Audio lost after monitor goes to sleep

[richardmojo73]

Brand new computer purchase.  Two monitors are hooked up; one to the VGA and the other to the HDMI (actually a small television).  Audio and video work fine on the HDMI connection until the I step away and the monitors turn off (set to 30 minutes).  I have the computer set to NEVER go to sleep as well.  Once the monitors are turned back on, the audio icon on the bottom right says "No audio device is installed" when I hover the cursor over it.  Obviously, not audio comes out from the television when this happens.  If I reboot the computer, the audio miraculously returns.  Any idea why this happens?

[asdip]

1. Power Management Settings:

   • Go to "Device Manager" (you can search for it in the Windows search bar).
   • Expand "Sound, video and game controllers."
   • Right-click on your HDMI audio device (it might be named something like "High Definition Audio Device" or similar) and choose "Properties."
   • Go to the "Power Management" tab. If you don't see this tab, then this step isn't applicable.
   • Make sure "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" is unchecked.

2. Update or Reinstall Audio Drivers:

   • Still in the "Device Manager," find your HDMI audio device under "Sound, video and game controllers."
   • Right-click on it and choose "Update driver."
   • Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software" and let it search.
   • If that doesn't work or no update is found, you can also try uninstalling the audio driver and then restarting your computer. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver upon reboot.

3. Graphics Drivers:

   • Your HDMI audio might also be linked to your graphics card, especially if you're using an integrated graphics solution. Make sure you have the latest drivers for your graphics card. This can typically be found on the manufacturer's website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel).

4. Change Default Playback Device:

   • Right-click on the audio icon in the system tray and select "Sounds."
   • Go to the "Playback" tab.
   • You should see a list of playback devices, one of which should be your HDMI output. Right-click on it and select "Set as Default Device" if it's not already set.

5. Check Audio Playback Troubleshooter:

   • In the Windows search bar, type "Troubleshoot settings" and select the top result.
   • Click on "Additional troubleshooters."
   • Find and select "Playing Audio" and run the troubleshooter. This can sometimes detect and automatically fix problems with audio and playback devices.

6. Check HDMI Cable & Port:

   • It's also worth testing with a different HDMI cable or using a different HDMI port on your television to rule out hardware issues.

7. BIOS/UEFI Update:

   • Sometimes, these issues can stem from the computer's BIOS or UEFI. Check your computer manufacturer's website for any updates. Make sure to follow the provided instructions closely when updating.

If, after trying the above suggestions, the issue persists, it might be worthwhile to check for any known issues with the specific make and model of your computer or motherboard. Sometimes, specific hardware configurations can have unique quirks or issues.