HTPC and HD audio questions

[loganex]

Hi folks. I'm planning to build an HTPC for everything from home video playback to Blu-ray. I just found out that SPDIF is not the most capable audio connection available -- it can't do more than 5.1 in Dolby Digital or DTS. If I want HD audio such as DD+, True-HD, DTS-HD, etc., I've got to get onboard 9x00 mGPU from nVidia or a 4xxx ATI card, either of which can do LPCM over HDMI. (I'm using this table as a reference, which is pretty handy.)

Q1. Is that the only way to get HD audio during Blu-ray playback on an HTPC?

If the answer to Q1 is yes, then I'll be spending a bit more money than I thought. Intel mATX mobo with 9400 is $130 ish. So if I get that...

Q2. Will I need to spring for a higher end audio receiver that does HD audio decoding? (Or would the decoding already be done when the audio/video signal goes out over HDMI, so any receiver would work?)

If the answer to Q2 is yes, I'll be spending even more money, maybe $100 for an ONKYO TX-SR507 vs. the 307, say. (I've got speakers already, just need a new receiver, trying to decide on one.) Total, that's maybe $150 more than if I didn't care about HD audio. So...

Q3. Will I notice $150 difference in the audio quality? Are HD audio formats $150 more awesome than standard Dolby Digital/DTS?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Slick5150]

1) The Auzentech X-Fi Hometheater can bitstream the DD Live / DTS-HD signal to a receiver capable of decoding those signals. Whether or not that's "better" than an LPCM stream is up to you.

2) Not necessarily. If you're outputting in LPCM, then the DDLive/DTS-HD signal has already been decoded so the receiver doesn't need to be capable of doing it.

3) Depends a lot on your speakers. If you have a higher end audio system (speakers + receiver) then yes, its very noticable. If not, then no, probably not. Just as a reference, if you're considering using an Onkyo 3 series receiver, then no, you're not going to notice a difference. You didn't list what kind of speakers you're using though.

 

[loganex]

Thanks, slick, I appreciate it. If I'm looking at the right thing, the auzentech card you mention costs about $200, right? Dunno, that might not be worth it to me.

My speakers are not high end, they came with a HTIB where the receiver broke, so I need to replace it. But it sounds like, if I understand what you're telling me, that I could go the 9400/LPCM route with a lower-end receiver and still get DDLive/DTS-HD sound, right? Later, to more fully enjoy that sound, I could buy better speakers. It's a lot easier/cheaper to upgrade speakers than receivers or HTPCs.

If I use the 9400/LPCm plan, I'd get a receiver that has HDMI switching, so I could send the audio video signal to the receiver via HDMI, then pass the video signal on to the TV via HDMI. With that setup, am I taking full advantage of Blu-ray's capabilities?

Also, don't know if I've given you enough info, but I'm looking for a solid receiver recommendation, if you've got one. Trying to stay around $300 or less for that part.

 

[Soundmanred]

You have to sit no more than 6 feet from the speakers or you won't hear the difference. Or is HD audio different from HD video?

 

[s44]

You can use analog, too, but note that most receivers won't do postprocessing on that signal.

Any receiver *that does HDMI audio* will work. The 507 is the cheapest current model Onkyo for that (but it does decode too). There's also last year's 576, $250 at a4less...

 

[erwos]

IMHO, if you have a decent subwoofer, you'll notice the difference immediately.

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: loganex
Thanks, slick, I appreciate it. If I'm looking at the right thing, the auzentech card you mention costs about $200, right? Dunno, that might not be worth it to me.

My speakers are not high end, they came with a HTIB where the receiver broke, so I need to replace it. But it sounds like, if I understand what you're telling me, that I could go the 9400/LPCM route with a lower-end receiver and still get DDLive/DTS-HD sound, right? Later, to more fully enjoy that sound, I could buy better speakers. It's a lot easier/cheaper to upgrade speakers than receivers or HTPCs.

