NVidia GeForce 460 audio

[jtread66]

Hello,

I'm about to purchase a major new system (for me), based upon an I7-970 processor,
with 12GBytes of memory (I do video editing and a lot of simultaneous programs.)

I'm 'configuring' this computer using HP's configuration ability on the Costco website,
and have decided to attempt to use the nvidia GeForce 460 video card.

I am interested in the GeForce 460 card, because it is the fastest (from what I've seen)
that is available on that site, and because if you get that card, they increase the
size of the power supply automatically, which otherwise is 460 watts which isn't
much.

Anyway, when I select that video card, the only option for a sound card is disabled.
It seems that you can't get a sound card if you get the GeForce 460 card.

I am aware that the nVidia card has a 7.1 surround sound (and bitstream ability???), but
I don't have a clue what that means...


So my question is, how are the card's 7.1 surround outputs used? I can't find
anything that addresses the simple question of how to use the card for audio.

Does the output of the card go to some kind of sound card that I can't get at
the HP configuration site, or is the output run directly to speakers?

Is it possible to buy an inexpensive speaker system (like from Newegg) and
just plug that into the card? Or is there some other thing going on?


Where could I go to find out how to use this card's audio capabilities?
Where does one find out what bitstreaming means with respect to the practical
use of this card's output? Everything I have read is so full of jargon that
I can't figure it out.

Man, my brain hurts!

I believe I have an older home theatre system that has 5.1 surround. Could
I use that? Or do I need a new surround sound system to use this card's output?


(btw: My first computer was a Heathkit that I built in 1982 or 1983 that had an awesome
48K of ram. I bought some discrete memory chips and and piggybacked 16K of ram
on top of the other chips (soldered them together.) People couldn't believe it worked,
but it did. It was the most cutting edge system you ever saw! 64K of Ram! A real screamer!)

Thanks for any help.

 

[mactronix]

Im no expert but i beleive the 7.1 is over HDMI Can anyone confirm that ?
The option for a discrete card being greyed out,do you actually have one installed ? If not then it can hardly give you the option if its not present.

Mactronix

 

[jtread66]

Im no expert but i beleive the 7.1 is over HDMI Can anyone confirm that ?
The option for a discrete card being greyed out,do you actually have one installed ? If not then it can hardly give you the option if its not present.

Mactronix

Well the problem is that you have to select a video card. If any card besides the 460 is selected, it is possible to then select an audio card. But if the 460 is selected, no options for sound cards exist.

When you say "7.1 is over HDMI" are you saying that the output of the card is HDMI and it will connect to anything that can handle that cable?

Thanks for answering.

 

[mactronix]

Well i wasn't sure if you had some sort of Amp set up that required seperate outputs for the bass and mid etc speakers.
This is the blurb,

" NVIDIA has included an HDMI sound device inside their GPU which does away with the requirement of connecting an external audio source to the card for HDMI audio. The HDMI interface is HDMI 1.3a compatible which includes Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, AC-3, DTS and up to 7.1 channel audio with 192 kHz / 24-bit. NVIDIA also claims full support for the 3D portion of the HDMI 1.4 specification which will become important later this year when we will see first Blu-Ray titles shipping with support for 3D output."

That basically means that when sending Pictures over a HDMI connection it will send the sound over as well.

My PC has a ATI card which does the same but the actual Audio for the PC is from the motherboard.


Mactronix

 

[jtread66]

Well i wasn't sure if you had some sort of Amp set up that required seperate outputs for the bass and mid etc speakers.
This is the blurb,

" NVIDIA has included an HDMI sound device inside their GPU which does away with the requirement of connecting an external audio source to the card for HDMI audio. The HDMI interface is HDMI 1.3a compatible which includes Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, AC-3, DTS and up to 7.1 channel audio with 192 kHz / 24-bit. NVIDIA also claims full support for the 3D portion of the HDMI 1.4 specification which will become important later this year when we will see first Blu-Ray titles shipping with support for 3D output."

That basically means that when sending Pictures over a HDMI connection it will send the sound over as well.

My PC has a ATI card which does the same but the actual Audio for the PC is from the motherboard.


Mactronix

I guess I got up too early, but I still don't understand completely. Does this mean that I need an amplifier that accepts HDMI input in order to have sound in my computer when using the 460 card?

Thanks for the other information, by the way!

 

[mactronix]

No.
When you were mentioning about a dedicated sound card and 7.1 sound i didn't know if you was confused about the issue or actually wanted/needed to hook up an actual 7.1 surround sound system.

The card itself dosent have any dedicated sound output. What it does have is up to 7.1 sound capability over its HDMI cable. This is a industry standard cable used to connect things like DVD/Bluray players to TV sets. Not all cables and devices are equal and some things like older GPU's didn't put the sound over. the new ones do.

The card really has nothing to do with your everyday Audio. look on the back of your PC and you will see some inputs and outputs which ones will depend on your motherboard. the Green 5 mm jack is your on board audio plug.

I don't mind how many posts this takes the main thing is that you get your answer in the end. If you like you can post which PC you have and we can take it from there, i can look at what options your motherboard has and we can go from there.


Mactronix

 

[jtread66]

No.
When you were mentioning about a dedicated sound card and 7.1 sound i didn't know if you was confused about the issue or actually wanted/needed to hook up an actual 7.1 surround sound system.

The card itself dosent have any dedicated sound output. What it does have is up to 7.1 sound capability over its HDMI cable. This is a industry standard cable used to connect things like DVD/Bluray players to TV sets. Not all cables and devices are equal and some things like older GPU's didn't put the sound over. the new ones do.

The card really has nothing to do with your everyday Audio. look on the back of your PC and you will see some inputs and outputs which ones will depend on your motherboard. the Green 5 mm jack is your on board audio plug.

I don't mind how many posts this takes the main thing is that you get your answer in the end. If you like you can post which PC you have and we can take it from there, i can look at what options your motherboard has and we can go from there.


Mactronix

Thanks very much. Are you saying that I can get regular sound from the motherboard through the motherboard's audio plug and ignore the HDMI output until I really want to use it? That green 5mm jack that has been on motherboards for quite a while now is what I'd use to hook up my regular speakers? That's most of what I want. I could look into the HDMI later if I wanted to do a nicer sound system?

I'd provide more information on the motherboard, but it isn't listed. This is an HP system that you buy and add things to, but it doesn't specifically say who the motherboard manufacturer is. Its built by HP, sold through Costco, which is why I'm buying from them.

Three years ago I build a really powerful system from scratch with parts from Newegg, and it has worked beautifully. However, I don't really beieve I could do it again, and even if I could, it turns out the parts when bought from Newegg cost more than when I order the fully assembled system from HP through Costco. And if anything burns out within 3 months, Costco replaces it or returns money no questions. And after that, they provide a 2 year warranty on all parts of the system. Amazing, really.

 

[mactronix]

The HDMI is specifically for connecting to a TV, you cant use it just for Audio. i think the mention of it in the specs has you a little confused.
I really cant see why you couldn't add in a dedicated Audio card should you want to. They go in to the PCI slot which is next to the PCIE slot.
Take a look at this http://wbrowser04.blogspot.com/2010/06/sound-card.html

Again any questions just ask

Mactronix