Connecting PC to TV and home theatre system

[kimboy]

Hi, I wish to connect my PC to the tv in the living room which is connected to the home theatre system. I havn't played around with it yet but wanted some advice what needs to be connected to which part.

I don't have a sound card (just integrated one i think?) and my video card is geforce gtx260.

Currently my computer is connected to the TV using the old VGA cable (i think thats what its called) with an adaptor attached to it. My PC doesn't have HDMI port so I think i would need to get like a converter or something.

My TV = Sony 55" Full High Definition 3D Ready LED Model: KDL55EX720
Home Theatre system = Sony Blu-Ray Home Theatre System BDVE980W 112602

I just need my PC to use the home theatre system for sound at this point. I'm using my PC speakers for sound (since Tv isnt connected to PC with HDMI cable).

So my question is once i get PC connected to TV via HDMI and have the TV connected to home theatre system via HDMI, will this get it working? or would the home theatre system need to be connected to the PC via HDMI?

EDIT: i think the VGA cable is connected to the PC via DVI adaptor and VGA is directly connected to the TV. or it could be the vice versa, i'm not sure lol

 

[smarteyeball]

I don't have a sound card (just integrated one i think?) and my video card is geforce gtx260.

My PC doesn't have HDMI port

The 260 does do DVI>HDMI via an adapter, but not all adapters support audio pass through.

I just need my PC to use the home theatre system for sound at this point. I'm using my PC speakers for sound (since Tv isnt connected to PC with HDMI cable).

The quickest way would be to grab either a coax (s/pdif) or optical cable to connect to your PC's onboard sound and plug it into the amps coax/optical input.

 

[kimboy]

If i do get the right adaptor that supports audio pass through then would the home theatre system work?

 

[smarteyeball]

Yep.

Although since the 260 doesn't process audio itself, you'll have to also ensure that the s/pdif header on the motherboard is connected the GPU to allow the sound to 'pass-through' from the onboard audio.

The cable should have come with your card. It looks something like this:


The adapter should be a 'male' DVI-D (Dual Link) with a 'female' HDMI output plug.

(It needs to be dual link to allow both audio and video to travel to your amp)

 

[kimboy]

I can't find any plugin points on the amp itself? I think i need to plug the cords into the bluray player where everything plugs into not the amp? (speakers, amp etc r all plugged into the bluray and not to the amp). Do the HDMI connect to the tv and the two DVI points connect to the pc and the bluray player?

edit: does one end of the spif cable go into the motherboard and the other end to the graphics card? Theres a spif output port at the back of the graphics card so does that mean the cable has to connect the motherboard and come out of the computer and go into the graphics card through the back? sorry i'm just bit confused.

 

[smarteyeball]

I can't find any plugin points on the amp itself? I think i need to plug the cords into the bluray player where everything plugs into not the amp? (speakers, amp etc r all plugged into the bluray and not to the amp). Do the HDMI connect to the tv and the two DVI points connect to the pc and the bluray player?

Sorry for the confusion.

When I'm referring to the amp, it's what you know as the blu-ray player since the blu-ray is built into the amp itself. The blu-ray unit has all the inputs you are plugging into.

So you'd be connecting the DVI>HDMI adapter +HDMI cable from the GPU into one of the two HDMI IN inputs on the blu-ray/amp.

From there you'd then use one of the amps video outputs to connect to the TV's inputs. You can use HDMI, component etc to feed the TV it's video source.

edit: does one end of the spif cable go into the motherboard and the other end to the graphics card?

Correct. In the picture of the cable in my previous post, the 'solid' 2 pin plug (white) would connect to your card (typically located near the PCI-E power plugs.

ie:





The other 2 'loose plugs' are what's connected to the motherboard.

 

[kimboy]

Thank you so much for the clarification. But if i connect the PC to the amp and the amp is connected to the TV will the TV recognize the pc? I thought you would have to directly connect the PC to the TV and PC to the amp aswell?

 

[smarteyeball]

Sorry for the delay in the response.

When you set the amps 'channel' to the HDMI input that's coming from the PC, and then the input on the TV that's connected to the amp, the amps basically acting as a video source pass-through**.

Essentially, it's the amp that "sees" the PC, since it's receiving both the video/audio signal.



Hopefully this breakdown makes the whole process a little easier to understand (I'm even starting to lose myself ):

• Onboard audio is 'passed through' the GPU via the 2pin cable that connects the motherboard to GPU
• GPU with the DVI>HDMI adapter +HDMI cable transfer both the Video and Audio signals to the amp.
• The amps 'channel' input that is selected ie HDMI 2 , processes the video and sound. Resulting in the sound playing through your Home Theatre System
• Then that same 'channel' on the amp will then output the video signal to the TV via whatever 'video out' output you use, resulting in the Video being 'passed-through' the amp to display the signal on the TV.

