HP z555 Upgrade Project - Page 25

@ lifeisfun,

No, nothing like that at all. Any other details to help us diagnose your problem?

BW

@ lifeisfun,

Catalyst 8.11

BW

@ MColeman,

Welcome to the thread! To your questions:

1. Yes and no. You have a couple of options.

The first video card I tried, the MSI NX8500GT MTD256EH (still available from NewEgg, see first post for link) has S/PDIF passthrough on the HDMI. What it does is take the S/PDIF coaxial signal from your audio output and route it into the HDMI. It then combines it with the video signal it is shooting out the HDMI, for HDMI combined audio video. What I did when I had this card was as follows: It comes with a coaxial cable that plugs into the S/PDIF output on the onboard audio. I routed this from the jack on the back of the z555, into the case through the hole where the VGA plug was (I removed it), and connected it to the connector on the 8500GT. You don't get TrueHD or DTS-HD, but you do get up to Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES (both 6.1 standards) across your HDMI, without the need for a separate coaxial or TOSLink cable for the audio.

I've since switched to the Asus EAH4550, based on an ATI chipset. Video playback is smoother, and it is supposed to have an onboard audio encoder to encode TrueHD, DTS-HD, and 8 channel LPCM on the card, to go over the HDMI. Sounds great, but it doesn't work (yet) on my z555. See posts above for the symptoms (any thoughts? ).

If you want your audio over the HDMI cable, then the 8500GT with S/PDIF passthrough is the only one I've tried that works to any degree, thus far.

2. Not likely. With all the guff about HDCP that the recording industry is all in a tizzy about, the only devices that receive an HDMI input are passthrough or display devices, nothing that can process or record. If you want to record high definition programming or signals, this device looks to be about the best so far (when it comes out). You'll be able to record component video and S/PDIF audio, but not HDMI. Best there is for now until Hollywood stops treating us all like criminals.

BW

@ Emerlin,

Thanks for the input. On the 8500GT, you can get audio over the HDMI connection, it just is an S/PDIF passthrough, so you're limited to audio formats that S/PDIF has the bandwidth to handle. This is most of them, except TrueHD and DTS-HD. Your TV, if it has HDMI input, will be able to decode this and play it properly. Or should, anyway.

Most TV's don't have DVI anymore, true, but DVI is the very same video standard as the video portion of HDMI. My RP LCD HDTV has DVI input, and I am running a DVI-HDMI cable between the TV and the HDMI port on the z555. No worries there, it's just that you only carry the video signal, not the audio. I'm running optical TOSlink between the z555 and my receiver until I can get the audio encoder on the ATI card figured out. The day I do is the day I buy the Onkyo SR606 so I can experience the HD audio formats!

There is, on my mobo at least, a port marked SPDIF, near the external connector on the back. It's buried beneath the power supply's cable for the external power connection. Look around, it's there. However, the size and pinouts differed from the internal-internal S/PDIF cable that came with the 8500GT, so I didn't use it. It was just as easy to use the external-internal loopback that also came with the 8500GT, and go through the VGA hole, which I took out when I swapped out the stock graphics card. Worked just fine.

Hope that helps. Reading through it, I realize it can be a bit confusing, so if you need to, feel free to PM me and I'll try and help further.

BW

@ UndersAVS,

Welcome to the thread!

The analog outputs on your z558 will output 7.1 surround, if your receiver has the discrete channel inputs to receive it. You won't have to worry about encoding to or from any of the formats, all of that will be handled internally on the computer and sent out the channel outputs. You'll need a lot of RCA cables, but it'll work. Or should. My receiver only has 5.1 discrete inputs, not 7.1, so I can't speak to full surround input.

Those cards you mention will do exactly what we need, except for one thing. How are they to fit in the z555 case? If you've got a good idea on this, please let us know!

Thanks for stopping by. The HD upgrade to the z555 series is a great way to get years of additional life out of these computers, and even with the cost coming down on standalone players, is still a worthwhile and not-too-expensive upgrade to do if you like tinkering with your machine.

BW

@ UndersAVS,

I used them for 5.1 for testing. I know that there are 7.1 outputs, but I had nothing to hook the last two to. So no, I haven't tried outputting in 7.1 analog, only 5.1. "Should" work, but I can't confirm.

BW

@ billygreen23,

I agree with jongig. If they'll extend the warranty, then do it and they'll replace the PSU or the motherboard, whichever is broken. Then do your mods and call it a day.

BW

@ UndersAVS,

That's what it came up as. Could be that, but that's what I used.

What would I do differently? Well, in hindsight, the EAH4550 is superior in terms of video quality to the MSI 8500GT, but it wasn't available at the time. I prefer the ATI card, but given the parts available at the various times, I'd go that route still. However, at this point in time, with both cards available, I'd recommend the EAH4550 for a video card replacement.

