Audio setup for multiple monitors

[mattedgie]

Hi all,

I purchased a prebuilt system and made some upgrades to it via help from this forum. I am now moving onto the monitors. I want to use 4 monitors and the purpose isn't for gaming, i might use extended desktop so applications on different monitors or run a virtual machine on 3 monitors and host on one....they will go on a quad, 2up2down monitor stand.

Anyway, my graphics card (Nvidia gtx960) does support up to 4 monitors, i have a hdmi port, dual link dvi, 2 x displayport. Before i purchase my monitors, how does the audio configuration work for multiple monitors? Does sound just play out from all monitors say if audio is on every monitor? Apologies if that sounds like a silly question

Thanks

Matt

 

[spagalicious]

Well DVI does not carry an audio signal, so 3/4 monitors would output audio. Provided they all have internal speakers.

I would definitely consider buying a set of basic satellite speakers or a 2.1 setup with a small to medium sized subwoofer floor unit.

From Nvidia's website:

GeForce GTX 960 Single-GPU With 2D Surround (Landscape)
> Orientation: Landscape
> Accessory Display: Yes, no additional GPU (if using 3 or less displays)
> Maximum Resolution: 11520x2160
> Maximum Resolution (Bezel Correction): 10240x1600
> Maximum number of displays: 2-4 in Surround,1 Accessory Display when using 3 or less displays in Surround
Special Instructions:
> Any connectors can be used to enable Surround.
> Once Surround is enabled, users can use any
connector for the Accessory Display.
> Max of 4 displays can be used simultaneously (3 if monitors are 4K)
> G-SYNC and regular monitors can be mixed in Surround; effects of G-SYNC will only be seen on G-SYNC- enabled monitors

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/surround/system-requirements

 

[mattedgie]

Thanks for the response.

Is surround to extend the display across multiple monitors? So one application across all screens? I think what i'm after is to open up different applications on different screens...youtube on one screen, excel on another etc

 

[nukemaster]

DVI to HDMI adapters do allow audio to play on many cards .
Not that I am recommending it as a solution or anything.

Windows generally plays audio to ONE default source however. If your software supports it, you can select an output of that program. So I can have Winamp on one set of speakers and everything else on my monitor if I wanted(but I do not). I used to have games audio and music separate, but that was years ago.

EDIT
Yes surround is what you think it is. It makes Windows see one large screen(you can even play a video across all of them) similar to how eyefinity works for AMD. Extended(the mode built in to the OS) screens will allow programs to maximize on that screen with ease.

EDIT EDIT
I do agree with the above user, speakers would be better if you want more than basic sound.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the response.

Is surround to extend the display across multiple monitors? So one application across all screens? I think what i'm after is to open up different applications on different screens...youtube on one screen, excel on another etc

You can put whatever application you like on whichever screen

 

[mattedgie]

Ok so for example say i purchased 4 identical monitors that didn't have speakers, and purchased some speakers. All 4 monitors say they all had youtube on would output to the speaker at the same time? Irrespective if it wasn't connected to the computer via hdmi? Essentially what i'm after is to hear all audio from all monitors if possible, i dont mind if they play all the same time and output to the same source.

Updated:
I dont even need to know which screen it has come from, dont need surround sound its just a 2up 2down quad screen but i could have alerts on some screens or multiple screeens etc so if i could hear all screens that would be ideal

 

[USAFRet]

Ok so for example say i purchased 4 identical monitors that didn't have speakers, and purchased some speakers. All 4 monitors say they all had youtube on would output to the speaker at the same time? Irrespective if it wasn't connected to the computer via hdmi? Essentially what i'm after is to hear all audio from all monitors if possible, i dont mind if they play all the same time and output to the same source.

The speakers will output whatever the computer is doing. Nothing to do with the monitors.
2 audio streams (2 x youtube, or youtube + CNN)...will all be output at the same time.