Basically the biggest difference between HDMI and DVI is that HDMI is designed to carry both digital audio and video signals on the same cable. DVI cables are only designed to carry video signals. Since your GPU only has DVI-D outputs and no native HDMI outputs, the right adapter is needed.

This is why a DVI Dual Link adapter is important because there are plenty of DVI>HDMI adapters (not dual link) that will only carry the video signal and not the audio as well. By using a Dual Link adapter, this allows the 'extra' signal, in this case audio; to be transferred alongside the video signal via a HDMI cable.



**"Pass-Through" is a term used when a device allows a signal to travel through it without doing any processing. A middle man/conduit if you will.

With your setup, the sound is being 'processed' by the onboard audio - "Passed-through" the GPU and then delivered to the amp. The video is 'processed' by the GPU, "passed-through" the amp and the signal delivered to the TV.

 

[kimboy]

OMG the perfect answer i needed. Thanks so much smarteyeball

One last thing. What if i can't find the SPDIF cable thing? what is the cable called so i can buy it from somewhere.

Thanks alot

 

[smarteyeball]

You're welcome mate

As for the cable, it probably goes by a few names but this is what you'd need:

Name: nVIDIA SPDIF 2-Pin/2-Pin Audio Cable

*nb That store and cable name are just an example, but basically it's just a 2-pin SPDIF audio cable. There are some 2 x 2/3 pin or even 2x4 pin cables that will probably turn up in a search. Double check your mobo header - If will only take 2pins, avoid getting the 2x3/4 pin cables since the plug that goes into the motherboard header won't fit.

 

[kimboy]

I have found the cable in the graphics card box in the garage lol. All i need is for the hdmi cable and the adaptor to arrive and i'll connect everything like you said and i'll get back to you.

Thanks alot

 

[WispGB]

It is also worth a look to see if your amp has an "auxiliary in" port. If it does just a standard auxiliary cable will do the job that is how my pc sound is connected to my Sony home theater system.

Wisp

 

[adamf4i]

anyone having issues with hdmi showing up in control panel to select as the source , cause I have looked all over and that option is not available , Im getting video to the tv with a dvi to hdmi adapter but no audio any suggestions?

 

[WispGB]

because the sound output of the pc is not vid the dvi port. you will still need to use the speaker output. plugging in to a tv is the same as a monitor, it only sends the visual not the audio.

hope this helps

Wisp

 

[adamf4i]

I have a coaxial cable for audio , but there isnt a place to plug it on the tv or the pc ... is there a cable i need specifically and where does it go on the pc and where on the tv ... little mini jack type of plug like something you would plug into your phone or ipod for headphones ?????

 

[WispGB]

exactly that. on the back of your pc it will have an audio out port (circle in shape, same size as a headphone jack and normally coloured green) all you need is a standard auxiliary cable and there should be a slot in the back of the tv for it to go in to that pairs up with the hdmi. for example on the back of my samsung tv there is an input labeled "PC" with both a vga option and hdmi option with an audio input next to it.

Wisp

 

[kimboy]

Sorry for the delay in the response.

When you set the amps 'channel' to the HDMI input that's coming from the PC, and then the input on the TV that's connected to the amp, the amps basically acting as a video source pass-through**.

Essentially, it's the amp that "sees" the PC, since it's receiving both the video/audio signal.



Hopefully this breakdown makes the whole process a little easier to understand (I'm even starting to lose myself ):

• Onboard audio is 'passed through' the GPU via the 2pin cable that connects the motherboard to GPU
• GPU with the DVI>HDMI adapter +HDMI cable transfer both the Video and Audio signals to the amp.
• The amps 'channel' input that is selected ie HDMI 2 , processes the video and sound. Resulting in the sound playing through your Home Theatre System
• Then that same 'channel' on the amp will then output the video signal to the TV via whatever 'video out' output you use, resulting in the Video being 'passed-through' the amp to display the signal on the TV.

Basically the biggest difference between HDMI and DVI is that HDMI is designed to carry both digital audio and video signals on the same cable. DVI cables are only designed to carry video signals. Since your GPU only has DVI-D outputs and no native HDMI outputs, the right adapter is needed.

This is why a DVI Dual Link adapter is important because there are plenty of DVI>HDMI adapters (not dual link) that will only carry the video signal and not the audio as well. By using a Dual Link adapter, this allows the 'extra' signal, in this case audio; to be transferred alongside the video signal via a HDMI cable.



**"Pass-Through" is a term used when a device allows a signal to travel through it without doing any processing. A middle man/conduit if you will.

With your setup, the sound is being 'processed' by the onboard audio - "Passed-through" the GPU and then delivered to the amp. The video is 'processed' by the GPU, "passed-through" the amp and the signal delivered to the TV.

Everything arrived today and i've connected everything and its working!! thank you so much.