I'm diggin' Windows 7 Beta! It works really well on this platform, so I might have upgraded to Vista before now. However, the beta is free, so I can't complain. I'd recommend giving the beta a try, if you haven't already.

Biggest thing I'd change is the SATA controller. I found out too late that they make IDE-to-SATA inline adapters, so I'd have tried this on the LG drive first. That would have allowed me to keep the wireless card in place. Others in this thread have reported that this works. I have too much fear to try soldering on the second SATA connector to the leads on the motherboard, but I know at least one has tried this with success.

That help?

BW

@ reidmeir,

It's amazing how many people have chimed in here. Honestly, I never expected this to grow like it has. This site and others like it have given me many insights and much good advice, so I was just trying to give back a little. I'm glad I've been able to do my part.

To your questions... The EAH4550 has several pros, and several cons, vis-a-vis the MSI 8500GT. On the plus side, the biggest advantage for me is better video playback. Every movie plays absolutely silky smooth. No frame skips, no lag, no stutter. I didn't get this with the MSI 8500GT. Some movies would play well, some would only play well under ArcSoft TMT, some under PowerDVD, some not at all (see my earlier posts about ID4). With the EAH4550, it doesn't matter the movie or the application, everything plays perfectly.

The downside is audio handling, although the EAH4550 should have a major leg up here. The MSI uses an S/PDIF passthrough to get the audio onto the HDMI bus to your playback device(s). So, you're limited to Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES as the most defined audio sources. TrueHD and DTS-HD will not go over S/PDIF, as it doesn't have enough bandwidth for those formats.

The EAH4550 has it's own, built-in audio processor, that is (according to specs) capable of encoding TrueHD and DTS-HD on the card, then shoving it out the HDMI. In theory, this would make it the obvious choice for audio purposes.

The problem is... I can't get the darned thing to work! I've detailed the issues I'm having in detail, and so far, although a lot of helpful souls have offered suggestions, none of them have worked. I am still using the z555's onboard audio, going out the optical TOSlink connection. I honestly think at this point that it is a limitation of the chipset or motherboard, and the device just will not work due to the (relative) lack of resources on the mobo.

So, which is better?

Video playback: EAH4550.

Audio compatibility: MSI 8500GT.

Low noise: Tie (the MSI 8500GT is passively cooled, the EAH4550 has a fan. But you can't hear it over the other fans in the z555.)

Driver support: EAH4550. (I've always been an nVidia fan, but I have to hand it to the Catalyst folks, they know their stuff.)

Case Integration: EAH4550. You have to remove the VGA plug with the MSI card. That's okay, you use the hole for the S/PDIF cable to go from the coax plug on the back and inside to hit the card. But the EAH4550 has no need of this (in theory) and comes with it's own VGA plug, which can go back into the hole in the case. Better looking setup. In either case, you'll have to do a bit of metalwork, at least bending and tugging, to get a low-profile bracket to cover the card, unless you carve up the stock one with a dremel.

For a BD/HD/DVD drive, I'd still go with the LG dual-format. I haven't found a disc yet that it won't read or burn. Mine is the GGC-H20L, which means it only burns DVD+-RW, and DVD-DL. The GGW-H20L is the one that adds Blu Ray burning, so I can't speak to that.

It comes with PowerDVD 7.5, or did when I bought it. The funny thing about PowerDVD is this. When it came out, the OEM version that came with the drives didn't get the same updates as did the retail version bought separately. However, once Cyberlink released version 8.0, they seem to have put all the updates available for all to use. Now, PowerDVD 8.0 removed HD-DVD capability, but PowerDVD 7.5 properly updated plays all my movies perfectly. ArcSoft TMT works as well, and the latest versions still support HD DVD as well as Blu Ray.

Since your PC has the same chipset as mine, I can verify that the Pentium 4 650 (3.4 GHz) will work. Some have reported getting the 660 and 670 to work, but I cannot confirm this. They are made on a different manufacturing process than the 650 and back, so that's a risk if you go that route.

I wouldn't think that the mobo would fit a new case. They were custom designed by Asus for the z555 series, and most of the plugs wouldn't line up with anything I'm aware of. If you go for a new case, then I'd suggest selling the z-machine on Bay, and using the proceeds for a new mobo/CPU/RAM. You'll break about even (z552->internals) and the performance will be a lot better. I keep my z555 because I like the aesthetics, but if I were to want a new case (bigger PS, different look, etc.) I'd change the internals, too. The z555 series is just too dated to keep around in that circumstance.

Having said that, I'm going to keep it until it literally flames out on me, and THEN get a new machine. But the point has been the modification process. Like putting a supercharger on a dated car, it has really, really increased the "fun" factor of the machine for me, and I'd wager a decent percentage of the folks here.

Good luck, and if you do work on it, post up so we'll be able to help, or celebrate your results!

BW