No Audio from HDMI on HTPC - Please help!

[blujrny]

$100 to anyone who can fix my problem. Okay not really, but I'd really appreciate some help since I've been spending hours trying to figure this out.

Long story short, I bought a used computer from craigslist for use as an HTPC. It works great. The important info: The computer has an Nvidia 9600 GS 768MB card, and Asus P5N32 SLI SE Deluxe mobo, with Windows 7 Home Basic. The video card has an HDMI-out connection. I connected an HDMI cable from the card into my Denon receiver (and I also tried it directly to the TV), but I'm not getting any audio. Video is crystal clear.

I was looking for some kind of S/PDIF connection (I only see a braided black and white cable sticking out of the card but it looks like one of those small 3-prong connectors for a fan?). After looking at the manual for the mobo, I don't see S/PDIF prongs inside anyways (just a coaxial and optical connection in the rear which don't help me). Is this card even capable of transmitting audio via HDMI? If not, is there another card that will? Please help, and thank you in advance!

 

[Jovec]

From skimming the manual for that mobo, it does not have internal S/PDIF header pins. I'm fairly confident that the 9600 does not have an internal audio processor either, so you are our of luck with regards to HDMI audio with that setup.

Opinions vary, but I don't think you are going to notice much difference using HDMI audio over S/PDIF for most formats unless have a high-end audio system.

The easiest fix is to pick up a current gen HTPC video card.

 

[blujrny]

Thanks for taking your time to research that for me, I really appreciate that. That's kind of what I figured. Any idea what video card will allow me to transfer both audio and video straight from HDMI to the TV with one HDMI cable?

 

[Jovec]

Just to be clear, older Nvidia cards required you to connect the SPDIF connectors form the mobo to the video card, and they would the pass through the audio. ATI cards starting with the 4000 series had a built-in audio card and thus could do HDMI audio regardless of the mobo. I believe the newest Nvidia cards do this also but you'll want to double check.

 

[Rifter]

you need wither a ATI 4xxx or nvidia 4xx series or better if you dont have SPDIF from the soundcard.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Actually ATI cards since the HD 2xxx have had audio through HDMI, but these are old anyway so you shouldn't be considering them. You should be considering an AMD card 4000 and up for HTPC use.

If you just need this strictly for HTPC then any card from the HD 5000 series and Nvidia 400 series will work. Another viable option is the Geforce GT 240 - one of the few cards from the Nvidia 200 series that doesn't need SPDIF pass-through.

If you need the card to be more powerful, then things get more specific.