[SOLVED] Notable hiss from audio in new HTPC - can it be fixed?

[bovinda]

New HTPC build has an irregular (sometimes there, sometimes not) audible hiss that is very noticable; makes it hard to enjoy movies and other things.

I'm outputting my audio through the HDMI of my vid card to an Onkyo receiver (all relevant hardware below).

It's not the source material or the wiring because replaying the same material doesn't always produce it. I don't have it when cable or other sources play through the receiver. I can't reliably reproduce it, but it's frequently there when playing movies, music, or tv.

Is it just a driver thing? Any possible solutions? Do I need a different graphics card? Or is it the mobo somehow?

Hardware:
i3 550 CPU
Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H
Palit GTS 450 video card (with HDMI out)
Onkyo HT-S3300 receiver and 5.1 system

 

[The Boston Dangler]

hiss and other things are often the target of a driver update or re-install. just a guess

 

[bovinda]

Got it fixed - it turns out I needed to configure the audio settings to Stereo instead of Surround so that the receiver would handle it instead of windows. Never would've guessed.

Just in case it helps someone else!

 

[ericlp]

hmmmmmm, if you sound card has one and MOST do... A spidf out...you could hook that into your amp for a much cleaner sound not to mention get surround sound if you had 5.1 setup.

Have fun!

 

[slag]

hmmmmmm, if you sound card has one and MOST do... A spidf out...you could hook that into your amp for a much cleaner sound not to mention get surround sound if you had 5.1 setup.

Have fun!

Spidf won't necessarily have cleaner sound than hdmi.

 

[JSt0rm]

Spidf won't necessarily have cleaner sound than hdmi.

just to say the sound you get over hdmi is discrete 5.1

the sound you get over spdif is only discrete as a stereo otherwise its a ac-3 encode. ac-3 while cool is pretty compressed.