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My audio is set to Digital Audio (S/PDIF), and I have NO SOUND.

Anonymous
2011-06-12T17:18:35+00:00

The problem either started when windows 7 was installed on my desktop, or when a new audio or video card was installed I'm not positive exactly when it started to happen. But all of a sudden the only audio device I had was Digital Audio (S/PDIF), which didn't actually do anything.

I figured out how to get the speakers on my monitor to work, I plugged the cable for the speakers into the "line in" port, the blue one, and the speakers worked.  The cord is light green..the port is blue... that doesn't seem correct it seems like it should be in the green port right? But it doesn't work that way.

Either way if i plug the monitor or a set of headphones into the "line in" blue port it sets my speakers to "Speakers" "High Definition Audio Device".  And I have audio.

But I need to have a working microphone as well, for a class I have. But when i plug the headset in it doesn't work, it doesn't recognize the microphone or even acknowledge I plugged anything in.  The headphone part works by plugging it into the "line in" port, but the microphone doesn't.  It says the recording device is set to Digital Audio (S/PDIF) and nothing else is listed in the Device Manager.

I've seen this problem posted other places and I've followed a lot of steps, I tried downloading realtek drivers, updating windows, updating the drivers for my Nvidia Graphics card,and I even download Everest to be sure of my Audio Device. This is what came up SigmaTel STAC9220 A1 @ Intel 82801GB ICH7 - High Definition Audio Controller [A-1].  The link to update drivers was useless but I looked online and found one from the Dell site, it said it was for Sigma Tel STAC92XX.. which should include mine.  I downloaded it, restarted, and all of a sudden I had NO AUDIO DEVICE AT ALL.  Windows said I had no audio, it found my Sigma Tel Audio Controller, and it tried installing the Drivers even though I'm pretty sure I had just done that.  Windows failed to install them, then all of sudden it retried and said it was successful.  But I'm right back where I started, still thinks Digital Audio (S/PDIF) is my recording device, speakers don't work unless plugged into the blue "line in" port.   Nothing has changed...

If anyone can help PLEASE let me know. I appreciate it.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-04-24T12:02:47+00:00

    YOU said: The problem either started when windows 7 was installed on my desktop, or when a new audio or video card was installed I'm not positive exactly when it started to happen. But all of a sudden the only audio device I had was Digital Audio (S/PDIF), which didn't actually do anything.

     Are you saying it DID work before or are you saying in a previous environment it worked?

    Invariably - If you install 'new' devices - in the place of 'old' or other devices you will need to uninstall the older devices drivers. Your system at STARTUP should detect a new device and attempt to install a driver for it. Operating systems these days do have drivers allowing functionality of a broad variety of devise. Should you desire to use the drivers along with GUI (graphics user interface) software that came with the device - you would need to select that you do have a disc or file for the functioning of your device/hardware. The File or disc WILL have some information that will make your device 'appear' in the computers settings appropriate to what that device is.

     Example: in Control panel hen Sound - your device should be there when you install the driver from the disc or file (these days you can place these drivers and other supporting software on a USB)

     I have discovered that color assignment for the audio jacks to be a problem also in the past.  Take a close look to see if there is an 'L' for left or an 'R' for right. One would think the port should be OUTPUT?!

    Is your device compatible with windows7? If YES - is it limited to a 32 bit system and not 64 bit? 

    Microphone - was there supporting software accompanying  this device? Though the drivers in Win7 should work. If you plugged in your microphone into the microphone port - it should be detected.

     I don't remember seeing a motherboard or a sound card without a microphone port. The sound card will have impressions with symbols as to what can be connected to it. Most motherboards will also have a microphone port. Usually a line in is used to connect a SOURCE to the system - in example to connect an IPOD output to your LINE IN will result in your IPODS music being heard through your computer system - along with controlling the sound: volume and equalizer - if that is your thing.

     Just ran out of time - be careful with your jacks - choose carefully as you can damage your system getting putting inputs into outputs. Check for symbols/labeling. Go to the website of the device - there you will find pictures and explanations specific to your devises

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-04-02T20:27:36+00:00

    It happened to me, I've just unplug and plug again the jack and it came back to normality

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-04-03T18:16:14+00:00

    Even I'm facing the same issue, except that the speakers work fine in the green port; but nevertheless I'm having a lot of problems with the front panel microphone. It says '

    Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device) '. Not understanding how to get it to work.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-07T16:28:08+00:00

    I had the same funny issue. One fine day I was not getting any sound either through my speakers or headphones from the 3.5mm sound jack in my computer. I am running win7 and never had this issue before. It started happening all of a sudden. I was showing only the spdif output as default device when I typed 'sndvol' in search and run the sndvol command (the sound icon). 

    I went to control panel - Hardware and Sound - Sound.  

    1. There, under 'playback' tab, I right clicked on each of the sound playback devices and 
    2. checked 'show disabled devices'
    3. checked 'show disconnected devices'
    4. removed speaker/headphone physical connection from 3.5mm jack port ( you know the middle green port to sound card output)
    5. then right clicked on each of the devices and hit 'disable' on all of them

    Then I closed my browser and reopened with a Youtube video and Bingo , it plays again !

    Basically, I figured this is some kind of Win-7 glitch with sound card not playing suddenly as someone on here above mentioned how they could get it to work again by re-installing the driver of the sound card chipset. But I didn't have to do all that, with the above process.

    Good luck friends.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-07-04T22:26:38+00:00

    I had this problem too - it just started a couple of weeks ago with no immediately apparent cause. 

    I overcame it by uninstalling the Digital Audio (S/PDIF) device in Device Manager and restarting my PC. Win& then detected the lack of a sound driver and installed a new driver which now works.

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