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Audio over HDMI?

post #1 of 33
Thread Starter 
I'm building my first HTPC, and I do not have a home stereo receiver unit. I'm just a student in college and all I have is an old computer, (with a PCIe slot) and a TV with HDMI ports. Nothing else. So I'm going to want the sound from the PC, to play out the TV's integrated factory speakers. What is the least expensive video card that will do this? Not all cards support audio over HDMI so I thought that I'd better ask first.
post #2 of 33
post #3 of 33
post #4 of 33
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the replies, but I need to make a slight correction to this thread. I have access to a free Nvidia GT-220 video card. My college buddy has one that he says he'll just give me, but its either a 220, or a 240. Anyone know if the 220 supports audio over HDMI?
post #5 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaycoolJr View Post

Thanks for the replies, but I need to make a slight correction to this thread. I have access to a free Nvidia GT-220 video card. My college buddy has one that he says he'll just give me, but its either a 220, or a 240. Anyone know if the 220 supports audio over HDMI?

It does if you have it connected to an audio card via the included SPDIF audio cable.
post #6 of 33
Thread Starter 
So the 240 doesn't have to have the SPDif cable, but the 220 does. Odd.
post #7 of 33
My gt 210 does out the hdmi and if that gt 220 has hdmi, it supports pcm audio, fine for that tv. If it has dvi, that should work with an hdmi adapter.
post #8 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by LexInVA View Post

It does if you have it connected to an audio card via the included SPDIF audio cable.

That's wrong! Every GeForce 210/GT 220/GT 240 has its own HD audio controller that grabs audio stream via PCI Expess bus, interleaves it with video stream in HDMI signal and send it over HDMI (and DVI too, with any DVI-HDMI adapter). The audio formats supported are:

- Multichannel LPCM, up to 8 ch, 24 bit, 192kHz
- DD
- DTS

It does not support TrueHD/DTS-HD. But if you connect it to TV directly, this is enough. So get GT 220 and save your money.
post #9 of 33
rule of thumb for nvidia cards is that all dx10.1 cards and newer support 8 channel pcm.
post #10 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by MlNDBOMB View Post

rule of thumb for nvidia cards is that all dx10.1 cards and newer support 8 channel pcm.

The situation is more complex than this. The number of supported audio formats increases in chronological order:

- GeForce 8 Series/9 Series/GT(S/X) 250-280: Stereo PCM, DD, DTS via S/PDIF input
- GeForce 210/GT 220/GT 240/GTX 465-480/GTX 570-590: Multichannel LPCM, DD, DTS
- GeForce GT(S/X) 430-460/GT(X) 520-560 Ti: TrueHD/DD+/DTS-HD MA/HRA, Multichannel LPCM, DD, DTS
post #11 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx View Post

That's wrong! Every GeForce 210/GT 220/GT 240 has its own HD audio controller that grabs audio stream via PCI Expess bus, interleaves it with video stream in HDMI signal and send it over HDMI (and DVI too, with any DVI-HDMI adapter). The audio formats supported are:

- Multichannel LPCM, up to 8 ch, 24 bit, 192kHz
- DD
- DTS

It does not support TrueHD/DTS-HD. But if you connect it to TV directly, this is enough. So get GT 220 and save your money.

The 220 does not have PCI-E audio pass-through. I don't know why you think it does.
post #12 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by LexInVA View Post

The 220 does not have PCI-E audio pass-through. I don't know why you think it does.

I don't know why you suggest connecting GT 220 to an audio card via the *included* SPDIF audio cable when there is no GT 220 card with S/PDIF in. (Perhaps you haven't used a GT 220 card.)

I am not sure what you mean by "pass-through". If you are thinking of a "cable" connecting a PCI Express slot and the graphics card by analogy with S/PDIF pass-through, there is no such thing in G210/GT 220/GT 240 or every GeForce card released later than that (or every Radeon HD 2000/3000/4000/5000/6000 series card). All of these cards have an audio controller in the graphics chip and grab audio streams from the system memory via PCI Express "bus" (I assume you know how to connect a graphics card to the PCI Express bus [through 32 pins in a PCI Express x16 slot] ). I recommend you to read one of the Radeon HD 2900 XT reviews (the first discrete graphics card with built-in HD audio controller), for example, PC Perspective.

