Please help, I need to find a Video card that supports audio and video output through HDMI

[Mike94ZLT1]

Hey guys, I do Home Theater installation, and have dabbled in PC stuff for years. Recently I installed a plasma television for a gentleman, and he has expressed a desire to have the ability to use it as a monitor. We have decided that his old PC is not up to the task, so I am going to build him a new one. I was looking at Motherboards, and I like this one:

http://www.ewiz.com/desc.php?name=MB-M3A78

It is an ASUS board, and I have always had good luck with ASUS products. Can you guys help me find a video card that will suit my needs? Or, if there is another ASUS motherboard with onboard video that does what I want, I would go for that too. I saw a few of them on the site I buy most of my stuff from, but did not know if they would support audio over the HDMI or not. Thanks!

 

[VirtualLarry]

780G supports audio over HDMI (I think). I know that AMD 3450 PCI-E video cards support audio over HDMI, I set one up for someone recently.

 

[taltamir]

yea but 780G sticks you with an inferior AMD CPU...

I know the AMD HD3xxx and 4xxx series do audio over HDMI... i think nvidia's 9 series and GTX2xx series do as well, but i am not sure, can someone confirm this?

 

[Mike94ZLT1]

So if I use this mother board http://www.ewiz.com/desc.php?name=MB-M3A78P I will be ok with the onboard video card that is on it? Thanks Larry!

 

[Mike94ZLT1]

Originally posted by: taltamir
yea but 780G sticks you with an inferior AMD CPU...

I know the AMD HD3xxx and 4xxx series do audio over HDMI... i think nvidia's 9 series and GTX2xx series do as well, but i am not sure, can someone confirm this?

Inferior as in how? I am OK with a dual core or a triple core processor, I was thinking of using this:

http://www.ewiz.com/desc.php?name=HD-8650BOX

Or this:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=ADV-60DOBX

I am trying to keep the cost of the computer down, this isn't a hardcore gaming system or anything like that.

 

[taltamir]

inferior as in "you pay more money and you get less CPU" as well as "much much slower" and "takes a ton more electricity to run".

intel is killing AMD by price cutting until they are a more sensible buy.

although... if he is NOT going to play any games, than an onboard solution is good idea... and the 780G is a better chipset than the intel crap. And nvidia's is way outdated for intel... so in that case, paying extra for an AMD CPU is acceptable, the phenom2 920 and the 940 are only 5$ more than their equivalent intel processors. And the 780G makes up for that. (although remember, they cost more in electricity to run)

what is the budget? what will he DO with the computer? games? video editing? photo manipulation (photoshop), HD viewing? porn?
You need to know the desires of an individual to give advice.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: Mike94ZLT1

Originally posted by: taltamir
yea but 780G sticks you with an inferior AMD CPU...

I know the AMD HD3xxx and 4xxx series do audio over HDMI... i think nvidia's 9 series and GTX2xx series do as well, but i am not sure, can someone confirm this?

Inferior as in how? I am OK with a dual core or a triple core processor, I was thinking of using this:

http://www.ewiz.com/desc.php?name=HD-8650BOX

Or this:

http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=ADV-60DOBX

I am trying to keep the cost of the computer down, this isn't a hardcore gaming system or anything like that.

its not the core amounts, AMD makes quad cores as well... and intel makes dual cores as well, its the performance per core per ghz.

 

[alcoholbob]

ATI 3000 series won't do 8-channel PCM, just 2-channel. (not sure if the 780G does it). ATI 4000 does though.

 

[Mike94ZLT1]

Originally posted by: taltamir
inferior as in "you pay more money and you get less CPU" as well as "much much slower" and "takes a ton more electricity to run".

intel is killing AMD by price cutting until they are a more sensible buy.

although... if he is NOT going to play any games, than an onboard solution is good idea... and the 780G is a better chipset than the intel crap. And nvidia's is way outdated for intel... so in that case, paying extra for an AMD CPU is acceptable, the phenom2 920 and the 940 are only 5$ more than their equivalent intel processors. And the 780G makes up for that. (although remember, they cost more in electricity to run)

what is the budget? what will he DO with the computer? games? video editing? photo manipulation (photoshop), HD viewing? porn?
You need to know the desires of an individual to give advice.

I would like to keep it under $700 if possible, he is using it for a basic office computer, he has itunes on it, emails, surfs the web, I'm SURE there is some porn viewing in there somewhere.

 

[yh125d]

Some misinformation here. (not wrong information, just not the whole story)

As far as options capable of BD playback, AMD 780G and 3X00 video cards support ONLY 2 channel LPCM audio over HDMI. This is good enough if your audio is running through your tv speakers and no sub. But, if the owner has a 2.1, 5.2, or 7.1 speaker setup you will need to stick with the Intel G45 chipset, ATI 4X00 cards, or Nvidia 8200/8300/9300/9400 IGPs. As far as nvidia dedicated cards go, I'm pretty sure all 9-series and GTX-series cards support 8 channel LPCM over HDMI, as well as most 8-series cards. I haven't been able to find a definitive answer one way or another yet.

That said, I believe all options offer 5.1 DD/DTS over HDMI (besides G45)

 

[s44]

Most of the above is wrong.

AMD motherboards will do audio over HDMI... But limited to (lossy) DD 5.1. For full 7.1 PCM you need either a 4000-series ATI separate card or a Nvidia motherboard -- 8200/8300 for AMD CPUs, 9300/9400 for Intel CPUs.

The Nvidia 9300/9400 is in no way "outdated" -- it's the only acceptable integrated video platform for Intel processors, which is why Apple switched to it from Intel. But it's about $50-80+ more than the equivalent mobo for AMD.

