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Asus upcoming Xonar AV1 HDMI soundcard

29K views 82 replies 34 participants last post by  cybrsage 
#1 ·
wow, looks like a number of new cards will be seen in the upcoming CEBIT....

as reported by TGDaily:
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/36243/118/

Xonar DX

-PCIe X1

-Low Profile version of D2x?

-no more EM shielding

Xonar AV1

-PCIe X1

-with daughterboard HDAV-DB1 using proprietary interface

- >10 different interfaces, including HDMI input AND output

-includes video processor chip to process A/V mix


probably still a lot of work to be done, but definitely interesting development for the HTPC world!

I am currently stuck in a system with only PCIe X1 and no PCI ports, so will definitely keep an close eye on this!
 
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#29 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawguy /forum/post/14314178


Great!


Looks like soon then. It seems that lossless pcm will be first and bitstreaming will be an update that they say will be released soon.

Yeah that worries me a bit. From the link:

"NOTE: Bundled version supports high-definition audio decoding and playback, including DTS-HD, Dolby TrueHD, and Dolby Digtial Plus. Advanced HDMI 1.3 HD audio pass-through feature will be available soon via TMT patch update.

NOTE: Operating Systems supported by TotalMedia Theatre are Windows VISTA 32/64 and XP 32"


(+) Vista x64. I thought TMT had trouble with this os.

(-) Bitstream: Later? why? Now!!! I thought they demonstrated this at the trade show already. Why take that away!!

(+) EAX 5.0 for my games. Don't think Auzentech has this.


Now where is that buy button. I want. I want!!
 
#30 ·
They are waiting on the HD audio Bitstream because they haven't finished one of the codecs. I think it can do DolbyHD but not DTS-MA, or maybe it is reversed. I think they are waiting to role out the HD audio drivers until they can support the entire package instead of piecemealing it.
 
#31 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ymarker /forum/post/14314794


(+) EAX 5.0 for my games. Don't think Auzentech has this.

What?? Creative just released a bunch of sound cards based on its new PCI Express-based X-Fi audio processor, and Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 also uses it.

Auzentech Reveals HDMI 1.3-native PCI Express Audio Combo Card

Quote:
The Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 has been designed around the latest Creative PCI Express X-Fi audio processor. For home theater enthusiasts, the processor includes HDMI 1.3 support and will feature Dolby Digital and DTS encoding for a single-cable connection to home theater systems. For gamers, the card leverages the power of the PCI Express-optimized X-Fi processor to deliver accelerated audio for improved game performance, with ultra-realistic EAX 5.0 effects and 3D positional audio.


“Creative is excited to work with Auzentech to deliver a true high-definition HDMI solution based on our latest PCI Express-based processor,” said Steve Erickson, VP and GM of audio for Creative. “We have completely re-architected our X-Fi audio processor, optimizing it for the PCI Express bus. We’ve also made a significant achievement in customizing our audio technology to enable the highest quality lossless digital audio for HDMI, for a stunning HD digital entertainment experience.”

So there is no PCI Express bridge as seen in the ASUS PCI Express Xonar cards (C-Media Oxygen CMI8788 is a PCI-based processor). Another difference is that X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 is more focused on HDMI with simplified analog part (DAC and OPAMP). I welcome it if it reduces the price as I (and perhaps most users too) never use analog. The X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 card is thus slimmer than Xonar HDAV1.3 and X-Fi Prelude 7.1.

ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3



Auzentech Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1




The output ports are HDMI in, HDMI out, S/PDIF (optical/coaxial combo) and an connector for analog breakout. Compare it with

Auzentech Auzen X-Fi Prelude 7.1




X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 is a nice little card for HDMI users (if it works as advertised)!
 
#32 ·
Ultimately it will come down to whose crappy drivers you want to risk your money on.


On paper the Auzentech looks good, but the Creative core essentially means that the odds of ripping the thing out of your PC and stomping on it are high.


I am not sure that Asus will be much better. Their drivers may be better, but their customer service is extra-lousy.


I do imagine that if Asus kicks theirs out the door soon and Auzentech waits another two months the market will run at Asus first.
 
#33 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mcnabney /forum/post/14317677


Ultimately it will come down to whose crappy drivers you want to risk your money on.


On paper the Auzentech looks good, but the Creative core essentially means that the odds of ripping the thing out of your PC and stomping on it are high.


I am not sure that Asus will be much better. Their drivers may be better, but their customer service is extra-lousy.


I do imagine that if Asus kicks theirs out the door soon and Auzentech waits another two months the market will run at Asus first.

I thought the Asus drivers were a bit better than the creative ones on my last X-Fi, can't say I had any problems with them though, at least not for my needs. Neither allow convenient setting of levels and delays which I would have liked for analogue output but with HDMI bitstream you don't need any settings, so as long as they both work they should both be fine.



I recently tried hooking up my D2 via analogue to see if it sounded better than the Receiver and remembered why I tore it out in the first place, I get bad hum from analogue.


I won't be rushing out to buy either of these until there have been a few reviews and plenty of feedback on here. There is always one tiny thing you don't realise that can end up ruining a great product.


Fingers crossed



Adam
 
#34 ·
For some (including me) I'm not buying a HDMI soundcard until PowerDVD releases a version that doesn't downsample and it seems like Cyberlink is in bed with Auzentech. If for any reason its implied that the Auzentech will work better or be more compatible with PowerDVD then that makes my decision.
 
