I have a Pavilion dv7 running Windows 7. I've had the laptop for 3 years now with excellent service. Recently, I purchased a flat screen TV and I would like to play programming from my laptop to the TV by HDMI connection. I have a high quality cable that has worked in this case sporadically, since the HDMI audio playback option likes to periodically disappear from the Playback Device list. The few times in the past when the HDMI audio option has gone missing, I have somehow managed to get it to return by replacing drivers or doing some other kind of recovery. Right now, it's missing and I can't get it back.
I have tried a number of the standard fixes to no avail.
First, I checked to see if the IDT High Def Audio CODEC was "disabled." No, it's "running properly" and is "enabled."
Second, I checked to see it the driver for the IDT was up to date. Yes it is.
Third, I tried removing the device and its driver completely and reloading the IDT. Good exercise, didn't work.
Next, I tried running a full set of updates to Windows etc., since I'm not good at keeping up to date. Still doesn't work.
As I write this, I am connected by HDMI cable to my TV and the HDMI Audio option doesn't appear on the Playback List, so that's not the problem.
In case it helps, the Playback Devices list has two entries. The first one is "Speakers and Headphones" and it is my "default" device. The second one is "Independent Headphones".
It's been annoying in the past to have the HDMI Audio come and go like this but this time it's really stubborn and it's making me really crazy. I'm sure I'm missing something but I just can't figure it out.
Help!!!!!