HDMI video card suggestions for HTPC

[Hulk]

I have hard that the nVidia HDMI graphics cards don't yet have the ability to transmit the audio data through the HDMI port.

I hear the ATI/AMD cards can. I'm looking at the 2600 series as I don't do a lot of gaming but am more interested with the hardware video decoding.

Anyway it seems that these cards are advertised as "HDMI" but only using the DVI to HDMI converter.

Now there must be something I'm missing because I thought DVI could not support the audio data right?

 

[Binky]

Both Nvidia 8500-8600 and ATI 2x00 cards can send audio and video over the HDMI connection. The advantage that ATI has is that the video card itself does the audio processing. On a compatible Nvidia card, you need to pipe the audio from a soundcard (or motherboard audio) into the video card, and then it will then be sent over the HDMI. This really isn't a huge advantage for ATI, assuming that you have capable onboard audio (or a sound card) with the right plug.

For either card, get one with an HDMI adaptor included. Don't settle for "HDMI ready" but no adaptor in the box. Some cards have the HDMI onboard like my low-profile MSI 8500gt.

 

[cmdrdredd]

If I may add something. Neither solution will do bitstream Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD. Thus you will only get standard DTS and Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus. This may or may not be a problem for you. Personally I use the analog outputs from my soundcard and allow PowerDVD to decode the audio (supports TrueHD and DTS HD but not DTS Master Audio) and output it to my receiver through analog inputs.

This is if you're watching HD DVD or Blu-Ray movies however.

 

[Hulk]

Thanks for the info guys.

What I plan to do is use the optical output from the motherboard to go into a surround sound receiver. But I don't always want to have to have the full system on to hear the TV. Sometimes I just want to use only the TV speakers so in this case I was hoping for the HDMI cable to take care of the audio and video.