If I use the 9400/LPCm plan, I'd get a receiver that has HDMI switching, so I could send the audio video signal to the receiver via HDMI, then pass the video signal on to the TV via HDMI. With that setup, am I taking full advantage of Blu-ray's capabilities?

Also, don't know if I've given you enough info, but I'm looking for a solid receiver recommendation, if you've got one. Trying to stay around $300 or less for that part.

I'm not trying to bad mouth your setup or anything, but in all honesty, if you're using HTiB speakers w/ a low level Onkyo receiver, then I really wouldn't put much time into worrying about HD audio anyway. The odds of you being able to distingush much of a difference between DTS and DTS-MA on that setup are quite slim.

the reality is a well encoded DD/DTS track can sound VERY good anyway, so its not like you're missing out on a whole new world or anything. Plus with the PC market's horrible integration of HDMI 1.3 so far anyway, you'd wind up frustrating yourself for very little, if any, gain.

 

[loganex]

Originally posted by: Slick5150

I'm not trying to bad mouth your setup or anything,

No worries, this is the kind of help I'm looking for. Maybe I'm trying to future-proof my HTPC build and that's a little impossible with the pace of change...

Originally posted by: s44

Any receiver *that does HDMI audio* will work. The 507 is the cheapest current model Onkyo for that (but it does decode too).

I thought the ONKYO TX-SR307 link here does HDMI audio, does it not? Am I missing something?

 

[kalrith]

I think the 9400 motherboards are overpriced. Just get whatever motherboard you want (as long as it has a PCI-e slot for the videocard) and get this 4550. Use coupon code EMCLSNW43 to get $5, and it's only $19.99 shipped after the $10 mail-in rebate.

I'm sorry to say that the SR307 definitely does not do HDMI audio; it does what's called HDMI pass-thru. HDMI pass-thru passes through the video connection to your display. You need what's called HDMI repeating, which will repeat the HDMI audio to the speakers. You don't even need a receiver that decodes the signals since your computer will just be passing LPCM. I copied the following directly from Onkyo's TX-SR307 product page:

Three 1080p capable HDMI inputs (V1.3a Pass-Thru*)
* separate audio connection required

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: loganex

Originally posted by: Slick5150

I'm not trying to bad mouth your setup or anything,

No worries, this is the kind of help I'm looking for. Maybe I'm trying to future-proof my HTPC build and that's a little impossible with the pace of change...

Originally posted by: s44

Any receiver *that does HDMI audio* will work. The 507 is the cheapest current model Onkyo for that (but it does decode too).

I thought the ONKYO TX-SR307 link here does HDMI audio, does it not? Am I missing something?

No, it basically just acts as a video switch for the HDMI. It doesn't do any processing at all, so the audio signal is basically just ignored. You'd have to run a seperate audio (optical or coax) to receive digital audio on that receiver. And, as I think you know, optical and coax can't do HD audio.

You might want to look at a lower end Denon or Yamaha receiver. I think some of their base level stuff now does HDMI audio (not HD decoding, but it could at least take a DD/DTS/or LPCM signal over HDMI).

I'm not a huge fan of Onkyo's receivers anyway, but that's more of a personal taste issue I guess. But you could, for example, get a refurbished Denon AVR-1907 for $199 here and I'm fairly certain that does do audio over HDMI (someone can correct me if I'm wrong here)

 

[kalrith]

You might glean some good info from my thread on an Analysis of $200-$300 HDMI Receivers. Slick5150, the Denon 1907 doesn't even have HDMI ports; you have to step up to the more-expensive 1908 or 1909, which do handle HDMI audio.

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: kalrith
You might glean some good info from my thread on an Analysis of $200-$300 HDMI Receivers. Slick5150, the Denon 1907 doesn't even have HDMI ports; you have to step up to the more-expensive 1908 or 1909, which do handle HDMI audio.

Woops, you're right, I was thinking of the 1908, not the 1907. My fault.

 

[loganex]

Thanks guys, I'll take a look at denon and yamaha. I think that $200-$300 receivers thread will be very helpful, too.