Stupid question: Better to use onboard SP/DIF or AMD R9 290x Audio over HDMI?

VincentHanna

VincentHanna

VincentHanna

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I have a Asus Maximus VI Impact (mini-ITX) motherboard which comes with the 'SupremeFX Impact' (which uses the Realtek AAC 1150 codec)

I currently have my PC audio hooked up via a Sony DN-1040 AV receiver. Unfortunately it doesn't have multichannel analog inputs, so at the moment I have it connected from the SP/DIF on the motherboard.

So the question is, am I better off connecting my AMD R9 290x to the reciever using an HDMI lead and then selecting 'HDMI High Definition Audio device' as a playback device?
 
HDMI is the better of the two. Although both are digital, SPDIF requires Dolby Digital or DTS encoded audio streams for multi channel to be used. This is not a problem when watching a DVD or playing any media that has DD/DTS audio tracks, but if you are using this machine to play games, then you're only going to get stereo.

PC games do not use DD or DTS. Without the audio being encoded with either, SPDIF can only support stereo. HDMI though, doesn't have this problem as it can support multi channel audio without the need for encoded streams.
 
Thanks, I've changed it

Strangely, the volume seems quite a lot lower on things such as Youtube videos than the SP/DIF connection, even though the HDMI output is at 100% volume under the volume control in windows.

I already configured the speakers on the Windows side.

Do I have to suffer that or is there a way of increasing the volume on the PC rather than whacking it up on the receiver
 
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Some receivers have options for this as a default. Male sure that Tue speakers are still configured correctly on the windows settings as well.
 
Anyone know how to only output audio via the HDMI of an R9 290?

I have connected a TV via DisplayPort and the HDMI goes in to my receiver but because the receiver outputs video to the TV via HDMI, the PC is detecting 2 extra displays (DisplayPort and HDMI) when there should only be one.

If I disable the screen in windows that is showing via the HDMI, then I lose the audio signal as well.
 
Is there any particular reason you're doing it this way? Why not remove the Displayport and just use HDMI? It'll work very well that way.
 
Because it's a 4k TV and it's the only way to get 4k at 60hz.

I'm actually using a 295x2 now but for all intents and purposes it's 2x 290x's on 1 PCB.

Unfortunately it doesn't support HDMI 2.0.

the 295x2 doesn't actually have a dedicated HDMI output at all, I'm actually using a DVI - HDMI adaptor but that still gives you HDMI 1.4a.
 
Not sure this is possible because I think HDMI is designed to send both. In other words, it can't send audio alone without video as well.

If you want audio sent to the receiver separately, then you might have to use SPDIF from the motherboard. This is not so much of a problem as I first thought though, as your board has DTS Connect, looking at the specs.

DTS Connect is a real time 5.1 encoder, used so that 5.1 can be sent via SPDIF.

Most motherboards do not come with these real time 5.1 encoders, so a sound card is often needed. Having DTS Connect on your board as it turns out is somewhat fortunate, I suppose you could say; given that wasn't needed at all before, until now.
 
SPDIF isn't as good, no, but that is due to the audio needing to be compressed. SPDIF doesn't have the bandwidth to support more than stereo without the need for compression.

Depending on what speakers you are using, the difference may or may not be noticeable. If you are using full size more expensive 5.1 set, then the difference will be more easily heard. If you are using a budget satellite 5.1 set, then probably not.

As for AMD Trueaudio, that is only available from the GPUs audio.
 
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