HDMI > DVI + Audio & HTPC's

ManofScience

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i've got my NAS server in the garage that going to have all my movies, photos & music on, so i'm building a sort of 'test' rig to go in the living room to see what i can do, see how flexible is will be - and prove it as a concept to the missus.

The graphics card has DVI out - but whats going to be the best choice for the audio? the TV on the wall had HDMI in, so i know the DVI can connect to it BUT is there a connector that splits the HDMI connector to DVI/Audio connectors for connecting to the PC? OR is it a case of running the audio seperate? i don't have a seperate amp for the audio, it just goes thru the telly but i want less mires hanging down which is why i wanted to use the Audio properties of the HDMI cable

suggestions welcome - however, i'm doing this in a budget!
 
I've never seen a cable that can combine audio+DVI into a HDMI feed. There are boxes that can combine them, but they wen't cheap when I looked (at least 2 years ago). Graphics cards that have the ability to output sound over DVI (for use with a DVI to HDMI convertor or lead) have been around for at least 6 months.

I've seen this done in one of two methods; over the PCI-e slot (the graphics card appears as a sound device in the control panel) or via a SPDIF header that you connect to the SPDIF out on your mobo/soundcard.

On graphics cards with a HDMI out there is often a third option where there is a SPDIF input on the I/O plate.
 
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Do you plan on outputting HD sound or just DTS etc? Will your TV be playing the audio or will the HDMI cable go into an AVR and then into a TV?
 
PC straight to TV. not bothered about HD sound or even 5.1 to be honest. if i had a proper amp and speaker set up i would.
 
Then go with whichever is the easiest method of connection as you'll be using stereo sound. little_pob has summed it up nicely, try DVI audio using the HDMI input on your TV and remember to configure the audio for your sound card. The easiest method is DVI for video and 3.5mm jack out from the back of your PC to the TV stereo in. You can buy plenty of cheap cables like [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-Connection-Cable-3-5mm-phono/dp/B0009V8W6O"]this[/ame] for a couple of quid. You may need to configure the audio options in your TV settings.

If it were me I'd go with DVI for video and SPDIF for audio for simplicities sake.
 
You could get a graphics card with HDMI output. I've just sold one on fleebay. It had a connector on it to connect to the sp-dif audio connector on a sound card or motherboard. That way the sound goes out through the HDMI cable.
 
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On graphics cards with a HDMI out...

You could get a graphics card with HDMI output. I've just sold one on fleebay. It had a connector on it to connect to the sp-dif audio connector on a sound card or motherboard. That way the sound goes out through the HDMI cable.

Found two reasonably priced cards, one ATI, one nVidia:
Sapphire HD 3450 256MB DDR2 VGA DVI HDMI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer - £21.37+del
Gainward 8400GS 256 MB DDR2 VGA DVI HDMI Out PCI-E Graphic Card - Ebuyer - £21.61+del

Apparent location of SPDIF headers on the above cards:
HD3450:
hd3450.jpg

8400GS:
8400GS.jpg
 
:), was a bit knackerd didnt see it. :)

I also had an ATI card that put the audio out through unused pins on the DVI socket, it had a converter to convert the DVI socket to HDMI (still got that somewhere).
 
hhmm.. a gfx card with a HDMI port onboard as long as it has a SPDIF connector on the soundcard/mobo to connect them together - sounds like a plan - then i can just use a long HDMI cable and hey presto - a cheapish HD media centre

cheers guys
 
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