The problem is that when using digital audio S / PDIF there is no sound, it has been known for a long time. At the same time, probably, many users who came across it noticed that quite often the operating system seems to respond to playback. At least in the sound settings or in the mixer you can see a change in the signal level, but nothing is heard from the connected speakers. Let's try to figure out what is the cause of what is happening and how to fix the problem.
I must say that quite often on all kinds of forums completely ambiguous solutions are offered that in most cases do not give the desired effect, so carefully follow the instructions below.
S / PDIF Digital Audio: No sound. What is the reason?
First, let's briefly dwell on possible situations in which the sound disappears completely, and see why this happens. The main reasons for this phenomenon can be called the following:
- incorrect connection of speakers or TV (if the sound is transmitted to it);
- incorrect sound settings directly in Windows;
- disabling the main device in Windows or in the BIOS;
- BIOS firmware obsolescence;
- disabling the audio processing service in the operating system;
- Outdated or incorrectly installed drivers for audio equipment
- Priority installation of S / PDIF drivers instead of the default ones.
Using Diagnostic Tools
Now proceed to resolve possible problems. If there is no sound when using the S / PDIF digital audio device, in Windows 7 and newer operating systems, the first thing to do is to use the built-in diagnostic tool for troubleshooting and troubleshooting, which is located in the Control Panel.
Many users clearly underestimate it, believing that it usually does not eliminate the identified problems. But you, in fact, do not need it! In this case, it is much more important to identify the exact cause, and for this, this tool fits perfectly (even if the detected problems cannot be resolved by itself). As soon as the report is shown, you will know exactly what to do next.
There is no sound for S / PDIF digital audio, but the speaker works: actions to configure playback devices
First of all, you need to check the sound parameters directly in the settings of your operating system on your computer or laptop, using the appropriate category “Control panels” for this. You can often see that among playback devices, only S / PDIF digital audio is shown. There is no sound in Windows 10 for the reason that the main device is disconnected or hidden.
To display all such components, right-click on the displayed devices and select two items from the additional menu. After that, turn on the disconnected device (both speakers and headphones), and then set the speakers to the default device. If for digital audio S / PDIF there is no sound on the TV after connecting the PC or laptop to the TV panel, for example, via HDMI, set the sound device, the name of which usually displays the name of the manufacturer, to be the default device.
Note. If there is no sound even after using S / PDIF digital audio in Windows 10, expand the volume control menu in the system tray and select a TV device from there.
Actions with the Windows Audio System Service
But we can assume that even after setting such options, you still will not hear anything. In such a situation, it is recommended that you check the Windows Audio sound service. To do this, call the system services management section by specifying the services.msc command in the Run menu for execution .
Now find the component you are looking for in the list of services, double-click on the settings and enable the service by clicking the corresponding button. In the type of start set automatic start.
Note: if the specified service is active, but there is no sound when using S / PDIF digital audio, try restarting it. Stop first, reboot the system, and then turn it back on. Sometimes a restart may not be required.
What to do with integrated HD Audio devices?
If the above actions did not produce any effect, call the “Device Manager” and look at the status of the equipment that you want to use. If it is disabled, activate it through the PCM menu. If there are no drivers or problems with their functioning are detected, updating them using the system’s tools is not worth it.
It is better to remove all the problematic components present from the system, including their drivers, and then perform a full restart of the system. In theory, Windows itself will install new drivers. If you have an original driver disk that came with your computer or laptop, it’s best to install the appropriate software from it.
General driver update issues
As for updating the software that controls the audio equipment, do not use the system tools (all the same, this will be a waste of time). It’s better to give preference to, say, driver-class utilities from iObit or DriverPack Solution online modification.
If the problem persists, in the “Device Manager” find information on the identifiers of problem devices (VEN and DEV), as shown in the image above, then search for them either on the manufacturer’s website (laptop or motherboard, if it’s on integrated cards), or on resources specially designed for this, then download the required driver version, taking into account the architecture of your OS, and install it manually.
Activation of integrated cards in primary systems
Now let's see what else can be done if there is no sound after using digital S / PDIF audio. It is possible that the primary audio device is disabled in the primary BIOS.
At the reboot stage or when you turn on the computer, enter the BIOS, then go to the Advanced options section or use the Onboard Devices menu, find your sound adapter there and turn it on if it turned off for some reason, installing for it, the Enabled parameter.
If the sound card is not listed at all, check the connection of the card to the motherboard (for removable devices). In the case of integrated adapters, it is better, of course, to test the entire board. However, this is not always required. The easiest way is to update the BIOS by downloading the latest firmware on the official website of the developer. If you have an updated UEFI interface, it can be installed directly from under Windows, and in the case of a regular BIOS, you will have to create a special bootable media and / or use the tools of the primary system itself, if any.
What to do if S / PDIF spontaneously turns on?
Finally, the most unpleasant situation is that sometimes a sound appears, and all devices are displayed and work correctly, but after a reboot everything “flies” and returns to normal. At the same time, only S / PDIF audio is visible from the devices in the system. This happens only because the system itself reinstalls the S / PDIF driver and activates its use by default. In this situation, first follow the steps to install the software for the sound equipment you need, and then disable the automatic installation of Windows drivers.
To do this, in the devices and printers section, selected from the “Control Panel”, deactivate all automated processes through the corresponding menu, as shown in the image above.
You can also set a ban in the group policies (gpedit.msc), where in the device installation section, which is located in the administrative PC configuration templates, you need to activate the corresponding item. After rebooting, the driver that bothers you will not be installed automatically and with the highest priority.
Note: if you do not use this device at all, you can even completely disable it, using either the sound settings or the “Device Manager” for this.