 

[mattedgie]

Thankyou all for your input and mostly patience haha

Just had a quick google and i will need some lead converters for the monitors as my card has hdmi and dvi and displayport but the monitors im looking at don't have displayports...will this be ok and will all the resolutions etc be the same if i use converters assuming all 4 monitors are the same make and model?

 

[spagalicious]

Ok so for example say i purchased 4 identical monitors that didn't have speakers, and purchased some speakers. All 4 monitors say they all had youtube on would output to the speaker at the same time? Irrespective if it wasn't connected to the computer via hdmi? Essentially what i'm after is to hear all audio from all monitors if possible, i dont mind if they play all the same time and output to the same source.

You want to hear 4 youtube videos playing at one time? Why? I'm not sure anyone would want to listen to multiple audio sources at one time, but thats just me. I'm sure such a setup is possible though, it will just take a little doing.

If you were running 4 VMs and you had the audio channels configured correctly then yes you could get all 4 audio streams coming through separate speakers.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok so for example say i purchased 4 identical monitors that didn't have speakers, and purchased some speakers. All 4 monitors say they all had youtube on would output to the speaker at the same time? Irrespective if it wasn't connected to the computer via hdmi? Essentially what i'm after is to hear all audio from all monitors if possible, i dont mind if they play all the same time and output to the same source.

You want to hear 4 youtube videos playing at one time? Why? I'm not sure anyone would want to listen to multiple audio sources at one time, but thats just me. I'm sure such a setup is possible though, it will just take a little doing.

If you were running 4 VMs and you had the audio channels configured correctly then yes you could get all 4 audio streams coming through one set of speakers.

No special setup needed. I just tried that. Youtube on one browser instance, cnn news video on the other.
Both playing out the same set of speakers.
Extremely annoying, but they were both there.

 

[spagalicious]

No special setup needed. I just tried that. Youtube on one browser instance, cnn news video on the other.
Both playing out the same set of speakers.
Extremely annoying, but they were both there.

Oh I guess I misunderstood the question, thought he was saying 4 videos all streaming audio to separate speakers.

Of course, open up 4 videos -> 4 audio streams playing at one time. OP, you are just extending your windows display to 4 monitors. You will be able to throw up whatever you want to whatever screen you want and hear everything through your default playback device. I know you mentioned VMs earlier, thats what I thought you meant.

 

[USAFRet]

No special setup needed. I just tried that. Youtube on one browser instance, cnn news video on the other.
Both playing out the same set of speakers.
Extremely annoying, but they were both there.

Oh I guess I misunderstood the question, thought he was saying 4 videos all streaming audio to separate speakers.

Of course, open up 4 videos -> 4 audio streams playing at one time. OP, you are just extending your windows display to 4 monitors. You will be able to throw up whatever you want to whatever screen you want and hear everything through your default playback device. I know you mentioned VMs earlier, thats what I thought you meant.

Right. 4 different sets of speakers (or monitor speakers) would require a lot of setup.
And still be extremely annoying...😉

 

[mattedgie]

Thanks all, yep it would be annoying but the youtube vidoes was just an example. I have audio alerts so as long as i can hear them i can then figure out what screen they are coming from. Different speaker for each monitor i imagine would be a very complicated setup and considering only a couple of days was the first time i saw the inside of a computer....im probably not ready for that.

And going back to a point a couple of posts ago, would there be any issues using converter leads for the monitors? Monitors im looking at don't have display port but my graphics card does, will this still be ok?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks all, yep it would be annoying but the youtube vidoes was just an example. I have audio alerts so as long as i can hear them i can then figure out what screen they are coming from. Different speaker for each monitor i imagine would be a very complicated setup and considering only a couple of days was the first time i saw the inside of a computer....im probably not ready for that.

And going back to a point a couple of posts ago, would there be any issues using converter leads for the monitors? Monitors im looking at don't have display port but my graphics card does, will this still be ok?

Given reasonable quality cables, no issue at all.
I have 2 monitors. 1 HDMI->HDMI, the other DisplayPort->HDMI.