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GFX Card with HDMI/Audio for HTPC

ZXSpectrum

ZXSpectrum

ZXSpectrum

Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2002
Posts
12,030
Location
Derby
I have a HTPC and was wondering how to get audio to the TV along with the HDMI. I am currently using a DVI-HDMI Cable to convert the video but there is obviously no audio input. Any Ideas? Is there a nice cheap silent GFX card that has HDMI And Audio?

Ta... :)
 
There are plenty, do you have a nice simple way of getting the audio to the graphics card? :)

They typically have a 4 pin SPDIF connector on the graphics card, which would go to a header on your compatible motherboard/sound card. Note that to get regular sounds (music, windows sounds, games) as opposed to direct movie soundtracks (Dolby Digital, DTS - not (most) AVI files) you would need a Dolby Digital Live/DTS Live sound card, which automatically encodes 5.1 to DD. If you only care about stereo, all cards will put that out for you.

Specific cards:

Sapphire Radeon 3450 silent (fanless) £22
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...DVI/HDMI (PCI-Express) - Retail (11125-00200R)
(theres a low profile version of this, but its out of stock)

HIS Radeon 3650 (fanless) - £65
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp... DVI/HDMI (PCI-Express) - Retail (H365P512GNP)

If you forget the graphics card, and instead think about replacing your motherboard with a more HTPC friendly one, with built in HDMI, built in sound card etc, theres a number of choices around the £40, depending on what CPU and RAM you have obviously.
 
MT- said:
They typically have a 4 pin SPDIF connector on the graphics card, which would go to a header on your compatible motherboard/sound card. Note that to get regular sounds (music, windows sounds, games) as opposed to direct movie soundtracks (Dolby Digital, DTS - not (most) AVI files) you would need a Dolby Digital Live/DTS Live sound card, which automatically encodes 5.1 to DD. If you only care about stereo, all cards will put that out for you.
Click to expand...

The new ATI cards usually have a soundchip built onto the card so you don't need to mess around with SPDIF iirc, they use a special DVI-HDMI adaptor to allow sound to be passed via the DVI port to the HDMI cable.
 
Minstadave said:
The new ATI cards usually have a soundchip built onto the card so you don't need to mess around with SPDIF iirc, they use a special DVI-HDMI adaptor to allow sound to be passed via the DVI port to the HDMI cable.
Click to expand...

Oh, hmm.. does that mean if you want audio over your HDMI (with these cards), your only option is to use the ATI provided sound card, rather than a 3rd party one?

Or do you get the option of either?
 
MT- said:
Oh, hmm.. does that mean if you want audio over your HDMI (with these cards), your only option is to use the ATI provided sound card, rather than a 3rd party one?

Or do you get the option of either?
Click to expand...

Have to use the ATI chip.
 
MT- said:
Oh, hmm.. does that mean if you want audio over your HDMI (with these cards), your only option is to use the ATI provided sound card, rather than a 3rd party one?

Or do you get the option of either?
Click to expand...

Yes I think you have to use the ATI chip, but it does digital out so will output the same as a seperate soundcard.
 
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