Using surround 5.1 channels as two separate stereo channels

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Hi,

I am trying to create an application that can play audio on my computer
without disturbing anything else that is going on at that computer at the
same time. For example, person A should be able to play a game while person
B listens to MP3's with my application.

I figured I could use my sound card's surround-sound support for this. My
sound card has 3 outputs, 2 of which are useful: front channel output, and
rear channel output.

I have already created a DirectShow application that plays my audio on the
rear channel. This works fine when I am not doing anything else on the
computer. When starting a game, however, the audio stops. I assume this
happens because the game takes control of the whole DirectSound system.

Is it possible to let the game think that I have only a regular
stereo-capable sound-card installed, and not take over the rear channels?
The two games I tried with didn't have any options to control this. But even
if they did, that wouldn't be a solution, because my application should work
with any foreground application.

Questions:

1. Am I trying to do something unfeasible?

2. Is there a ready-made driver somewhere that would allow me configure my
sound-card so that Windows would see it as two separate sound-cards?

My sound-card is a built-in Avance AC97. However, I'd appreciate my
questions considered on a broader basis than just this sound-card. If it
depends on the sound-card drivers, which cards support such configuration?

--

Mikko Noromaa (mikkon@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
- SQL in Excel, check out ExcelSQL! - see http://www.excelsql.com -


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