I would get a Nvidia 8200/8300 (with HDMI out, of course) and either the Phenom II 920 or the 7750BE.

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: yh125d
I'm pretty sure all 9-series and GTX-series cards support 8 channel LPCM over HDMI, as well as most 8-series cards.

They don't. But hybrid SLI with a 8200/8300/9300/9400 will get you there.

 

[yh125d]

Also, taltamir I think you're kind of off base. There's nothing wrong with AMD processors. They're still good performance, low power/heat, and at pretty good prices too. They may not be the massive workhorses that C2D's are, but they're not too far from it. There's nothing that makes AMD a *bad* decision, especially for a HTPC that won't be taxing the CPU very much anyhow.

AMD definitely isn't "much much slower", or "takes a ton more electricity to run". For example, the OP could build this rig with a $75 e5200, or with a $75 A64 X2 7750, and neither way would be "wrong", both processors are very close in performance

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: s44
The Nvidia 9300/9400 is in no way "outdated" -- it's the only acceptable integrated video platform for Intel processors, which is why Apple switched to it from Intel.

What's wrong with G45? Sure it had lots of bugs at launch, but surely the bulk of that is sorted out by now?

 

[Mike94ZLT1]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
ATI 3000 series won't do 8-channel PCM, just 2-channel. (not sure if the 780G does it). ATI 4000 does though.

2 channel is fine, it is just using TV speakers

 

[zagood]

HTPC recommendations and good info here (Intel setup on next page of article):
http://www.anandtech.com/guides/showdoc.aspx?i=3486&p=6

 

[Mike94ZLT1]

According to the link you just posted, Zagood, they recommend this mobo: http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-M3N78EM

How does this one compare? http://www.ewiz.com/desc.php?name=MB-M3A78P Same thing basically, but with an ATI RADEON chipset as opposed to the NVidia, and it has more room for expansion.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: yh125d
Also, taltamir I think you're kind of off base. There's nothing wrong with AMD processors. They're still good performance, low power/heat, and at pretty good prices too. They may not be the massive workhorses that C2D's are, but they're not too far from it. There's nothing that makes AMD a *bad* decision, especially for a HTPC that won't be taxing the CPU very much anyhow.

AMD definitely isn't "much much slower", or "takes a ton more electricity to run". For example, the OP could build this rig with a $75 e5200, or with a $75 A64 X2 7750, and neither way would be "wrong", both processors are very close in performance

per dollar, they consume more electricity, produce more heat, and give you less performance... What more can I say? they make sense in some situations though.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: s44The Nvidia 9300/9400 is in no way "outdated" -- it's the only acceptable integrated video platform for Intel processors, which is why Apple switched to it from Intel. But it's about $50-80+ more than the equivalent mobo for AMD.

oh wow, they finally released those! nvidia was stuck with the 7 series for intel for years while releasing newer chips for AMD only... its good to see they finally finished a modern intel chipset.

 

[taltamir]

Even if you get a chip that DOES output 8 chanel audio, there are issues with the copy protection... so, bottom line, its probably a better idea to put your audio out separately.
And if you get a fast enough processor you don't have to worry about the various issues of GPU Acceleration of video. on CPU it just works.

PS. So he does not play any video games than?

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: taltamir
yea but 780G sticks you with an inferior AMD CPU...

I know the AMD HD3xxx and 4xxx series do audio over HDMI... i think nvidia's 9 series and GTX2xx series do as well, but i am not sure, can someone confirm this?

Yes, some (I can't say all) 9 series cards have an HDMI passthru via motherboard or discrete SPDIF connection. I'm using a 9800GTX+ in this very fashion. GT200 series also support HDMI audio pass thru via SPDIF cable.

 

[BernardP]

To answer the original question. Asus and MSI both offer videocards with native HDMI output, bundled with the required SPDIF cable to take the HDMI audio signal from the mobo to the videocard.

Going with AMD is perfectly acceptable for a low/mid system price. Look at my sig. I say, if you look at an ATI IGP mobo (780G) and want a discrete videocard, get an ATI videocard to stay within the same video driver family. Ditto for the NVidia IGP solution (GF8200) and NVidia discrete videocard.

If one is willing to spend more money and wants a higher performing Intel processor, then the NVidia 9300/9400 is the best IGP solution:

9300/9400 boards

I like the ones from Gigabyte and Asus

Don't forget that these IGP mobos only have single-link digital video output. This means that you can connect a TV through HDMI or a monitor through DVI, but not both at the same time. To get dual-link digital output, you need a discrete videocard.

Why do you want a discrete videocard? if you are not gaming, you don't need one. If you don't need dual-link digital output, you don't need one either.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: yh125d
Also, taltamir I think you're kind of off base. There's nothing wrong with AMD processors. They're still good performance, low power/heat, and at pretty good prices too. They may not be the massive workhorses that C2D's are, but they're not too far from it. There's nothing that makes AMD a *bad* decision, especially for a HTPC that won't be taxing the CPU very much anyhow.

AMD definitely isn't "much much slower", or "takes a ton more electricity to run". For example, the OP could build this rig with a $75 e5200, or with a $75 A64 X2 7750, and neither way would be "wrong", both processors are very close in performance

per dollar, they consume more electricity, produce more heat, and give you less performance... What more can I say? they make sense in some situations though.

That may be true with AMD's current quads, after Intel's most recent price cut, but that is not true of AMD's duals.

They are very price competitive with Intel's parts, and their performance/watt is not bad either. (Look at the 45W dual 4850e, 2.5Ghz, $50. You want the more powerful E5200 part, you pay $75, for similar power consumption.)