs are 3.5mm rather than 2.5mm so I'd need to buy another plug or converter. The portable speakers are already here so I don't need to buy yet another gizmo. :lolg:

Liz
 
I tried connecting my netbook and tv several different ways: both off, both on and one off and the other on.
I did not restart Windows because this would probably be the same as a cold boot on my netbook. (connecting while the netbook was off)
If I enter the BIOS, what specifically am I looking for?
 
Did you try this?


  • Connect your netbook and your TV
  • Restart windows
  • Enter the bios
  • Save the settings
  • Start windows
Click to expand...

I just did this. I had to restart several times because the netbook doesn't display anything until after Starting Windows comes up on the tv.
The tv doesn't display the screen to press F2 to enter the BIOS. It took me several attempts to get the restart and F2 press co-ordinated.
The BIOS appeared only on the tv screen. I arrowed to all the sections then exited saving changes.

There were no changes and HDMI is still not appearing in playback devices.
 
No need to change anything, the bios should recognize the connection on its own after you lit the tv (I forgot to put this step after you entered the bios...).
 
So I should

  • Connect your netbook and your TV
  • Restart windows
  • Enter the bios
  • Turn on the tv
  • Save the settings
  • Start windows ?



My best shot at getting something different is probably other drivers. I've updated the computers but before I do anything with the drivers, I want to do my images. I always image after the Windows monthly updates. Since we're busy Thursday and Friday, this probably won't get tackled until Saturday then I can see if drivers do anything.
 
Here's my notes on how that ended up.
1. Cable connectd, tv off, computer on and rebooted.
2. Pressed the F2 key to get into the BIOS while nothing appeared on the screen.
3. I had to remove the HDMI cable from the computer to finally see anything on the screen.
4. Put the cable back in.
5. Turned the tv on. (Of course changing source from tv to HDMI 1)
6. Exit BIOS, saving changes.
7. Computer screen shows nothing but Starting Windows appears on tv screen.
8. The next screen appears on both devices.
9. Open Sound, playback devices.
No change. One entry only speakers.

I also went to the Intel site and again downloaded and ran the Intel Driver Update Utility. I guess I didn't look closely the last time because Intel offers no drivers. Here's what I get (username erased from screenshot).

I did manage to make an image last night and I went to Acer's site and downloaded Realtek audio, Chipset and Video drivers for both 64 bit 7 and 64 bit 8.1. They are off the computer on a USB stick.

Perhaps, late tonight, I will try the Realtek sound 8.1 driver but I suspect that won't do anything. I had read when I first started to fix this that Intel controls the sound through Intel Display Audio which shows in my sound devices.
 

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Hello again,

Well done on having images and good backups to start with (if only everyone had such backups!) and thank you for your continued clear and detailed explanations of the steps you have taken - this really helps us.

Can I suggest next that you go to device manager > display adapters and uninstall your Intel driver completely. Your computer should flick over to the Microsoft generic drivers - give them a go.

If no luck, re-run the Intel Driver Download utility and see if you're offered a driver now - the Intel generics (which may very well be the same as the Microsoft generics since Intel supply Microsoft with their generics).

Also, the Intel Driver Download utility is a bit unpleasant to use. It's definitely the worst official driver download utility I know of. We just have to make do though.

Richard
 
There are new realtek generic drivers (click)

Now in device manager - sound, video and game controllers - I have Realtek high definition audio instead of the generic high definition audio device I had before; the new date and version are (June-->) 18/06/2015 - 6.0.1.7541
I disabled Intel display audio (audio intel per schermi).
I found high definition audio controller (under system devices): (July-->) 15/07/2016 - 10.0.14393.0
And now I have also the realtek HD audio manager control panel (I always disabled it, that's why I had the generic drivers).
By the way I can't try to connect a TV and check if it works (there are about 5-6 metres between them).


immagine.jpg immagine2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I didn't read the last 2 posts until just now.

I installed the Realtek driver 6.0.1.7040 (posted for 64 bit 8.1) to replace 6.0.1.6577 the original and still posted for Win 7 64 bit.
No change. Still only speakers both not connected and connected to the tv. Just for good measure, I tried the other two HDMI ports on the tv. But nothing was picked up.

Because I thought the sound seemed much lower than under the previous driver, I am now in the process of restoring the netbook from yesterday's image. This is easier than trying to install an older driver. The "wizard" for driver installation first uninstalled everything connected with the old driver then asked me to reboot. Then the new driver was installed and again I had to reboot. I got scared because the netbook hung on explorer trying to play the logoff sound. I finally forced the reboot and when it booted up, I had no sound. Eventually the sound kicked in.

I'm about done messing with this today.

I will print out your suggestions and perhaps tackle them on Friday night or Saturday.

I can always restore the image again if things don't work out.

Thanks for the continued suggestions.

I have Realtek high definition audio instead of the generic high definition audio device I had before
Click to expand...
I already show Realtek high definition audio and since a newer driver didn't change anything, I'm not sure this other Realtek driver will change anything.

I've also always had the Realtek Control Center and I previously looked around there to be sure I wasn't disabling something that needed to be enabled.
 
I tried to modify intel display audio driver: right-click, update driver software, browse my computer...
Then I searched between my newer and older realtek drivers, directly from their folders but it didn't help.
Then I've tried let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
In the new window I didn't see realtek WDM, hence I unticked show compatible hardware, and in the list I chose realtek, but only realtek high definition audio appeared.
Hence I chose high definition audio device (and disabled, because I can't check if it works and my audio works without it), instead of Intel display audio.
Now I have high definition audio device (disabled) and realtek high definition audio device (enabled).

Maybe you could find your device with those methods.

Pictures:

driv1.jpg

driv2.jpg

driv3.jpg
 
First, I have C:\windows\system32\drivers\RTKVHD64
This was always there.

Second, I followed the steps above and now show High Definition Audio Device instead of Intel. When I update the software I have 2 things to select High Definition Audio Device and Intel Display Audio. If I pick High Definition Audio, I get that. ****Bingo!

Third under System devices which I did not post a screen shot of, I have High Definition Audio Controller. This was always there.


**** I checked Playback devices and when High Definition Audio is selected instead of Intel Display Audio, I see Digital Audio (HDMI) not plugged in.
Now to move the netbook to the tv. Be right back with results.
 
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I was ready to give this up as one of those unsolvable computer problems.

For anyone following this thread, one simple solution: in Device Manager disable Intel Display Audio, scan the computer and select High Definition Audio Device.

Once that's done, HDMI is a playback choice.

For me: I plugged the HDMI cable in and the HDMI generic was replaced with Philips (my tv). I had to select it as the default device. It doesn't switch immediately as it does on the other netbook but that's minor. I tested with a short video I have and the sound comes through the tv.
 
To Richard and xilolee: The detailed, step-by-step information provided by plodr was exactly as I would expect. It is the way help has been provided to others during the 16 years we've been on forums together. :rose:
 

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