S/PDIF pass-through

System memory -> HD audio controller in the chipset -> HD audio codec (well, just a S/PDIF emitter) -> GPU -> muxed with video stream in TMDS -> HDMI

Built-in audio controller

System memory -> PCI Express controller -> HD audio controller in GPU -> muxed with video stream in TMDS -> HDMI


LL
LL
post #13 of 33
Why are you even getting a videocard? Just get a mobo with integrated video. A lot of AMD mobos with chipsets like 880G feature an HDMI output. Intel Socket 1156 mobos with H55/H57 chipsets can utilize integrated video of Core i3 Clarkdale CPUs. Socket 1155 mobos with H61/H67 chipset and a lot of mobos with Z68 chipset can utilize integrated video of any Sandy Bridge CPU.

Any of these will send audio via HDMI. Don't recall exactly where AMD stands but Intel integrated solutions handle 8-channel PCM and lossless codec streaming for Blu-Ray playback.

Later, if want to do serious gaming on it, you can add a nice video card.
post #14 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by scorrpio View Post

Why are you even getting a videocard?

Because it's free...? I don't know if he is going to build an entirely new system, or just add a graphics card only, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaycoolJr View Post

I have access to a free Nvidia GT-220 video card. My college buddy has one that he says he'll just give me,

Quote:
Originally Posted by scorrpio View Post

A lot of AMD mobos with chipsets like 880G feature an HDMI output. Intel Socket 1156 mobos with H55/H57 chipsets can utilize integrated video of Core i3 Clarkdale CPUs. Socket 1155 mobos with H61/H67 chipset and a lot of mobos with Z68 chipset can utilize integrated video of any Sandy Bridge CPU.

Well, if he is going to build a new system, an Athlon/880G chipset system or an Intel Clarkdale system is pretty pointless. Celeron G530 with a H61/H67 chipset mb is the way to go (in terms of price, performance, features, power consumption, availability).
post #15 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx View Post

Because it's free...? I don't know if he is going to build an entirely new system, or just add a graphics card only, though.



Well, if he is going to build a new system, an Athlon/880G chipset system or an Intel Clarkdale system is pretty pointless. Celeron G530 with a H61/H67 chipset mb is the way to go (in terms of price, performance, features, power consumption, availability).

He did start his first post with "I'm building my first HTPC. . . ."

The H61/H67 motherboard and a Sandy Bridge CPU of some sort (such as the G530) is certainly the way to go.
post #16 of 33
It could be that "I'm building my first HTPC with spare components...".
post #17 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx View Post

The situation is more complex than this. The number of supported audio formats increases in chronological order:

- GeForce 8 Series/9 Series/GT(S/X) 250-280: Stereo PCM, DD, DTS via S/PDIF input
- GeForce 210/GT 220/GT 240/GTX 465-480/GTX 570-590: Multichannel LPCM, DD, DTS
- GeForce GT(S/X) 430-460/GT(X) 520-560 Ti: TrueHD/DD+/DTS-HD MA/HRA, Multichannel LPCM, DD, DTS

Some of the 9 series can do multichannel LPCM, I believe. I know that my ION based nettop can.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...htpc,2329.html
post #18 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by fitbrit View Post

Some of the 9 series can do multichannel LPCM, I believe. I know that my ION based nettop can.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...htpc,2329.html

That's why I always say "discrete". As for "motherboard GPU" (mGPU [NVIDIA's term]),

- GeForce 7 Series: Stereo PCM, DD, DTS
- GeForce 8200/8300: 7.1/stereo LPCM, DD, DTS
- GeForce 9300/9400/ION: Multichannel LPCM

All have its own audio controller. Well, I am a bit tired of explaining all these details...
post #19 of 33
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx View Post

It could be that "I'm building my first HTPC with spare components...".

