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koggit   10-28-2008 at 07:21:46 PM

I'm not too sure how to find the thread number to enter in "related thread(s)", but this is similar to my hunt (though a little old): http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] -card-hdmi

With how fast video tech seems to advance, I was wondering if the advice in that thread is still applicable. I'm fed up with TVersity so I want to turn my old desktop into a media server for my TV. The only real problem is I have no way to get sound at the moment. The current videocard is an ATI 9600 Pro -- which I'm not sure is enough to handle HD. My TV is 720p, with DVI, VGA and HDMI. It seems the nicest solution would be to find a videocard with HDMI out that includes sound.

Another issue that may factor in to which videocard is best for me is that I will need to address the overscan of my TV -- that is, I'll somehow need to create borders around the image so that it isn't cut off my by TV's overscan. I know I can do this nVidia cards by setting a custom resolution slightly lower than 1280x720 and setting it to Do Not Scale. I'm not sure if this can be done on ATI cards.

Any help appreciated.

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firebird   10-28-2008 at 08:23:24 PM
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I know the ATI 3xxx series can do 5.1 audio over HDMI, and the 4xxx series can do 7.1. I think the NVidia 9xxx and GTX series can do 7.1 as well but don't quote me on that.

I've used ATI for a long time on my HTPC and I've never had a problem with custom resolutions or overscan. They have a pretty good set of features in the CCC.

------------------------------ Maximus Formula | q9550@3.6 | 4 GB Kingston HyperX @1106 5-5-5-15-2t | Zalman 9700 | Silverstone 750 | Sapphire 3870x2 | Visontek 3870 OC | 500 GB Vista 32 OS | 74 GB Raptor RAID0 | 74 GB Raptor RAID1 |Samsung SATA DVD | X-Fi Fatal1ty | Thermaltake Armor
 Reply to firebird
toosober   10-28-2008 at 08:37:30 PM
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I am running an Asus ATI 3450 in my home theater. Works great and has HDMI. They are $29 at newegg.
Be warned though, getting HDMI audio to work with this card is a biatch!

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by toosober on 10-28-2008 at 08:38:03 PM
------------------------------ For Sale: Parachute, unopened, used once, small stain.
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Ares_   10-28-2008 at 08:45:09 PM
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I would get: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161237

Just for the the HDMI + audio

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ Q6600@3.0/4870@stock
G33/X-fi ElitePro
24'E248WFP/OCZSxS600
Vista\Xp\Sv03\Ubuntu
 Reply to Ares_
firebird   10-28-2008 at 09:07:04 PM
- 1 +

I don't know about XP, but Vista makes using HDMI a piece of cake... Just make sure it's the default sound device!

------------------------------ Maximus Formula | q9550@3.6 | 4 GB Kingston HyperX @1106 5-5-5-15-2t | Zalman 9700 | Silverstone 750 | Sapphire 3870x2 | Visontek 3870 OC | 500 GB Vista 32 OS | 74 GB Raptor RAID0 | 74 GB Raptor RAID1 |Samsung SATA DVD | X-Fi Fatal1ty | Thermaltake Armor
 Reply to firebird
toosober   10-28-2008 at 09:21:31 PM
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Ares_ wrote :

I would get: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814161237

Just for the the HDMI + audio



Be warned, that card is AGP.

Reply to toosober
TeraMedia   10-28-2008 at 09:22:02 PM
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Given the prices of the ATi 4650 and 4670, they're not bad choices.

4650 and 4670 do support 7.1, but if you're going straight into your TV with that then chances are you'll never hear it. What TV brand and technology (LCD, CRT...)? What receiver digital audio input options? What Mobo?

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------------------------------ Pentium D 940 w/XP90C
D955XBK,2 x 1 GB PC5300 @ 4-4-4-12
HIS HD2600XT
4 x 400 GB WD4000YR RE2 (1TB RAID5, 125GB RAID0)
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cow_moo   10-28-2008 at 09:31:33 PM
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Wow did you guys not metion nvidia... i would go with a 9400Gt it is cheap and perfect for your needs

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------------------------------ COSMOS S, E8400, 9800GTX, 8 GB of OCZ SLI RAM
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toosober   10-28-2008 at 09:45:34 PM
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cow_moo wrote :

Wow did you guys not metion nvidia... i would go with a 9400Gt it is cheap and perfect for your needs


While nvidia has the ability to do audio over hdmi, it does not have a built in sound device, you are forced to use a cable from your existing sound card.

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ For Sale: Parachute, unopened, used once, small stain.
 Reply to toosober
firebird   10-28-2008 at 10:03:55 PM
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I did mention an NVidia product, but I have no experience with them.

also, I think you can get a 4350 on the cheap, under $30 after rebate. No dedicated HDMI, but with adaptor would work.

I remember Nvidia using the SPDIF pass through for HDMI audio on previous gen cards, but I saw a review of the newest NVidia IGP with 9xxx series graphics and it had 7.1 audio built in (i think).

My personal opinion is to go ATI for HTPC/media usage. NVidia seems to work best for gaming.

