Cam,

To play audio through HDMI:

1 Turn off the computer and TV.
2 Connect the computer and TV.
3 Then turn the TV on. Adjust its setting to receive HDMI audio.
4 Next, turn on the computer to allow it to detect the connection to the TV.
5 Go to Start>Control Panel>Sound>Playback tab. Select the HDMI device as the default device. Click the Set Default button, and then click OK.

(from the Dell Technology Guide)

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"The following updated Intel video driver will allow you to pass audio and video through the HDMI port. You will need to have your Mini10 connected to an hdmi TV for the audio properties to give you the HDMI option."
Intel Graphics_Media 945GSE/GM965

(Posted by forum member riotten22)

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HDMI uses its own audio driver separate from the Sigmatel or IDT audio system of the computer. It might be named "Audio device on high definition audio bus" in the Device Manager. It is actually included in the Intel graphics driver. Some forum members have had to update their graphics driver to get HDMI working (as above), while others had had to go into the video driver on the hard drive and activate the audio portion as explained below.

The HDMI audio driver should be located in the HDMI folder of your graphics driver folder. Here are sample paths, but the path will vary depending on the name of your graphics driver:
C:\dell\drivers\R199173\HDMI
C:\dell\drivers\R207162\HDMI (GM945/965)

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"Just update the driver using the IntcHdmi.inf located there".

(Posted by forum member jemerson29

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"In the unzipped intel video driver (GM965) there's a folder named HDMI. It contains the driver for the audio device on high definition audio bus. To install, right click on the device in device manager (which has an exclamation mark on it), then update driver, and point to the HDMI folder. Once the driver is installed, the (!) exclamation should disappear in device manager. There's no need to reconfigure any audio settings. Audio will automatically be fed to the HDMI port, and when an HDMI cable is plugged into the port the laptop's speakers automatically mute."

(Posted by forum member extra hand with an Inspiron 1525)

Thanks for the reply and detailed info. 

Still no joy. I've confirmed that my driver is the most recent, and checked in the device mgr for issues. 

If I go into control palen -> sound speech and audio devices, I then open the 'Sounds and Audio Devices' properties:

hardware tab shows:

intel(r) high definition audio HDMI

however the audio tab: 

'audio playback' shows only one option in the default device. No option to choose the intel HDMI  

Should I have the option to use the intel HDMI for audio playback, when connecting to my TV, to enable audio?

Any other suggestions?

Sorry I don't. Those were the steps reported by folks who use HDMI to get the audio working.

If the original poster is still around, did you ever get this working? 

I'm having the same issue with a Studio 1555, the HDMI device doesn't appear as a playback device even though Device Manager shows the Intel HDMI audio device and says it's working properly.

Uninstalling, reinstalling, rebooting, etc., with and without the HDMI display plugged in, haven't resolved it.

No, this issue still hasn't been resolved.

I've been having the same issue with a Studio 1555.  Dell even sent a replacement machine that arrived with the exact same problem.  More than four hours with tech support hasn't fixed it yet, but they promised to call me back tonight with a supervisor and a solution.  If they get it working, I'll either post the solution or post a service request number so that other people can find the Dell tech support log for it.

Any luck? I'm still sans audio.

THX.

Hello Camikins, Try these steps 

1. Open device manager

2.Locate "Sound ,Video .." option

3.Under it you should have the driver for your Intel/Realtek HDMI driver, right-click and uninstall it

4.Restart the computer.

5. Get into the Sound and Audio Properties

6. In the Audio tab select the Intel/Realtek driver for the sound

7.Then connect the HDMI cable.

*If in case the above steps does not fix then Download the driver from the support site and perform Steps 1,2,3 then install the latest driver and then continue with 4,5,6 and 7 

Thanks. That helped. 

I've got it working now! Here's what I did (for the inspiron 10 mini)

• Turn on  computer with HDMI plugged in
• Go to control panel -> sound / audio. This opens the Sound & Audio Device Properties window
• Go to Audio Tab. Sound Playback likely reads 'Realtec HD'. 
• Unplug the HDMI cable from the computer. Wait 5 or 10 seconds and plug back in.
• Now in the same Souund Playback dropdown you'll hopefully see HDMI Device. Select that, and click Apply
• Now, you should have audio going through to your TV.

Hope that helps.