No audio through GTS 250 using HDMI and SPDIF passthrough

[jdchambers86]

I'm having a problem getting audio to pass through my EVGA GeForce GTS 250 graphics card from the the SPDIF out header on my motherboard. All the connections are correct, and the drivers are all up to date. I'm using a Gigabyte GA-770-UD3 motherboard with realtek audio onboard (as well as a rocketfish 5.1 sound card, which has been disabled.) The computer is connected to a Samsung television using a DVI/HDMI cable. When I go into the NVIDIA control panel, it shows that the TV is connected using a HDMI cable, with audio enabled. When I go to my playback devices, it does not list an HDMI output, only the Realtek Digital output, which I'm guessing is outputting the sound to the digital SPDIF output on the back of the PC, not the onboard SPDIF header. Windows is not registering that the Graphics card is connected to the SPDIF output header using a passthrough cable.

I'm Using Windows 7 ultimate.

Any suggestions that you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

 

[skolpo]

As far as I know, you can only carry audio through the S-video port. Since your DVI-HDMI cable is essentially a DVI output, audio cannot be carried over since DVI does not carry audio.

 

[jdchambers86]

DVI will carry audio, otherwise, what would be the point of a SPDIF audio input on the graphics card? With a DVI to HDMI adapter, having sound travel to the TV shouldn't be an issue. Every DVI to HDMI cable I have seen sold advertises that it will carry video and audio signals. NVIDIA advertises that the card will carry the sound using the passthrough cable, I just can't get my computer to recognize that the cable is connected to the graphics card and that it is a HDMI sound output device.

 

[skolpo]

Well, then go ahead and show me these advertised DVI cables that carry audio without the use of a special adapter like ATi has. Because I sure don't know about them as much as you do...

Here's another thread on a different site that's been dealing with the same thing. See if you can find a solution in the thread:

http://www.techimo.com/forum/multimedia-audio/230394-dvi-hdmi-sound-transfer.html

 

[Mousemonkey]

Well, then go ahead and show me these advertised DVI cables that carry audio without the use of a special adapter like ATi has. Because I sure don't know about them as much as you do...

It's not a DVI cable that's used it's a HDMI cable connected to the card via a DVI - HDMI adapter.

 

[Mousemonkey]

DVI will carry audio, otherwise, what would be the point of a SPDIF audio input on the graphics card? With a DVI to HDMI adapter, having sound travel to the TV shouldn't be an issue. Every DVI to HDMI cable I have seen sold advertises that it will carry video and audio signals. NVIDIA advertises that the card will carry the sound using the passthrough cable, I just can't get my computer to recognize that the cable is connected to the graphics card and that it is a HDMI sound output device.

What sound card/chip do you have?

 

[jdchambers86]

I have the EVGA GeForce GTS 250, running on windows 7 ultimate, 64 but edition. There is a SPDIF audio input on the side of it where you can attach a special SPDIF cable that runs from the onboard SPDIF hub on the motherboard to the video card, which is supposed to transfer sound from the motherboard to the card, allowing sound to be carried through the DVI outputs with the use of a DVI to HDMI adapter or a DVI to HDMI cable. The NVIDIA tech support page describe this exact setup. My problem is that I am not getting the HDMI audio out like their support page shows. IDK if i need a driver installed that I simply cannot find, or if I have to do something special to enable the SPDIF hub on the motherboard to output sound.

DVI cables, by themselves, will not transfer audio, only video. But, with the use of an adapter or a conversion cable to HDMI, the cable will carry sound as well as video.

Here is a link to NVIDIA's support page which details the process of connecting a PC to a TV using their products.

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nvidia.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2593&p_created=1270025972&p_sid=OgTBALak&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD04NzIsODcyJnBfcHJvZHM9JnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9MQ!!&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

[Mousemonkey]

You mentioned having a Rocketfish sound card as well, is that still in the system?

 

[jdchambers86]

yes, hooked up and drivers installed. However, that shouldn't matter as it can be deactivated from the playback devices.

 

[Mousemonkey]

To avoid any issues I would remove it or use it, so unless you are plugging the SPIDF cable directly into that card I would remove it and uninstall the drivers and just stick with the one sound outputting device.

 

[jdchambers86]

I'll give it a try. Hopefully it's that simple.

 

[jdchambers86]

no luck, removing the sound card does not give me any more options for sound output.

 

[jdchambers86]

Got it figured out...required a Realtek HD audio driver that wasn't included it the mobo audio driver update.

for those of you with similar issues, here is the site. it is the HD audio codec.

http://www.realtek.com.tw/