Sound where each person sits.

Sound at first start

Sound is on from the start, with nothing to switch on. At the first start, every sound device the PC has is shared with all seats, so each seat hears its programs right away. A device you plug in later is heard by nobody until you give it to a seat in the panel.

A monitor's speakers follow the monitor

The speakers built into a monitor belong to whichever seat the monitor belongs to. Move the monitor to another seat and its speakers go with it.

Each seat picks its default output

Windows normally has one default output for the whole PC. Each seat chooses its own default output, and programs on that seat play there unless they pick a device themselves. Choose it on the seat's page in the panel. A short chime tests the output. Every device starts out available to every seat, and each seat's programs play on the output that seat chose: give each person their own headset or speakers and nobody hears anyone else. Then give a device to one seat, or share it on purpose.

Shared speakers

A sound device can belong to one seat, to several seats, or to none. Speakers shared by chosen seats play what each of those seats plays, mixed together. Drag a device to Shared sound to share it with every seat, or pick the seats one by one.

On shared speakers each seat has its own volume under Windows' usual volume controls (always on), so turning one seat down does not change the others.

Left and right split

One pair of stereo speakers can serve two seats: split it into a left speaker and a right speaker, then give each side to a seat. Each seat's sound is mixed down onto its own side. Use the menu on the speaker in the panel to split it.

← All of How Hydra works