#37 ·

Quote:
I just want to be able to build a simple head-end device that can play HDMI audio (LPCM or bitstream, I don't care!) from ripped DVD, HD-DVD, and BD without constant fussing. So far I'm falling short

You're too easy...
I can do that with my G-33 based Shuttle box... but you failed to mention PAVP (or PAP ?) for non-downsampled audio...

 
#38 ·
Driver? For bitstream, there is no room for X-Fi/Oxygen audio processor driver to involve. Software player sends bitstream through PAP, which is muxed with video and sent over HDMI. These HDMI sound cards are ridiculously bloated for such a simple task, X-Fi HomeTheater is slightly slimmer, though.
 
#41 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /forum/post/14319079


@renethx, can I ask where you got that picture of the Auzentech X-fi HT 7.1?

I don't remember its name, I believe it's a Candian review site.
 
#42 ·
Yes it is called, Hardware Canucks. You took the picture and removed our sites watermark. This picture is ours and is exclusive to our site. I have no problem with you using the picture for threads but please Do not remove our watermark logo from it. Can you please replace it with the original one that has our watermark.
 
#43 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx /forum/post/14318567


Driver? For bitstream, there is no room for X-Fi/Oxygen audio processor driver to involve. Software player sends bitstream through PAP, which is muxed with video and sent over HDMI. These HDMI sound cards are ridiculously bloated for such a simple task, X-Fi HomeTheater is slightly slimmer, though.

I have plenty of experience with Creative drivers and there is nothing in a computer that they can't screw up. I wouldn't be surprised if they conflicted with Notepad under the proper circumstances.


And Bitstreaming through PAP is probably one of the most complicated things going on in this card. It is going to require perfect function on all fronts, especially drivers since that is the glue that makes it work.
 
#44 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mcnabney /forum/post/14319241


Bitstreaming through PAP is probably one of the most complicated things going on in this card. It is going to require perfect function on all fronts, especially drivers since that is the glue that makes it work.

Agreed. But DSP plays no role in this complicated process ... it's just a speculation, you may be right.
 
#45 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /forum/post/14319237


Yes it is called, Hardware Canucks. You took the picture and removed our sites watermark. This picture is ours and is exclusive to our site. I have no problem with you using the picture for threads but please Do not remove our watermark logo from it. Can you please replace it with the original one that has our watermark.

Oh, it's your site. I understand, I will replace the picture soon.
 
#46 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx /forum/post/14319344


Oh, it's your site. I understand, I will replace the picture soon.

Technically, since it is an unreleased product, all copyrights including any still images belong to Azuntech. So technically everyone is violating copyright. But that is what the Internet is all about. The selling and marketing of other people's ideas.
 
#47 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx /forum/post/14315618



So there is no PCI Express bridge as seen in the ASUS PCI Express Xonar cards (C-Media Oxygen CMI8788 is a PCI-based processor). Another difference is that X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 is more focused on HDMI with simplified analog part (DAC and OPAMP). I welcome it if it reduces the price as I (and perhaps most users too) never use analog. The X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 card is thus slimmer than Xonar HDAV1.3 and X-Fi Prelude 7.1...

The Xonar HDAV1 will come in TWO versions. The standard version will be without the daughter card that provides the extra analog channels and should be cheaper than the Deluxe version that includes all the extra channels.


The card(s) will also feature swapable OpAmps on ALL analog channels and come STOCK with the LM4562s on all channels as well. Some people don't care about the analog parts of these cards, but others do...



Also, the PCIe bridge does not effect sound quality in any way so it really isn't relevant in this discussion...


Lastly, I would not in any way expect the Auzentech card to be cheap in price. Their pricing history to date reveals that this would be a pipe dream...
 
#48 ·
@SlackerX IIRC, the rumored price on the HDA 1.3 is about $300, not sure if that is for the vanilla version or the deluxe. Would be great if they offered both cards and the daughter card for those who want to upgrade.


The Auzen X-FI HT 7.1 has a front channel replacable opamp by the looks of the picture. We are working on getting more pictures and further information for everybody. To note although not really relavent to sound quality the card uses a newly redesigned X-fi procesor to offer Native PCI-E interface. Looks like that Xonar HDA 1.3 from the picture is still using a PLX bridging chip.
 
#50 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sizam /forum/post/14318334


For some (including me) I'm not buying a HDMI soundcard until PowerDVD releases a version that doesn't downsample and it seems like Cyberlink is in bed with Auzentech. If for any reason its implied that the Auzentech will work better or be more compatible with PowerDVD then that makes my decision.

Cyberlink and Nvidia are both on the X-fi HT 7.1 project, yes. Cyberlink already released info to the press that stated thier upcoming software will use this card to it's full potential.

I am pretty sure ASUS also has a software player partner involved for their HDMI 1.3 project.
 
#51 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /forum/post/14320496


Cyberlink and Nvidia are both on the X-fi HT 7.1 project, yes. Cyberlink already released info to the press that stated thier upcoming software will use this card to it's full potential.

I am pretty sure ASUS also has a software player partner involved for their HDMI 1.3 project.

Yes, it's well known ASUS has partnered with Arcsoft; Arcsoft is creating a special build of TMT whose own PAP is compatible with the Xonar HDAV's PAP.


Because of the lack of a native PAP encryption channel in Vista, this silly situation with vendors having to "partner up" to ensure an unbroken PAP tunnel has arisen.
 
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