audio - When switching my default playback device on Windows 7, the programs all change to the newly set device

07
2014-07
  • Ted

    I had it set up so that if I had my default playback device set to HDMI and then I opened Firefox to play Netflix, I could change the default playback device to Speakers and play a game. Once I did this, anything playing through the programs that were opened when the device was set to HDMI would play through the TV speakers and anything opened after the device was set to Speakers would play sound through the speakers.

    Now when I change the default playback, all of the programs dynamically switch to that device! So I now cannot have two different programs playing sounds through two different audio devices (whereas it used to do it).

    Is there something that I have done that could easily be undone?

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    Related Question

    audio - What's the differnce between "Set as Default Device" and "Set as Default Communications Device" in the Sound configuration in Windows 7?
  • leeand00

    I noticed that there are two similar options in the "Sound" (Soundcard Configuration window->playback tab in the context menu) window in Windows 7.

    What is the difference between these two options?

    • "Set as Default Communications Device"
    • "Set as Default Device"

    • Related Answers
  • Jason Down

    There is a blog about it here.

    • Set as default device - All programs will have their audio played through this device (unless otherwise configured)

    • Set as default communications device - All calls/video call audio will be played through this device (unless otherwise configured)