*Official* Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 thread - Page 222

Hello,

I have a nVidia 8600GTS graphic card connected to my HDAV and then out to my pre-pro via HDMI.
I use Vista32 Sp1.
I don't what has changed but lately every time I lit up my pre-pro the projector connected to it the picture projected does not fill the screen.
When I log on to Vista i get a bubble message from the tray saying a new HDCP something has been found.
In order to restore the picture size i have to enter the nVidia control panel and choose the option "Do not resize my desktop".
Note: that after every projector+pre-pro shut down, this option is reverted to "Resize my desktop".
This works until the next shut down and power on of my pre-pro and projector.
Note: this doesn't involve a shut down of my HTPC at all.

I am writing this here because when my graphic card is connected straight to my HTPC this doesn't happen.

Thank you

Hello,

For those of us using an HDAV coupled with a good graphic card and high grade cables, then a high-end pre-pro and video processor and a high-end projector or display, please answer this question:

- Did you notice a difference in picture quality when connected straight out from the graphic card and when connected through the HDAV?

Please note that I already noticed a big difference when using the Asus provided cable (DVI to HDMI) and when using a high-end DVI to HDMI cable.
This is what i use now and I am still not completely satisfied.
It is as if i have lost some sharpness of the picture. As if it has induced some noise.

Please share your thoughts.

Thank you

I definitely noticed image degradation when running video through the Xonar and then through my Denon amp to my Qualia 004 using TMT3.

I am using an Nvidia 9800GTX and the latest GA Nvidia drivers.

The approach I used to correct this issue was to run direct to the Sony Qualia 004 from the top DVI port and connect the jumper cable from the bottom DVI port to the Xonar. The Xonar is connected via HDMI to the Denon. I set the video card to run in extended desktop mode @60I.

This has actually worked just fine. The only issue I have is that components need to be powered up in sequence: Projector, Amp, PC.

This morning, I was playing around around and realized I could set my top DVI port to 24PsF created via the Custom Res panel while maintaining the bottom port at 60Hz. This gives me 24Hz video and HDMI audio, even though my Xonar is a older 8 series and hasn't had the microcode update.

Vern

I don't get it. Why are you running video to the Xonar if you are also running video to the TV?

You wont get sound out of the Xonar without feeding it a video signal.

Guys I noticed great degradation of picture in TMT3 in comparision with ASUS TMT 2. Anybody else?

Thanks. Kamil

There's a problem with TMT3 and some Nvidia cards. Until a patch is released, the best fix is to replace the VideoRenderForEVR.ax file with the equivalent file from TMT2.

Does this also apply to the Deluxe's analog audio outputs?

Cables won't make much of a difference. The signal is all digital.

It would be like flipping out a hard drive cable or USB cable.

Do you think running better USB cables would give you better video quality while coping video files over them?

I need to know the answer to this too, anyone?

No, you don't need to connect video if you are using HDAV for analog only outputs.

Use good quality RCA cables to your AVR and you should be good to go.

Rew

Thanks, it really helped.

I just got my Xonar card installed. Everything was working fine for a couple days with bitstreaming working and DTS-HD MA showing up on my receiver. However, now I just get a black screen when my HTPC starts up. I'm guessing it some BS HDCP handshacking issue with my HTPC and the receiver, but was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions. I have a Denon 3808 receiver and a Win XP HTPC with a Nvidea 8800 GTS video card.

The black screen starts after the Win XP opening logo. I don't get why it worked for a couple days (with multiple reboots), and now won't work at all.

A driver glitch, surely. It must have happened to me once or twice.

Quick solution: without powering off the PC just unplug and plug in order every connector you have to the Nvidia card. Make sure of course that the Denon is powered on too.

I tried unplugging the HDMI-out cable from the Xonar card, but haven't tried the others. My receiver HDMI cable is really hard to get to. I'll try the TV HDMI cable though.

What driver should I be using? I downladed the latest from Asus's website.

Right now, I'm in the middle of updating the receivers firmware. Maybe that will help.

Also dont forget to make sure the 4 pin molex power connector didn't come loose inside.

Just unplug every cable connected to the Nvidia graphic card. For instance, in my case I have 1 DVI cable connected to my main monitor and 1 DVI-HDMI to the Xonar. I just unplug both and then connect the DVI first and check that I get the Windows desktop on my main monitor. I then connect the DVI-HDMI cable from the Xonar and check/enable that I get picture on my HDTV through my receiver.

If you have just 1 cable connected to the graphic card, disconnect and reconnect that one of course.

The driver I was referring to was nvidia's. I use the latest (185.85) but, like I said, I do get this problem once in a while, so that I need to do the routine above.

