[odditory]

After almost pulling the trigger on a new ATI 48xx card, I think I made up my mind that I'm going to wait for whichever of the Auzentech or Asus HDMI 1.3a soundcards come out first (tenatively the ASUS XONAR HDAV 1.3 if they stick to their July release promise).


Too bad there's this whole PAP DRM issue "crippling" ATI cards from DTS-HD/DD TrueHD audio. Who the hell arbitrarily decided "we're going to make your audio sound worse if you don't play movies back exactly as we say with the authorized hardware and software"


Unfortunately I'm one of those purists that doesn't want PowerDVD intercepting the audio first and decoding it to LPCM to send to receiver. I want my HTPC talking DTS-HD/DD TrueHD directly to my receiver!


It seems like the combo of PowerDVD, Nvidia GPU (exclusive to Auzentech) for audio plus a receiver that properly supports HDMI v1.3a audio is going to be the "perfect storm" of components for playback of BD and HD material in general.

 

[odditory]

One more thing I forgot to mention, HOW ridiculous is this current state of affairs that we have to wait for a soundcard and will route our HDMI output of our graphics card INTO the HDMI-in of the soundcard, with the soundcard then combining the video and HD audio and sending to receiver - how silly is that?


I guess its a literal physical cable workaround for PAP/DRM b.s. right

 

[Lawguy]

You are right to wait until these issues are resolved.


I still don't see why uncompressed audio traveling over a secure connection has to be downsampled? Where is the threat of piracy from this? It almost makes you want to just pirate the disk just so you can get the uncompressed audio. This is a ridiculous situation.

 

[hlkc]

There is nothing wrong with that.


I've been using 4850 about 10 days now and I having so much fun with the LPCM.


As of today, I do not believe 4850 can do PAP bit-stream.


As of today, PDVD will down sampled to Vista and up convert to the AVR.


But when Asus and/or Azuentech released their HDMI sound cards, I think they will be the same - NOT down sampled and both, LPCM and PAP bit stream, to your AVR. It won't be different.


I still have 3650 here. I will have my 4850 here as well. I will try both and report back to my other thread I started. I plan to do a lot of A/B testing using:

Sound cards

1) 4850 LPCM

2) 3650 with Asus HDMI sound card

3) Azuentech HDMI sound card

Way to tests

A) LPCM 192 KHz

B) Bit stream TureHD DTS MA

My gears

Onkyo Pro 885 Pre-Amp (Selling Theta CBII, buying Theta CBIII now), Krell KSA-200S + KAV-500 amp, Martin Logan Theater (C), Ascent (L&R), Script (R) and Depth Sub, PS Audio Power Premier Plant, MIT Shotgun S1 cables & HDMI 1.3b.

 

[Sherbona]



Quote:
Originally Posted by odditory /forum/post/14199709


--snip--

The Auzentech is going to be Nvidia-exclusive which is fine by me since ...

---snip---

I don't think this is true - my understanding is that their card is not going tobe Nvidia-exclusive, its oonly that the one internal connector will be. ATI cards should be fine with the Auzentech as well.

 

[odditory]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/14199890


There is nothing wrong with that.


I've been using 4850 about 10 days now and I having so much fun with the LPCM.


As of today, I do not believe 4850 can do PAP bit-stream.

You know, I'm sure I could *live* with LPCM to the AVR if all else failed. However my dream is seeing my HTPC talking to my AVR via HDMI and the "DTS-HD MA" LED lighting up on my AVR - know what I mean? To hell with PowerDVD decoding the audio first.

 

[Lawguy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by odditory /forum/post/14199957


However my dream is seeing my HTPC talking to my AVR via HDMI and the "DTS-HD MA" LED lighting up on my AVR - know what I mean?

Nope. I keep all lights off. I use a projector.

 

[hlkc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherbona /forum/post/14199912


I don't think this is true - my understanding is that their card is not going tobe Nvidia-exclusive, its oonly that the one internal connector will be. ATI cards should be fine with the Auzentech as well.

Yes, that should be not true.

 

[hlkc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by odditory /forum/post/14199957


You know, I'm sure I could *live* with LPCM to the AVR if all else failed. However my dream is seeing my HTPC talking to my AVR via HDMI and the "DTS-HD MA" LED lighting up on my AVR - know what I mean? To hell with PowerDVD decoding the audio first.

I hear you and I would do that. However I am telling you based on all the papers I read so far and spoke with tons of people, I believed they should be the same; in some cases, LPCM might be better in other cases might be the other way around. That's why I prefer to have the sound card and I can do what I want when I want. But in any cases, 4850 LPCM is so good and I am telling you that I NEVER thought such movies sound can be in my own room. we can do 2C3D SACD audio for long while but not movies.... I have been audiophile with some expensive gears for many years. I am telling you this is one HUGE step for HTPC audiophile and either ways, bit stream or LPCM, you will be very happy over whet you have today.


Btw, I turn off all my gears screen in my room at night

I just looking for better audio note; not the logo in my pre-amp

 

[pclausen]

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that there will be a G45 mobo variant for ~$150 or so that, when combined with a decent Core2 CPU, will deliver lossless bitstream audio and 24p video over HDMI to a capable receiver/pre-pro.


In this day and age, I just can't see dropping $450 for a Mobo + Graphics Card + Sound Card, when a $150 all-in one mobo should be able to handle anything a BD movie can throw at it.


Until such a solution becomes available, I'll just keep on trucking with my 2 G35 mobos and convert everything to FLAC prior to playback (or use my A35 or BD30 if I don't feel like ripping first).

