video/audio and hdmi card....

[wheresjerry]

Probably been posted before, if it is, can someone steer me to the right link. I have a nvidia gt 9600 video card, and want to dual monitor to my large screen tv to use media center to watch movies, go online, etc. The card has 2 dvi outs, one goes to my primary monitor, the other I have a dvi>hdmi cable>tv set up. I know I do not get sound out of this video card, but can someone show me the proper card that I can get both audio and video out with using my hdmi cable to do this? The geeks at Best Buy seemed baffled when I asked them about a video card, and using just the hdmi cable to do what I wanted.....I do not want to run multiple cables, etc.......:sarc:

Any direction is better than none.....

Thanks in advance!

 

[whiteboy]

I actually have an nvidia 8500gt that does sound and video through the hdmi output on it. The card has a tiny connector on it for sp/dif, that comes from the MOBO.

Somehting like this comes highly recomended over at avsforum.
ATI HD4550
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100252HDMI Radeon HD 4550 512MB 64-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Low Profile Ready Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Cheap only 50 bucks. Read the reviews says it does audio over hdmi.

Heres an excellent source of info on this topic.
Guide to Building a HD HTPC - Page 85 - AVS Forum

 

[stormy13]

If you didn't get one you need something like one of these,

to connect between the SPDIF header on the motherboard (or sound card if you have one) and the SPDIF header on the video card (which from looking a various 9600GT's is near the top left corner of the card near the mounting bracket).

If you didn't get one with your card this,

Guide: 8800GT/9800GT/9800GTX Sound over HDMI (Now including Creative cards) - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net

shows how to make one from a few unused front panel wires/connectors (if you have any free).

 

[ripbox]

stormy13 is correct, you will need a SPDIF that will be connected between the Graphics card and Motherboard or Sound card, however i do believe that DVI connections do not transfer audio, thus if you do not have a HDMI connection on your graphics card then you will have to make do with no sound or upgrade to a Graphics card the does have a HDMI connection

I/we can not recommend a Graphics card for you until you can give us a budget and some basic spec's of your pc

 

[wheresjerry]

I would probably pick one out at best buy....and for budget, around 200 $ can anybody make a suggestion? I have a nice home system, so I do not want to cheap out on a card....

 

[stormy13]

Yes they can. Most of the ATI HD series of cards that don't have a HDMI port should have come with one of these (the early cards were hit and miss as to whether it came in the box, most do now),

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE DVI to HDMI Adapter Model 100912 - Video Card Accessories

and some (they all should, but that is another story) of the Nvidia cards that can pass through audio came with one, like this Zotac 9500GT (check the pictures),

Newegg.com - ZOTAC ZT-95TEH3P-HSL GeForce 9500 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

Now with that all said a couple of extra points,

1. from what I have seen the ATI cards won't work with any old HDMI-DVI adapter or cable, and need to use one like in the link above.

2. for the Nvidia cards I haven't really seen anything one way or the other as to whether they need one like the ATI cards, or one of the shelf will work.

wheresjerry before looking at buying a new card see if it can be accomplished with just an adapter or cable (easier to get a HDMI-DVI cable, better if the DVI end is dual link), see if you can find one locally. Might even be worth contacting your card manufacturer and asking them what they recommend to be able to get audio and video out.

 

[ripbox]

stormy13 my source clearly stated that DVI does not carry sound but i will not argue since closer inspection with that adaptor say otherwise, i must dig out my SPDIF and check it out sometime

 

[stormy13]

You're right in that normal DVI doesn't/can't carry audio. In the case of the video cards that support it they have used a dual link instead of single link connector on the card, and arranged the extra pins to carry audio.

i must dig out my SPDIF and check it out sometime

If that is on the 9800GX2 in you specs, I don't think it will do audio over DVI, unless yours is one that doesn't have the HDMI port.

 

[ripbox]

Yes its the 9800GX2 in my system profile, i do believe it carries audio through the HDMI as per usual but i would still be interested id the DVI is or isn't capable, i never saw the need for audio direct to my tv and don't find HDMI any better than DVI so i never installed it but i think i might just have a play around since its a very chunky DVI to DVI cable..... its more curiosity than anything now

 

[stormy13]

Think to test it you will need a card that doesn't have a HDMI port on it, as I have a feeling it will only work out of the DVI port on one that doesn't have a HDMI port. You would alos still need either the HDMI-DVI adapter or cable.

don't find HDMI any better than DVI

Probably because with the exception of audio, spec-wise they are the same, just a different connector.

P.S. For what it's worth I'm glad both my video card and motherboard's onboard video (HD3200) have a HDMI port. The base unit for my HTIB died a little while ago, and I am relegated to using my computer as a stand-in until I can get a new one. Nice thing is I can use both video cards at the same time so the kids can still watch a movie and I can keep working at my computer.