PC HDMI video cards

[mdonovan]

Do video cards with an HDMI output on them pass HDMI audio as well as video, or just video? I upgraded to Win 7 media center on my HTPC and the video I was using for Vista MC is proving to be inadequate for Win 7. When I have TV showing and bring the guide up it's herky jerky when it fades in, then navigating through it is soooo sloooow. CPUs around 30% and RAM is fine. I'd like to get a cheap video card with 512 GB of RAM on it and just stick that in the existing machine, but I wasn't sure about audio.

Matt

 

[Sacarino]

Do video cards with an HDMI output on them pass HDMI audio as well as video, or just video? I upgraded to Win 7 media center on my HTPC and the video I was using for Vista MC is proving to be inadequate for Win 7. When I have TV showing and bring the guide up it's herky jerky when it fades in, then navigating through it is soooo sloooow. CPUs around 30% and RAM is fine. I'd like to get a cheap video card with 512 GB of RAM on it and just stick that in the existing machine, but I wasn't sure about audio.

Matt

I doubt a video card outputs audio, but I could be wrong. Mine sure doesn't on the HDMI port, but it's also an older card. I have noticed with 7MC that the jerkiness can be directly tied to the resolution of the output compared with the processing capabilities of the machine. Not just available CPU and RAM but bus speeds, subprime hardware configurations, etc. If you drop the res down a notch or two, does the system noticeably speed up?

 

[iostream212]

I used to have a Shuttle small form factor pc with HDMI out. Its video was based on the Intel G33 chip and it DID output audio. However the video was integrated in this pc.

 

[mdonovan]

I doubt a video card outputs audio, but I could be wrong. Mine sure doesn't on the HDMI port, but it's also an older card. I have noticed with 7MC that the jerkiness can be directly tied to the resolution of the output compared with the processing capabilities of the machine. Not just available CPU and RAM but bus speeds, subprime hardware configurations, etc. If you drop the res down a notch or two, does the system noticeably speed up?

I kind of doubted it too, that's what made me ask. I'll try your resolution idea and see what happens.

Matt

 

[mdonovan]

I used to have a Shuttle small form factor pc with HDMI out. Its video was based on the Intel G33 chip and it DID output audio. However the video was integrated in this pc.

I'm using the integrated video right now too. The motherboard is several years old though. I'm looking at a newer motherboard with better integrated graphics, but I thought if I could get away with just replacing the graphics card I would.

Matt

 

[sjbauer]

Some video cards actually have audio hardware on them to output the audio through the hdmi interface. The alot of the modern ATI cards that have an hdmi interface on them will output the audio as well. The HD 4350 and HD 4550 both have an integrated realtek audio on the card.

Steve

 

[kertofer]

Some video cards actually have audio hardware on them to output the audio through the hdmi interface. The alot of the modern ATI cards that have an hdmi interface on them will output the audio as well. The HD 4350 and HD 4550 both have an integrated realtek audio on the card.

Steve

That is really good to know! I am about to start putting a machine together to use as an XBMC box and this will be great!

 

[BioSehnsucht]

I have a HD4850 and Windows 7 64bit (formerly XP64) and send 7.1 and 1080P or 1080P/24 to my home theater from it. You do have to use the included DVI-HDMI adapter (at least with my card), generic adapters won't work for audio (only video will work).

The ATI HD4xxx series of discrete cards should all support 7.1 audio over HDMI with a built in "sound card" with LPCM 2.0 through 7.1 or DD/DTS pass through. The ATI HD5xxx supports same, plus I believe TrueHD, DTS Master Audio, etc newer codecs pass through.

If you have a choice definately use Windows 7 rather than XP. I was running XP before and with my Yamaha VX-663 there's an issue with EDID that Windows will pick up EDID information only from my HDTV and not the receiver and you have to create a custom INF file to override this and make 7.1 work, but even then I have to boot with the receiver and HDTV connected for it to work as 7.1. Additionally, have to manually switch from the onboard audio to the HT audio when using HDMI. In 7 however, not only did everything *just work* without fiddling, once I set HDMI audio as default, then disconnected HDMI, it automatically reverted to onboard audio (for my speakers right at the PC) and when I reconnected HDMI switched back to HDMI automatically. Just one more thing that 7 gets right! B)

 

[mdonovan]

Thank you everyone that replied!

The 4850 cards were a little pricey for what I needed, but the 4350 cards were more what I was looking at: ~$50. Although, this makes me wonder now. I was planning on building a nice game machine in addition to the HTPC. Now I start wondering if I put in a high end video card if I could combine the game machine and the HTPC into one machine. Hmmmm...

I don't play a lot of games. In fact, The only games I have are Call of Duty 1, 2, and 4 and World at War. 1 and 2 run fine on pretty much any hardware I have. WaW and MW4 do not.

I'll have to ponder this some more.

Matt

 

[troymt]

The Ati 5450 should be a good choice to look at as well. The 5xxx series also does DTS and True HD as Biosehnsucht stated. The 5450 is fanless, a big plus for your HTPC and can be had for under $60.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

The Ati 5450 should be a good choice to look at as well. The 5xxx series also does DTS and True HD as Biosehnsucht stated. The 5450 is fanless, a big plus for your HTPC and can be had for under $60.

The HD 5xxx series generally has in the ballpark of twice the performance for "equivalent" model #'s (the xxx part) to HD 4xxx series too, so if you're already considering spending a bit more get the HD 5xxx series. The HD 5xxx line also has even better idle / low power draw compared to HD 4xxx, and even the full load power draw is generally less.

Personally I don't NEED a new card so I'm waiting for the line to get cheaper - silly supply and demand!