Do I need HDMI Drivers?

HZ94

Honorable
Dec 26, 2012
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10,510
Recently purchased a Sapphire HD Radeon 7770 for my Budget Gaming Build, I was wondering about HDMI's, I have a HDMI cable that I use for my PS3 and it works, looks great on my Monitor (TV / Monitor Mix),

But when I get my computer put together in the next few days will I need to download drivers in order to use an HDMI?

I'm very new to building computers and I want to get into it as a profession some day, and I'm also extremely new to HDMI's, The only experience I have with them is plugging it in my PS3

So my main questions are:

1.) Does the Sapphire HD Radeon 7770 even work with HDMI Cables? (1680x1050 Res / 1080p)
2.) If so, Do I need drivers in order for it to actually work?
3.) Does it actually make a huge difference in Gaming and Regular Web surfing if I use an HDMI Cable over a VGA connection

Additional Stupid Question
4.) Can I use just a regular HDMI Cable (I Mean my current HDMI is from the local Best Buy)

 

suat

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Dec 17, 2009
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If you install the drivers that you download either from the card manufacturer or from AMD, then everything will be installed and you will get both video and audio from the HDMI out. If you do not install the drivers, you may not get audio. I may be mistaken, though.

So answers to your questions:
1.) Yes, it does.
2.) Yes, you do. What OS are you on ?
3.) VGA is analog. HDMI is dgital. If you use a digital monitor, then you will sure have better experience with HDMI. Analog VGA signal is re-processed and converted to digital signal on a digital monitor. Re-processing a signal degrades its quality. Even if you may not notice the degradation, it is there.
4.) Yes, you can. Just make sure the cable version is 1.3 or higher. Version 1.4 for 3-D video.
 

HZ94

Honorable
Dec 26, 2012
2
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10,510
So answers to your questions:
2.) Yes, you do. What OS are you on ?
4.) Yes, you can. Just make sure the cable version is 1.3 or higher. Version 1.4 for 3-D video.

2.) Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
4.) How do I check this? If there is no way, I will just go out and snag one that I know is 1.3