Yeah I should have been more clear on that. I am using spare components. I'm just a lowly student and I'm low on money. But I do have the spare components on hand to do this. I'm just using an older PC that I have. Its just a random off-the-shelf Gateway with an intel e4300 dual core CPU. But it does have a PCIe slot, and my buddy did say he'd give me his spare GT-220 that he isn't using anymore. As for some people asking why I'm not just using onboard video, I tried that. But as I'm not using a home stereo receiver with speaker system, I can't do it. I am just using the TV's speakers, and as far as I can tell, there is no way to tell the TV to play an audio signal from a different source than the video signal. Unlike with a receiver unit. And the onboard video does not support sound out through it.
post #20 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx View Post

That's why I always say "discrete". As for "motherboard GPU" (mGPU [NVIDIA's term]),

- GeForce 7 Series: Stereo PCM, DD, DTS
- GeForce 8200/8300: 7.1/stereo LPCM, DD, DTS
- GeForce 9300/9400/ION: Multichannel LPCM

All have its own audio controller. Well, I am a bit tired of explaining all these details...

Sorry for taxing you. You're this forum's Google! I'm sure flattery doesn't even register with you any more.
post #21 of 33
the reason i said nvidia cards specifically was to avoid the whole issue of integrated gpus, which for nvidia, have had 8 channel lpcm for ages.

And the reason i said dx10.1 was to avoid the whole gtx 480/470/465/580/570 bitstreaming debacle.

Plus, you can manage without PAP if you have the arcsoft dll for dts and some type of ffmpeg based decoder for truehd.
post #22 of 33
You are right, I missed 10.1.

- GT(S) 250-280: DX 10.0
- 210/GT 220/GT 240: DX 10.1

So my post is just a descriptive version of yours.
post #23 of 33
Not to Hijack this thread but I was curious. I have this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127510

And it has a mini HDMI out. If I connect the Mini HDMI out to my audio receiver, will I get 8Channel PCM/DD/DTS audio?
post #24 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by shingouki2002 View Post

Not to Hijack this thread but I was curious. I have this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127510

And it has a mini HDMI out. If I connect the Mini HDMI out to my audio receiver, will I get 8Channel PCM/DD/DTS audio?

Yes, as well as TrueHD/DD+/DTS-HD MA/DTS-HD HRA (if your AVR supports them).
post #25 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by renethx View Post

Yes, as well as TrueHD/DD+/DTS-HD MA/DTS-HD HRA (if your AVR supports them).

Thanks so much for your reply. I should have asked it earlier as well, but do I need to have a specific motherboard for this to work or will it happen natively?
post #26 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by shingouki2002 View Post

Thanks so much for your reply. I should have asked it earlier as well, but do I need to have a specific motherboard for this to work or will it happen natively?

It should work with any motherboard that supports the card.
post #27 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by fitbrit View Post

It should work with any motherboard that supports the card.

Thanks again! You both made my day! I''m going to test it when I get home! Thanks so much!

EDIT: One last question! If I can get all those great sound types over HDMI through my Graphics card...is there really a point in getting a sound card for my PC? I was looking at these cards:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...aro+&x=16&y=15

And all sound cards that I see only support Optical outs...which I believe doesnt support any of the True HD or 7.1 Formats...So is there really any point in getting a soundcard if I can just use my HDMI Cable through my graphics card?
post #28 of 33
Thread Starter 
Yeah I used to have an old Nvidia 9800 card and I thought that it was actually pretty cool of them to make it where you could run that little wire from your SPDif to your card. Seems like a tacked on afterthought, but its certainly a lot better than no sound over video at all.
post #29 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by shingouki2002 View Post

Thanks again! You both made my day! I''m going to test it when I get home! Thanks so much!

EDIT: One last question! If I can get all those great sound types over HDMI through my Graphics card...is there really a point in getting a sound card for my PC? I was looking at these cards:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...aro+&x=16&y=15

And all sound cards that I see only support Optical outs...which I believe doesnt support any of the True HD or 7.1 Formats...So is there really any point in getting a soundcard if I can just use my HDMI Cable through my graphics card?

Buying an expensive sound card just for S/PDIF is a waste of money (S/PDIF onboard audio is enough). These cards are for people who have a AVR with multichannel analog in but no HDMI. This post.
post #30 of 33
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaycoolJr View Post

And the onboard video does not support sound out through it.

What is the onboard video? Is there an HDMI connection?

the e4300 isn't too ancient -- so if you're Gateway has the Intel G45 Chipset / Integrated Graphics and HDMI connection - I believe this should support some form of HDMI audio. I think even the G35 can do HDMI Audio. If it's pre G35 (9XX) - then I have no idea. And if there's no HDMI connection, it doesn't matter anyway.
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