Sound via DVI/HDMI onboard graphics

[Tavalin]

Hi guys,

My friend wants to use a hdmi lead to hook up his PC to his TV so he can watch films. At the moment he is using the onboard graphics which I think is a 8200GS ( it's an old AM2 board). It only has VGA and DVI out so I've given him a DVI-HDMI adapter so he can plug the HDMI lead in. It doesn't seem to be able to output sound natively so I was wondering
a) firstly if there's a way to get the sound out of the DVI port in this situation
b) failing a) - whats the cheapest graphics card that can output sound

Thanks for your help

 

[pepp77]

No way to get sound out of that onboard DVI.

Cheapest card to do it would probably be a 5450 or maybe a GT220.

 

[cmndr_andi]

Hi there,

Would you be able to tell us the make and model of the motherboard? Passing sound across the DVI port to a HDMI adapter is a relatively new thing and not available on all graphics cards (not to mention older low-end onboard graphics).

As for getting sound to the TV (if using an HDMI adapter won't work with your board), the easiest way would be to connect the audio outputs of the motherboard's onboard sound card to the relevant sound inputs on the TV. May I ask what make and model TV he is using?

As for new hardware, this (or a HD 5450) would be an excellent graphics card to get. Not only does it have a native HDMI port that passes sound but it also decodes HD video files using the GPUs power to reduce the load on the CPU, increase video quality and offers smooth 1080p video playback (if the current CPU + onboard GPU can't handle it).

 

[Tavalin]

The mobo is an ASRock K10N78 I think and the TV is a relatively new Samsung HDTV. I didn't take the time to look in the specifics of the TV but I would imagine it would have all the normal ports you find on new TVs.

There might be an issue using leads from the sound card to the TV in that he's already trailing a 10m HDMI cable right through the middle of his living room, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't wanna do that for multiple leads so maybe it'll have to be option b).

Edit: If it is option b) I might look into the HD5450 as I could probably source one cheaper than a HD6450.

 

[cmndr_andi]

Ah, if he is running a long cable then I agree that a ling audio cable in addition isn't a good idea.

As for b) it sounds like the best option. If you can get the 5450 for s fair bit cheaper than a 6450 then it will do the job. However the 6450 is a good deal more powerful card and does a lot better in video playing benchmarks (mainly due to the greater computational power on offer)- plus it doesn't generally cost too much more.

 

[james.miller]

However the 6450 is a good deal more powerful card and does a lot better in video playing benchmarks (mainly due to the greater computational power on offer)- plus it doesn't generally cost too much more.

only on enhancement and deblocking, which shouldnt be used on hd material anyway lol. Without all that stuff they are as near as identical, the only real difference being the 5 series gpu's dont fully decode 3d bluray, so the cpu usage is higher.