HDMI PCI-E Video /w AUDIO!

[ClamsTheCat]

Interesting cards. They support SPIDIF and other audio internally so you can pass the audio and video to your TV through one cable. I saw a few other HDMI cards but they just sent video by replacing the DVI-D jack with an HDMI plug. These models should also be pretty inexpensive.

http://www.hothardware.com/viewartic...?articleid=931

[ZetaVu]

Yeah, I saw that ad too. Anyone selling them yet? I decided to hold off my video card upgrade until I could get something with hdcp support (which I am against on many levels), and preferably hdmi with audio (just to cut down on cabling).

Now, as we migrate to HD recording with dolby streams, then we can take advantage of digital audio out, in that case I want split audio, with this to tv, with spdif to my receiver (or with pass-through, haven't thought it out yet).

Of course that all depends on how we are able to catch satellite HD shows, sd won't capture in more than stereo audio.

[ClamsTheCat]

I think once we get QAM support on the HDHR it will definitely be useful on the audio side of things. I have had good luck running my audio via an optical cable though (for 5.1)

[myktek]

my motherboard has a hdmi spdif header on the board already....just waiting to get an hdmi card =)

[Mistergq]

I am not a big fan of Asus. I had a 5200 card and it had extra driver add ons that acted funny. Once I chucked the card and got a 6200, all the problems I had went away. Interesting concept. I just can't wait for QAM because then I will probably move to HD TV at that point.

[ClamsTheCat]

Originally Posted by Mistergq

I am not a big fan of Asus. I had a 5200 card and it had extra driver add ons that acted funny.

Then you should have used the NVIDIA reference drivers instead of the Asus drivers.

[Maximo]

My Sapphire Radean x1600 passes audio through the HDMI. You do need a jumper cable though.

[ClamsTheCat]

Originally Posted by Maximo

My Sapphire Radean x1600 passes audio through the HDMI. You do need a jumper cable though.

Jumper cable? You mean a pass throuh from teh sound card or motherboard?

[baharder17]

I thought maybe someone on this thread has tried this out by now. I don't think this card needs a jumper cable but it is hard to find a manual for it:

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...171&CatId=1560

It seems like a good solution if not a great one but I guess there is really no proof yet since I haven't heard of anyone trying one yet.

Thanks for any opinions shared!

[RenegadeELEN]

Personally I have tried 3 different cards with HDMI out (I build Media systems for other people as well as myself) and they have all worked like I expected. Two of them had a SPDIF input port on the card where the HDMI was so you had to run a cable from your SPDIF out to this input (One had COAX and the other had OPTICAL). The third card had a cable for an internal connection because most motherboards (the source of my SPDIF) have an internal SPDIF connector even if they have the output ports as well. This was much cleaner on the outside of the case because it got rid of the cable.

And like I said it worked like I expected. With SPDIF output turned on it fed it through the HDMI which generally led to the TV and some TVs had a passthrough to connect to a receiver and that worked like a charm for Dolby TV and for DVDs.

[baharder17]

Well I finally found a manual that gives an example of what you have to do to hook this up:

http://www.visiontek.com/teksupport/...-1650-HDMI.pdf

[RenegadeELEN]

Yup it generally works either way.

Now I have heard of some video card coming down the pipe later this year that will have actual sound processing on it instead of just a pass through.

[mikem]

The 2x00 series is supposed to offer this

[RenegadeELEN]

I just read up on that and yes the 2x00 series cards do this via a software install that channels the sound thru the video card's sound processing but it only supports the traditional formats (DD, DTS, etc.) and none of the HD-DVD/Blu Ray formats that would have been cool. Oh well.

[baharder17]

Hi again,

So RenegadeELEN when you did your card and used the internal cables how did you know which pins to use? I have three pins on my motherboard. Starting from the left a 5v pin, no pin, two more pins. The only pin configuration is the black wire from my GeForce 7600 GS (XFX) on the far right with the white wire right next to it on the left. Any other configuration doesn't allow it to boot.

I have an Acer board with SPDIF on the board and the above video card with HDMI output.

I can get video (very clear) but no audio except for some really annoy sounds that play whenever it feels like it.

Any opinion is appreciated!

Thank you!