HD 3870 - No Sound via HDMI

[GraphicsBrad]

Hey guys,

I've read countless forum posts on this topic, but have found nothing that helps me.

Relevant specs:
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Monitor: Asus MS238H that has built-in speakers.
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 (Single fan)
Connection: HDMI to ATI supplied HDMI-DVI adapter

The problem is that I receive no sound through the monitor. In Control Panel>Sound, the audio default is set to ATI HDMI output. I have installed the Realtek audio codec 2.55, and updated the catalyst drivers, but to no avail.

I also tried using the other port on the card, but that didn't work either.

If anyone has any suggestions or has seen this problem before, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[studioman22]

1) Check to make sure the application you're using is set to use the actual HDMI audio driver. Just because windows is set to use it as default, doesn't mean the application will. It may opt for the onboard audio driver instead.

2) It might be a sample rate issue, if you are trying to play content with too low a sample rate.

Users report varying degrees of success trying to use audio down a DVI-HDMI adapter. Not recommended. In your case, you may do better to use your onboard audio, and run a separate audio line to your monitor. But why you would want to use the crappy sound from most any monitor in the first place is perhaps another question. There are many cheap surround computer speaker systems on the market, which will do a much better job than any monitor speakers.

 

[GraphicsBrad]

Thanks for the quick reply!

1) When I test the sound from Control panel I get nothing.

2) I have a separate audio jack connected from on-board audio to the monitor right now and get nothing. So, maybe it's a problem with the monitor...

And to answer your question, lol, I moved my sound system to my tv instead and felt like keeping my desk clean.

 

[popatim]

Dont you have to loop the audio out from the sound card to the audio in on the GPU with that card?

 

[GraphicsBrad]

Dont you have to loop the audio out from the sound card to the audio in on the GPU with that card?

The 3870 has an integrated audio chipset.

 

[studioman22]

Dont you have to loop the audio out from the sound card to the audio in on the GPU with that card?

I would say no, as the spec says it has an onboard audio controller, intent upon getting audio down the DVI-d/HDMI connection:

HDMI output support

* Supports all display resolutions up to 1920x1080
* Integrated HD audio controller with multi-channel (5.1) AC3 support, enabling a plug-and-play cable-less audio solution

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?leg=1&psn=000101&pid=151

No, with his last post, there is clearly something else going on. You check the Windows mixer, and make sure your WAVE and VOLUME sliders are up? It could be the monitor, but not likely. This sounds like one of those simple overlooked settings problem to me.

 

[GraphicsBrad]

Hmm, when I open Volume Mixer it has "Device" and "Applications." It used to show WAVE and VOLUME. I'm assuming this is due to one of the driver updates or something?

 

[studioman22]

In all my years, I have never seen the windows mixer ever display that. At this point, I would have to say total corruption and/or virus- unless you've got some kind of crazy sound manager app/control panel or something. Or it could be that if you have the HDMI audio selected as default, the Radeon audio driver is displaying that- maybe it's supposed to. Weird! But the fact is, it still doesn't work. At this point what I would do is probably uninstall/reinstall the latest drivers from the manufacturer, and see if that helps. Also, test your monitor with another sound source to verify it works, and the problem is really in the computer. If your onboard audio doesn't work either, then you might try replacing cables. Cheap audio cables are just that: they suck.