windows 7: Can't get HDMI audio - the hdmi device does not appear under the playback devices

This sounds to me more like a limitation of your device/drivers, rather than Windows.  Windows 7, as far as I can tell, works in a similar way to Windows XP:  You pick a default device, and by default, all sounds get routed through it.  If you have a program that can address a specific device (such as Winamp, when using DirectSound output), you can output to any device you want without changing the default.  In fact, I have done this on my Windows 7 laptop...  I connected an outboard audio adapter (Presonus Firebox), which has three stereo outputs; I set one to be the default, and set Winamp to use another.  I was able to output sound from both, simultaneously.

As for whether your audio device will output sound from both analog out and S/PDIF, it sounds like that's a limitation of your device or your device driver, and not so much Windows 7.  Try a Sound Blaster, or a studio-grade product such as M-Audio Audiophile, Presonus Firebox, Lynx, etc. 

Hope this helps!

No it's not my devices.  I have the same equipment I had with XP.  It is the way 7 is designed (and from what I have heard, Vista also).  Not familiar with your setup, but Winamp is not a device, it's software.  I doubt your laptop has spdif out.  If so, try running that and analog to another actual device and see for yourself. 

By the way, there are threads about this on other forums.  It's not conjecture, but fact.

The problem many of you are having is most likely due to the fact that Windows 7 doesn't support multiple outputs simultaneously (apparently Vista is the same way).  You have to choose one output:  hdmi, analog or spdif and that is all that will output.  You can't run spdif to your receiver or tv and use headphones to listen to analog at the same time.  I installed the latest Realtek drivers for 7 and it doesn't help.  The problem is inherent in 7 which is a complete deal breaker for me.  I'll stick to XP which does all I need it to and lets me configure the sound output to my needs without having to wade through menus and WMC setup to make a change every time I use a different device.

This sounds to me more like a limitation of your device/drivers, rather than Windows.  Windows 7, as far as I can tell, works in a similar way to Windows XP:  You pick a default device, and by default, all sounds get routed through it.  If you have a program that can address a specific device (such as Winamp, when using DirectSound output), you can output to any device you want without changing the default.  In fact, I have done this on my Windows 7 laptop...  I connected an outboard audio adapter (Presonus Firebox), which has three stereo outputs; I set one to be the default, and set Winamp to use another.  I was able to output sound from both, simultaneously.

As for whether your audio device will output sound from both analog out and S/PDIF, it sounds like that's a limitation of your device or your device driver, and not so much Windows 7.  Try a Sound Blaster, or a studio-grade product such as M-Audio Audiophile, Presonus Firebox, Lynx, etc. 

Hope this helps!

The problem many of you are having is most likely due to the fact that Windows 7 doesn't support multiple outputs simultaneously (apparently Vista is the same way).  You have to choose one output:  hdmi, analog or spdif and that is all that will output.  You can't run spdif to your receiver or tv and use headphones to listen to analog at the same time.  I installed the latest Realtek drivers for 7 and it doesn't help.  The problem is inherent in 7 which is a complete deal breaker for me.  I'll stick to XP which does all I need it to and lets me configure the sound output to my needs without having to wade through menus and WMC setup to make a change every time I use a different device.

I have a homemade PC with onboard Sigmatel audio and an nVidia GTX260 graphics card... I'm using a S/PDIF passthrough from the motherboard to the graphics card, and audio is passed to the TV.

I did have one problem...  When I upgraded the video card driver, I was not prompted for a reboot; however, my system required a reboot before the audio started working again. 

I can play tracks from Zune, and system sounds also come through.  I also have a Dell XPS1530, and Samsung LCD.  With Win7 Beta, it worked.  I haven't yet tried with Win7 RC.

I didn't really have to configure anything to get it to work...  It just did.  Guess I was lucky, but this is not necessarily an inherent flaw with the Win7 RC.

Im using  a spdif cable aswell hooked up to my nvidia 9500GT with HDMI running to the tv. I´m using vista but i don´t get the HDMI option displayed in the audio output deivce list. anyone?

I updated the Sigmatel/SoundMAX audio drivers to beyond the generic drivers included with 7, and then found that HDMI disappeared from my audio devices list.  The internal S/PDIF output on the motherboard/Sigmatel device is the "Digital Output".  In the SoundMAX control panel program, you have three output devices to choose from:  Speakers, Digital Output, and S/PDIF.  "Digital Output" passed audio through to the HDMI port, and consequently, to the TV.  I updated my nVidia card drivers to see if it'd put the HDMI device back (for the sake of labeling), but it didn't.