Comments on: n00b htpc 3850 dvi to hdmi with audio

Question: n00b htpc 3850 dvi to hdmi with audio

prodevel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:45:20 -0800

I've got a Gigabyte HD3850 w/dual DVI outs and 1 Svid out.I went n00b and got a dvi to hdmi 30ft cable to my 42" LCD TV. Help?! E6850 duo + 2GB all overclocked and running flawlessly.

Before you judge, it's only oc'd to 3.6 ghz and the gfx card was oc'd via it's auto tune....

I've got this for what it's worth: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/toms-reference-system,1748.html

Being a replaytv/dvarchive user, I realized that after moving to a new address, I could connect my puter and 42" lcd to each other. I purchased a dvi to hdmi cable @ 35 ft.

No sound. I immediately assualted google and found avforums, et al. again... I've spent nearly 3 hours reading posts and posting 1 other myself.

I'm suspecting I need an ati dvi to hdmi adapter and a long hdmi(-to-hdmi) cable.

Otherwise I would be stuck with the svideo to svideo/component adapter included w/the product.

I would love love love to get the dvi-hdmi cable to work since it's strung. Darn bulky, some are. I'm suspecting that it just might be a one-off, though.

I'm a unix guy but I know my fair share of M$

BTW already tried realtek, ati, bios settings combos........ many, many combos...

Thanks

By: Pinback

Pinback — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:56:48 -0800

So, what's the problem - no sound? DVI doesn't carry any sound information, analogue or digital. You'll need to arrange sound by other means.

By: prodevel

prodevel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:05:59 -0800

Well it seems possible with _maybe this card, and definitely wi/others.

By: prodevel

prodevel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:07:17 -0800

but you have to use the dvi-hdmi adapter/dongle from ait that comed w/the card, although I don't think mine came w/any.

By: wsp

wsp — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:21:28 -0800

Hmm... A quick Google shows that it is indeed possible with your card, but you may need the ATI adapter - I'm assuming they send the audio data over unused pins, since DVI doesn't support audio normally (AFAIK, though I may be a bit behind on my video interfaces knowledge).

What OS are you using? Have you tried setting the ATI card as your default audio out device?

Otherwise, I'd check eBay or the like for the dongle. If they are doing something weird with the jack, I doubt a standard DVI to HDMI cable will work.

By: prodevel

prodevel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:48:15 -0800

Thanks wsp. I can almost guarantee that my card came with only two dvi to vga adapters and a dual extender.

It's looking like it's possible but not probable. I'll keep searching but I've also got an adapter and 30' hdmi to hdmi cable almost on order. Same withe adapter.

By: poppo

poppo — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:12:54 -0800

I'm with Pinback. DVI doesn't normally carry audio, so this seems normal to me.

Even if it is somehow possible, what about your TV? Even older versions of HDMI won't carry audio. What kind of TV is it? Its HDMI port(s) need to support HDMI 1.3. Anything less and you won't get audio.

By: Ferrari328

Ferrari328 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:02:29 -0800

If you are sure about the DVI carrying audio, make sure the card audio out is analog and NOT 5.1 or any format of digital. Apart rom that, I'm with poppo.

By: owtytrof

owtytrof — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:46:00 -0800

This thread on AVS Forum seems to confirm that only the ATI dongle will enable audio, and also contains some interesting speculation as to the exact how/why of the situation. So, according to that thread, you'll either want to buy an HD3200 or order the ATI dongle. Obviously you don't want to downgrade, so you should probably order that dongle.

By: burnmp3s

burnmp3s — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:36:03 -0800

Does your TV have any instructions for connecting a PC? Mine says to run a second cable from the soundcard for the sound to be matched up. Personally I just run an optical cable to my stereo.

By: ijoyner

ijoyner — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:04:40 -0800

If you have a receiver:

I run a coax cable (analog RCA jack... get a powered subwoofer cable) from my Audigy2 into my receiver. In creative audio console I set it up to do Dolby/DTS passthrough to the receiver so the receiver does the decoding.

For gaming, you need 3 sets of minijack to RCA (R/L). Plug em up for fronts, rears and center/sub. Test with the "6 channel test" files here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/howto/articles/Multichannel.aspx

If you just need stereo audio to the tv:
Look at what the TV is expecting (minijack or RCA R/L). Then run an audio cable from the computer. (I know, not what you're looking for)

By: ijoyner

ijoyner — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:05:48 -0800

Oh yeah, forgot to say for analog 6 channel to use the Multi-channel analog input on the receiver for that purpose (Its there for DVD-Audio/SACD/older DVD players)

By: prodevel

prodevel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:31:24 -0800

Here's my TV, just in case:

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/televisions/product.asp?model=42hl67

By: prodevel

prodevel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:04:16 -0800

And here's another dvi->hdmi dongle case:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/graphics-cards-tv-tuners-webcams/819776-ati-hdmi-dvi-audio-dongle.html