How do you do audio over HDMI if built in audio card?

[PremiumG]

I've been out of the computer hardware scene for a while....

I currently have a motherboard that has built in audio. I'd like to get a video card upgrade for my PC. Since all recent video cards have HDMI output now, how do I get the audio from my built in audio on motherboard to transfer audio to the video card through the HDMI port?

Are there certain things I should look for in a video card?

 

[Gryz]

I don't think it is possible what you want.

I believe that there are 2 functions regarding sound.
1) Where is the sound rendered ? (Especially important for games).
2) On which output line is the sound sent to a loudspeaker or headset.

In Windows, it seems that these 2 different functions both have to be done on the same device. You can not create the sound on your onboard audio card and then play it over HDMI on the speakers in your monitor.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

A while ago I looked into a new headset. Many headsets are USB now. I was wondering how my onboard soundcard (which has better rendering capabilities for gaming) would get the sound to the USB headset. From what I've understood, that is not how it works. All USB headsets have a tiny soundcard built-in in their USB plug. And the USB headsets function as a whole new audio device + the headset. In Windows, you select the USB headset as your audio device. And then sound is automatically send to your headset. But it is also rendered on the headset. Your onboard soundcard isn't used anymore.

As the tiny soundcards in USB headsets are worse quality than an onboard soundcard (or a discrete soundcard), I decided to not buy a USB headset, but an old fashioned one (with 2 plugs) that plugs in the back of my onboard soundcard.

I admit I am not 100% sure of this. Mostly because I can't believe it really works this way. I feel it should be more flexible.

 

[gorcorps]

If you install a modern video card with hdmi, a new audio device will also be installed with the drivers. Just plug in the hdmi cable and go. You might have to select the other sound system in "playback devices" but that's easy.

 

[Borealis7]

derp

 

[Termie]

As others have stated, any modern video card with HDMI has a built-in sound processor. Therefore, you will be using the video card's sound drivers. If what you meant was that you'd like to use the motherboard's sound capabilities over the video card's HDMI connection because they are better, well, that's not possible.

I believe there were some early nVidia cards that offered HDMI without built-in sound, and they included a patch cable for the motherboard. That doesn't apply to any modern video card.

 

[KingFatty]

Yes, you will have 2 sound cards. The video card's sound card will allow output over the HDMI port. You could even disable your motherboard's sound card to make it easier to have everything default over to the video card's sound card.

 

[Monster_Munch]

If you're using analog speakers (with the 3 green, orange and black connectors) you can still use your onboard or any other sound card.

HDMI sound is mainly used when connecting to a home theater receiver or a HDTV.