------------------------------ Maximus Formula | q9550@3.6 | 4 GB Kingston HyperX @1106 5-5-5-15-2t | Zalman 9700 | Silverstone 750 | Sapphire 3870x2 | Visontek 3870 OC | 500 GB Vista 32 OS | 74 GB Raptor RAID0 | 74 GB Raptor RAID1 |Samsung SATA DVD | X-Fi Fatal1ty | Thermaltake Armor
 Reply to firebird
San Pedro   10-28-2008 at 10:37:10 PM
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It sounds like you're using a computer with an AGP slot (9600pro would be an old card to be PCI-e). If that's the case you're going to have to go with a 2xxx series AGP ATI card or the AGP 3850.

Also, catalyst control center makes it very easy to adjust underscan/overscan, and using HDMI audio in Vista is super easy (to the point where I couldn't believe I didn't have to do anything to get it to work flawlessly.

Reply to San Pedro
koggit   10-29-2008 at 06:28:02 AM
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I was really liking the look of the 9400gt -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814127380 -- but a review about nVidia's audio-out, like firebird explained two posts ago, worries me: "Cons: Poor HDMI Audio out implementation. The only way to get audio out through the HDMI port is to make an internal wired connection between the card and the motherboard's SPDIF header. A flimsy wire is used for this. MSI Techs tell me this is the nVidia solution for audio thru HDMI. Apparently, ATI has a different approach."

The ATi 3450 looks like the front-runner -- tomorrow when I have a little extra time I'm going to look up some reviews for it. Thanks.

TeraMedia wrote :

4650 and 4670 do support 7.1, but if you're going straight into your TV with that then chances are you'll never hear it. What TV brand and technology (LCD, CRT...)? What receiver digital audio input options? What Mobo?



Wow -- really? I didn't realize there were so many chances for it to be incompatible.


This will be going directly to my TV for now -- an older Samsung DLP, 56", 720p. It was made long before HDMI 1.3.

I'm not too sure about the computer's mobo, but I know it's PCIe -- the 9600pro in it is PCIe.

Reply to koggit
firebird   10-29-2008 at 07:44:28 PM
- 0 +

You may want to do a sanity check on the model of the video card and mobo slot. If I was a betting man I'd put the house up against the 9600 pro ever being on PCIe...

------------------------------ Maximus Formula | q9550@3.6 | 4 GB Kingston HyperX @1106 5-5-5-15-2t | Zalman 9700 | Silverstone 750 | Sapphire 3870x2 | Visontek 3870 OC | 500 GB Vista 32 OS | 74 GB Raptor RAID0 | 74 GB Raptor RAID1 |Samsung SATA DVD | X-Fi Fatal1ty | Thermaltake Armor
 Reply to firebird
koggit   10-30-2008 at 03:44:13 AM
- 0 +

It's possible it's not a 9600pro, but it's definitely PCIe... it doesn't really matter what card is in it now, does it? I'm 100% positive it's PCIe, that was one of my requirements when buying the computer.

Reply to koggit
Ares_   10-31-2008 at 03:52:34 AM
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They never made a PCI-E 9600 pro.
When they made that card in PCI-E they called it the X600 (Same card different name i believe). The only way your 9600pro is PCI-E is if your motherboard is not identifying the X600 right. That is the reason why i linked to an AGP.

------------------------------ Q6600@3.0/4870@stock
G33/X-fi ElitePro
24'E248WFP/OCZSxS600
Vista\Xp\Sv03\Ubuntu
 Reply to Ares_
cheese9333   12-04-2008 at 08:57:29 PM
- 0 +

"When they made that card in PCI-E they called it the X600"

 

True, i have it. Trying to replace it with a recommendation from this thread.

 

Great thread. HTPC time of year. Anyone see a fry's deal on any of these cards your're talkig about

 

1 cable HTPC connection solution FTW!

 


Message edited by cheese9333 on 12-04-2008 at 08:59:30 PM
Reply to cheese9333
booboisie   05-10-2009 at 05:58:04 AM
- 0 +

toosober wrote :

I am running an Asus ATI 3450 in my home theater. Works great and has HDMI. They are $29 at newegg.
Be warned though, getting HDMI audio to work with this card is a biatch!



I hear ya - do you have your detailed steps for getting 5.1 out over the 3450?

I've been able to get 2 channel - but not 5.1, despite loading the ATI HDMI driver, and different combination of drivers from Realtek, ATI, Microsoft and Radeon...

Thanks,
Chris

Reply to booboisie
AKM880   05-10-2009 at 07:14:43 AM
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Are you using XP? NVIDIA cards require a SPDIF input from the motherboard to be able to carry sound. ATI has their own "chip" that does this. On the CD Driver disk that comes with the 3450 should be a HDMI driver.

Reply to AKM880
Dorfl   09-21-2009 at 03:54:09 AM
- 0 +

toosober wrote :

While nvidia has the ability to do audio over hdmi, it does not have a built in sound device, you are forced to use a cable from your existing sound card.


What do you mean? Doesn't it just go through the motherboard, on to the PCI slot, and from there into the video card, which then combines the audio into it's HDMI output?

Reply to Dorfl
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