Well the firmware update didn't fix anything. Unplugging the connector didn't work either. What did work (at least so far) was connecting to the other DVI input on the video card.

So far its working, but I'm not confident it will last.

Turn on the pc last as in Vern's post on next startup.

The problem is I leave my HTPC on most of the time. My HTPC is my server too so there is lots of times where I don't need the TV on.

There is a huge WAF issue here if I keep getting HDMI sync problems. She uses the HTPC for music and Hulu and doesn't care about 7.1 surround sound like I do. She just wants it to work ...which is what I want too.

I was using component signals before I got the Xonar card, and didn't have any problems. I tried sending component to the receiver as my video signal and using HDMI (with video) as my audio signal, but couldn't get any sound.

I remember something about 3808 Denon earlier in thread. I too have had intermitent issues with XP/3 and 605. Screen just flickers some times and can't get it to "agree".

My solution is as Vern, bypass the Xonar for video out. In other words, hdmi to Xonar for audio, but for your TV or projector, connect a separate feed. In my setup, that calls for 3 displays. I use the MB IGP hdmi to Xonar and with a discrete card, video feeds to desktop display and projector. Some cards have this now. I haven't read any success, but an hdmi splitter may be considered. This shouldn't be needed with such a card but the hdcp reality is not cheap.

I am on the fence for picking up a Xonar. I have read through most of the posts and I am just not sure if it's worth it to buy the Xonar. I know I need the Deluxe version as I need the RCA's for outputting to my Tube 2-channel pre-amp. I am currently using PDVD 7.3 and my Sapphire 4670 fanless video card to get LPCM. I know, in theory, there isn't a difference between bitstreamed HD and LPCM, but I was curious if I would get a better picture using ASUS TMT2 vs PDVD 7.3? At this point I am very happy with my HTPC going to my Onkyo 886 processor. However, it would be nice to see DTS-HD light up on the processor! But, I don't want to sacrifice image quality for it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

From my current combo, I get perfect 1080/24 playback as well.

Thanks,
Dan

Hello,

Well, I know the theory but I also do not fuss with facts.
Swapping back and forth between the bundled DVItoHDMI cable and a much better one is obvious. Graininess is almost disapearing.

To me, the difference in sound quality between the down sampled PCM that I was getting from my ATI card and the bitstreamed HD formats from the HDAV is pretty small. Still, I wanted to do things the right way and I don't regret the purchase. Things sound a little bit different and it has not introduced any other issues into my system. Don't expect miracles, because there aren't any, but if you are completely obsessed with getting every drop of performance from your system, it is well worth it.

Are you using the new 185.* nvidia drivers? That appears to be a new "feature" intended to help the guys who have overscan on their equipment, but at the same time it really ticks off those of us who have pixel perfect equipment. This didn't happen with the 182.* nvidia drivers.

I would love to see your demo, as I've gone through tens of cables including some expensive ones and never seen a difference (although I don't use more than 6ft).

Graininess is not a side effect of a bad cable. It is a sign of placebo though.

Having just bought a Sony BDU-X10S blu-ray player for my HTPC and enjoying awesome images on my new samsung tv I wanted to start enjoying what the audio has to offer in TrueHD etc.
Its all seems a bit complicted as to what i need.
I orginally thought just update my sound card to Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 and i'll have glorious TrueHD sound pumping out of my Logitech Z5500 speakers.
From what i've read I still need an A/V reciever like the Onkyo TX-SR606 and 5.1/7.1 speakers.
If thats the case what does the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 do exactly, if your still having to use an A/V reciever?
So Advice would be really helpful please and maybe some suggestions on an A/V amp and speakers if thats the way i have to go. Please let's not go mad on the prices i aint made of money!! LOL
Many thanks in advance....

tons of info on this.

Basically

SPDIF = 2 channel 24/192khz or DD/DTS
HDMI = 8/6/2 channel 24/192khz or DD-TrueHD/DTS-MA/DD/DTS
Analog = how ever many channels you add, how ever good your DACs are.

So if you speakers take analog in you could get the audio from using 8 channel analog. If you are using spdif there is no upgrade path.

Also audio is a weakest link thing, so with those logitechs, I wouldn't worry much about 24/96khz+ audio. 1.5mbps DTS would be very close to indistguishable from trueHD.

Yes I do. So that's what it is
How do you disable this feature?
That's really getting on my nerves having to resize my desktop evry time I lit up my equipment.

Your right there is tons of info on this,unfortunately little of it i understand! lol
At the moment i'm using the 3.5mm x 3 pin to connect speakers to HTPC
h**p://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4727/soundtouchback.jpg

I've had some trouble with the motherboard and sound card before. Am currently using the onboard sound as the X-fi refuses to work.Ive tried many time but the boards refuses to except the X-fi.