Switch audio channel over hdmi output

[timoraes]

Hi, I have a htpc with onboard 5.1 audio and vga with hdmi audio output. Is there any way I can send via hdmi only the center channel audio? I'm trying to use Virtual Audio Cable but for now I could only send the stereo sound of the front speakers via hdmi, or all 6 channels compressed.

I'm looking for a solution for weeks, any help would be great. Sorry for my English, I only speak Portuguese.

Thanks

 

[tmbrown97]

I know there are devices that let you extract and inject audio into HDMI but that may be a bit convoluted - how about you tell us why you need this? Maybe there are better options.

 

[timoraes]

Thanks for reply....The reason is that I don't have the center speakers, and I want to use the speakers from TV instead to buy it.

 

[tadr]

Thanks for reply....The reason is that I don't have the center speakers, and I want to use the speakers from TV instead to buy it.

 
You would be much better off just adjusting the settings in your receiver to indicate that you don't have a center channel.  The center channel will then be mixed with your left and right speakers.  If your left and right speakers aren't too far from your tv, you'll never hear the difference.

 

[IVB]

That sounds pretty tough. TV speakers are typically bad, you might be best off just getting a cheap speaker and saving yourself the frustration. Not sure where you're located, but in the US you can get a mediocre center channel for $100 new (cheaper off eBay). That'd still sound better than 90% of TV speakers.

 

[IVB]

oh, or do what tadr just posted, even simpler.

 

[timoraes]

You would be much better off just adjusting the settings in your receiver to indicate that you don't have a center channel.  The center channel will then be mixed with your left and right speakers.  If your left and right speakers aren't too far from your tv, you'll never hear the difference.

 
I don't have a receiver... I can make it through the pc audio settings?
 

That sounds pretty tough. TV speakers are typically bad, you might be best off just getting a cheap speaker and saving yourself the frustration. Not sure where you're located, but in the US you can get a mediocre center channel for $100 new (cheaper off eBay). That'd still sound better than 90% of TV speakers.

 
Is just a htpc in my bedroom. Especially because the center channel sounds are usually the dialogues and voices, the speakers of my tv is ok.

 

[tmbrown97]

as mentioned earlier, it's doable but would require some equipment... the equipment would likely cost more than a receiver and speaker, to be honest... unless there's software for that...
 
Although, most sound cards have separate outputs for front, rear, center, sub - at least the ones I've had lately... are you sure there's no way to just turn off the HDMI audio and use an input instead?  If so, just run the one from the center channel to the TV's audio in.

 

[timoraes]

You would be much better off just adjusting the settings in your receiver to indicate that you don't have a center channel.  The center channel will then be mixed with your left and right speakers.  If your left and right speakers aren't too far from your tv, you'll never hear the difference.

 
I disabled the center channel in audio settings and it worked ... thank you all

 

[sic0048]

I disabled the center channel in audio settings and it worked ... thank you all

 
Glad you got it working.  I was going to suggest something like this too because the center channel is the most important speaker in a surround sound set up because it handles all the speech and other main sound elements.  I'd much rather have a phantom center speaker (like you just set up) with good quality speakers on the sides, than I would having a true center speaker that used the TV speakers.