Are there any limitations to using video card HDMI/receiver for sound?

[blackrain]

I have a theater room and have an HTPC with an ATI 4850 video card with HDMI. Right now, I have the 4850 HDMI hooked up to my receiver for sound. Its not clear to me whether I am getting full sound capabilities (5.1, dolby, etc) through the HDMI/receiver.

Is the HDMI just a conduit with all of processing being left up to the receiver? Is the HDMI through my video card a limitation in any way?

I purchased this the other day but I don't think I need it unless I am losing something with the HDMI through the video card that I would not be losing with this external sound through optical:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102020

 

[THRiLL KiLL]

it would be using the sound from the videocard.

i would disable the sound from the video card and use the soundcards audio directly connected to the receiver.

 

[fralexandr]

i'm pretty sure that with audio through hdmi the receiver processes the sound. i think the hdmi just passes through the audio losslessly, so unless for some reason you want EAX support, i'd just use the HDMI

you might have to pay ~$5 from creative to use the soundcard with a receiver though, there's some kind of software/driver thing that i don't have the time to find atm

 

[piasabird]

Posting in wrong forum. There is an Audio/video home theater forum. Someone in here still might know the answer.

I dont really have a clue about the exact way sound is sent along with the video in HDMI? HD Audio? I am still sending RIGHT AND LEFT Stereo to my TV from my sound card. You would want at least composite Audio or optical sound out. It may be higher quality in HDMI. Being kind of cheap I only have stereo sound/speakers from a Dell Sound Bar.

So do you output the video to the TV and then from the TV to the receiver or some other way?

 

[mfenn]

it would be using the sound from the videocard.

i would disable the sound from the video card and use the soundcards audio directly connected to the receiver.

HDMI gives you a purely digital path from the source to the amp. Converting it from digital to analog and running over a bunch of cables before you can amplify it is pointless.

 

[mfenn]

I dont really have a clue about the exact way sound is sent along with the video in HDMI? HD Audio? I am still sending RIGHT AND LEFT Stereo to my TV from my sound card.

You are sending whatever signal your source application generates. 2 CH PCM, 6 CH PCM, 8 CH PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-MA can all be passed over HDMI. HDMI can send 8 channels of uncompressed audio if you want.

You would want at least composite Audio or optical sound out. It may be higher quality in HDMI.

Not true. S/PDIF has much less bandwidth available than HDMI. That's why you can only send 2 CH PCM over S/PDIF and surround sound must be transported with a compression codec like DD or DTS.

So do you output the video to the TV and then from the TV to the receiver or some other way?

No, you send the HDMI to the receiver and then let it pull out the audio signal and pass the video on to the TV.

 

[oynaz]

No, you send the HDMI to the receiver and then let it pull out the audio signal and pass the video on to the TV.

Is there anything wrong with doing it the other way round? Letting the TV passing audio on to the amp?

 

[mfenn]

Is there anything wrong with doing it the other way round? Letting the TV passing audio on to the amp?

I haven't seen a TV that has HDMI out. If one exists, then, no there is no issue. If you are passing S/PDIF back to the amp, then yes that is an issue because S/PDIF has a lot less bandwidth than HDMI and cannot handle more PCM streams greater than 2 channels, Dolby TrueHD, or DTS-MA.