9800GT SPDIF Passthrough

[Kalessian]

Hey, I'm looking for some advice.

I setup an HTPC to game on, and I have it connected to my 42" through HDMI. Now my surround sound is connected directly to the TV, not through a receiver. Right now I don't want a receiver, because I can't afford it or a good universal remote to control everything.

I bought a 9800GT which I thought had SPDIF passthrough for audio over DVI->HDMI. I wanted to setup the SPDIF so I could hear my PC games/movies through my surround sound by putting audio through HDMI to the TV. Unfortunately my TV does not support alternate audio input for HDMI inputs, so I couldn't just output from the sound card to the TV audio in.

The card I bought is an evga N975-AR. Turns out after I bought it it doesn't have the SPDIF connecter on it like review sites made it look like.

The card that has a SPDIF passthrough is the N980-AR. As far as I can tell the two models are identical except for this SPDIF connection - even the eVGA site has no discernible difference beside the 980 being $5 more expensive.

I'm not sure how I was supposed to know that the 975-AR doesn't have this feature but the 980-AR does. I called eVGA tech support about it but they said I would have to step up to the N980-AR, which has the exact same performance specs, for $55.

Or I could return the card to newegg for a refund and get a 15% fee tacked on for my trouble and then buy the N980-AR.

What do you guys think? I was thinking maybe sell it on the forums for $90 and then get a new 980-AR card for $110. Or should I just wait a month and step up to a GTX260? Right now they are $300 on evga.com, will they come down soon?

Bleh, I feel like no matter how much research I put into this beforehand I still wouldn't have found out this problem until I had the card in my hands...

EDIT:

Pic of N975: http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/4235/n975vx2.png

Pic of N980: http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/6248/n980sn9.png

 

[Fallen Kell]

Check with your credit card, you may not have to pay the restock fee.

 

[Keysplayr]

"I'm not sure how I was supposed to know that the 975-AR doesn't have this feature but the 980-AR does. "

Did the 975-AR advertise having this feature? If so, you should be able to get a full refund without restocking fee. If it didn't, then I don't know.

 

[Kalessian]

It's not really advertised on any evga cards, at least not on their site. I just assumed that all 9* series and above had them - I can't find it right now but I saw some nvidia powerpoint slides that said all the chips supported it so I didn't think it was an issue. I guess I learned the hard way that not all cards support it.

Shame that both of these cards are the same price on newegg, $110 AR, but I turned it into a $50+ problem by making a silly mistake.

I guess I'll just wait until about 85 days in and use the step up program to a 9800GTX+ or something.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
The card I bought is an evga N975-AR. Turns out after I bought it it doesn't have the SPDIF connecter on it like review sites made it look like.

The cards without SPDIF are 8800 GT cards, flashed to become pseudo 9800 GT (missing SPDIF/HDMI audio and Hybrid Power).

Off hand there's the one EVGA that you have already found out you don't own, and two BFG.

 

[Kalessian]

Ahah, thanks Zap. Now I understand. That's really lame, so I bought a card advertised as a 9800GT which should have all the features of that chip but in fact it does not. Lame.

Do you think I could have a case for a replacement N980-AR from eVGA if I presented some kind evidence that they are flashing 8800GTs?

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: Kalessian
The card I bought is an evga N975-AR. Turns out after I bought it it doesn't have the SPDIF connecter on it like review sites made it look like.

The cards without SPDIF are 8800 GT cards, flashed to become pseudo 9800 GT (missing SPDIF/HDMI audio and Hybrid Power).

Off hand there's the one EVGA that you have already found out you don't own, and two BFG.

I believe Hybrid power is accomplished with microcircuitry on the card itself. I think all G92 cores "do" support Hybrid. It's just a matter of implementing the extra microcircuits on the PCB itself to receive signals through the PCI-e bus to shut the card down.

Likewise, I think SPDIF is supported as well, but this has little to do with the GPU. It's done via the PCB and depends on if the board partners add the extra components to the PCB for this feature. After all, its only a passthru to the HDMI port.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm off here.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
Do you think I could have a case for a replacement N980-AR from eVGA if I presented some kind evidence that they are flashing 8800GTs?

No, because it is officially endorsed by NVIDIA. If the retailer product description and the product box does not have HDMI/SPDIF in the specs, then the product doesn't have it.

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
I believe Hybrid power is accomplished with microcircuitry on the card itself.
...
Likewise, I think SPDIF is supported as well, but this has little to do with the GPU. It's done via the PCB
...
Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm off here.

Yup, sounds about right.