 

[DPlettner]

I understand why you want to wait for Auzentech or Asus. However, 6 or 8 channel LPCM does sound great, and as Pclausen noted, there are ways to avoid downsampling today. Without downsampling, there should be no difference in AQ between DTS-MA/TrueHD decoded in the PC and sent over LPCM, and DTS-MA/TrueHD decoded in the AVR.


A bird in the hand . . .


-Dave

 

[odditory]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/14200058


I hear you and I would do that. However I am telling you based on all the papers I read so far and spoke with tons of people, I believed they should be the same; in some cases, LPCM might be better in other cases might be the other way around. That's why I prefer to have the sound card and I can do what I want when I want. But in any cases, 4850 LPCM is so good and I am telling you that I NEVER thought such movies sound can be in my own room. we can do 2C3D SACD audio for long while but not movies.... I have been audiophile with some expensive gears for many years. I am telling you this is one HUGE step for HTPC audiophile and either ways, bit stream or LPCM, you will be very happy over whet you have today.


Btw, I turn off all my gears screen in my room at night

I just looking for better audio note; not the logo in my pre-amp

Oh I believe you that the LPCM audio sounds great. My point is if I'm bothering to upgrade everything anyway (spending over $10k on an all new living room HT setup), then I don't want to stop right before the finish line just because I'm too lazy to do some extra research or too impatient to wait for a soundcard that does what I want. The "light" on the AMP isn't so much about looking pretty - my point was that it means the AVR is talking the language its supposed to be talking with the HTPC's HDMI out. I just meant it symbolically.


You have some nice gear in your sig, btw!

 

[hlkc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by odditory /forum/post/14200319


Oh I believe you that the LPCM audio sounds great. My point is if I'm bothering to upgrade everything anyway (spending over $10k on an all new living room HT setup), then I don't want to stop right before the finish line just because I'm too lazy to do some extra research or too impatient to wait for a soundcard that does what I want. The "light" on the AMP isn't so much about looking pretty - my point was that it means the AVR is talking the language its supposed to be talking with the HTPC's HDMI out. I just meant it symbolically.


You have some nice gear in your sig, btw!

It depends on how hurry you are.


If you are not in hurry and looking for add on instead to build a new HTPC, I think it is okay.


If you are looking to build a new HTPC, I think you should wait and consider the G45 MB.


If you are like me, like to explore the new gears on the block and don't listen all the people and trusting everything in the papers, then get the stuff you think it can improve your system; A/B them one by one and keep the winner and sell the looser...

Here is my room about a year ago.

 

[mpgxsvcd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/14200409


Here is my room about a year ago.

Woooow, me likey!

 

[odditory]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/14200409


It depends on how hurry you are.




If you are looking to build a new HTPC, I think you should wait and consider the G45 MB.

What is it you like about the G45? Are they promising bitstream audio from the HDMI out? Don't we still need PowerDVD or TMT for proper playback?

Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/14200409

Here is my room about a year ago.

Wow you got quite a mass of gear - have spent a lot of money no doubt. As long as you're sharing it wouldn't be polite not to share my gear porn (I built a bedroom into a music studio). My HT is in a different room downstairs.




The pic with the LCD monitors shows the mount I custom-built to replace the CRT's in the older pic on right. A few years old now but still basically the same.

 

[mpgxsvcd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by odditory /forum/post/14201356


What is it you like about the G45? Are they promising bitstream audio from the HDMI out? Don't we still need PowerDVD or TMT for proper playback?




Wow you got quite a mass of gear - have spent a lot of money no doubt. As long as you're sharing it wouldn't be polite not to share my gear porn (I built a bedroom into a music studio). My HT is in a different room downstairs.




The pic with the LCD monitors shows the mount I custom-built to replace the CRT's in the older pic on right. A few years old now but still basically the same.

Wooooow me likey even more!

 

[eggman51]

lovely rooms

I am getting rather annoyed with waiting for Auzen / Asus. I bought the Auzen card believing the Q2 release dates for the HDMI daughtercard. If the Asus ships first I'll possibly buy it... and never buy another Auzen product ever again.

 

[ymarker]

We've had LPCM for quite a while (with 8200/G35). What Auzentech/Asus HDMI sound cards will bring to the table is what we've not been able to do previously. And that is to bitstream audio.


Regardless of whether you feel there is difference or not, the fact of the matter is, this will be a step in the right direction. I'm with OP on this one, and plan to wait to add on the sound card when it comes out. Last I heard Q3. So sometime in the next 3 months?

 

[egarrard]

Unless there has been word this week, I believe the Xonar is due on the 21st. That was the last I heard, but that could be wrong.

 

[cybrsage]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ymarker /forum/post/14202859


We've had LPCM for quite a while (with 8200/G35). What Auzentech/Asus HDMI sound cards will bring to the table is what we've not been able to do previously. And that is to bitstream audio.


Regardless of whether you feel there is difference or not, the fact of the matter is, this will be a step in the right direction. I'm with OP on this one, and plan to wait to add on the sound card when it comes out. Last I heard Q3. So sometime in the next 3 months?

The Asus card will ship with a special version of Arcsoft's Total Media Theater. This version will be fully PAP complient with the Asus card, allowing for full resolution sound for the first time.


Bitstream and LCPM are identical in sound. Basically, the bitstream is a "zipped" version of the LCPM. It does not matter where it is unzipped, the sound will be identical.


As a note, I am looking forward to the Asus HDMI 1.3 soundcard.