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Connecting HTPC to receiver and 5.1 speakers?

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Newbie
Mar 26, 2007
21 posts

Connecting HTPC to receiver and 5.1 speakers?

I am using a desktop as an HTPC and I'm gonna get an LCD TV and 5.1 system soon. I am not interested in pc speaker systems (already have z5300e), am going to get a decent 5.1 Klipsch/Yamaha/Onkyo system.

So before I embark on a waste of time and money, I currently have this soundcard: http://www.buildorbuy.org/images/revo-rotated.jpg

Is it as simple as connecting the TV to receiver via HDMI, and the 5.1 speakers + PC to the receiver via Optical, and viola? Or?

Thanks a bunch for any help folks
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Aug 4, 2003
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I'd suggest you get one of the new breed of HDMI video cards that allow lossless audio transfer to your receiver too. These include the sub-$50 ATi 5450 and nVidia 430 cards. This will enable you to send TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio to your sound system, as well as the accelerated HD video too of course. You won't need an audio card at all if you do that, but you could also keep your current sound card for multi-zone audio too.
In answer to your question, though, yes, you can connect things like you say. However, you'll be limited to lossy DTS and AC3 soundtracks for movies, and may not get the full enjoyment of what your planned speaker and receiver purchases will be capable of.
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Nov 7, 2006
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+1 on a compliant HDMI video card that bitstreams HD codecs. It can't get any easier than that. ATI5450 does the job really well; or 5550 if you may do 3D.
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colbert wrote: Oh I didn't even think of getting another video card! Do you mean like this one: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.as ... 14121397?? I run on linux and am a longtime nvidia user so I'd prefer nvidia.

So basically I'd just connect my PC -> Receiver via HDMI instead?

YES. That's the easiest solution and sound is the best.

I haven't kept UTD on which Nvidia video card does HD audio codec. Looks like Fitbrit has already suggested one.

Your alternative is feeding the analogs to a receiver that has discrete 5.1 or 7.1 analog input. The SPDIF port is ok too but you get downmix to DTS/DD or worse with HD audio tracks.
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Aug 14, 2008
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Ontario
Yes, that is what I'm doing now in the basement, except I recently splurged on a 5770 in my HTPC/PC because it is connected to 3 screens... 2 in an office and one tunnels through a wall to a Kuro in the theatre room. Funny, fitbrit helped with this exact question a couple of years ago, and ppl4golf helped me setup HD OTA, cheers boys.

HTPC>hdmi>receiver>hdmi>flatscreen
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Aug 14, 2008
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Ontario
Oh, if you have an iPod/iPhone/iPad, use the xbmc app to control your HTPC.

Newbie
Mar 26, 2007
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Another [probably silly] question then: I currently have an 8800GT, if I get the new video card for HTPC usage, would I only be able to use one video card or is there any possibility of using both?
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colbert wrote: Another [probably silly] question then: I currently have an 8800GT, if I get the new video card for HTPC usage, would I only be able to use one video card or is there any possibility of using both?

You could use both, but I'd like to know why? Would you be running more than 2 screens? Or is it that you want to have the ability to play games too? If the latter, an nVidia GT460 would be as if not more powerful than the 8800GT for game, yet it can bitstream HD audio too, as well as accelerate HD video.
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zoolander wrote: Yes, that is what I'm doing now in the basement, except I recently splurged on a 5770 in my HTPC/PC because it is connected to 3 screens... 2 in an office and one tunnels through a wall to a Kuro in the theatre room. Funny, fitbrit helped with this exact question a couple of years ago, and ppl4golf helped me setup HD OTA, cheers boys.

HTPC>hdmi>receiver>hdmi>flatscreen

*high-fives ppl4golf* :lol:
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Mar 26, 2007
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fitbrit wrote: You could use both, but I'd like to know why? Would you be running more than 2 screens? Or is it that you want to have the ability to play games too? If the latter, an nVidia GT460 would be as if not more powerful than the 8800GT for game, yet it can bitstream HD audio too, as well as accelerate HD video.

Just checking Newegg, did you mean GTX 460? I might get one of these instead then, is there a specific model you'd recommend? Would want one not too crazy, just able to play some decent games perhaps.
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zoolander wrote: Yes, that is what I'm doing now in the basement, except I recently splurged on a 5770 in my HTPC/PC because it is connected to 3 screens... 2 in an office and one tunnels through a wall to a Kuro in the theatre room. Funny, fitbrit helped with this exact question a couple of years ago, and ppl4golf helped me setup HD OTA, cheers boys.

HTPC>hdmi>receiver>hdmi>flatscreen
fitbrit wrote: *high-fives ppl4golf* :lol:

And both of you helped me with something in more than one occasion :)
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colbert wrote: Just checking Newegg, did you mean GTX 460? I might get one of these instead then, is there a specific model you'd recommend? Would want one not too crazy, just able to play some decent games perhaps.

Yes, I meant the GTX460. Check NCIX's sale this week - they have some decent prices on a few examples of this card.
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Just thought I'd post that I have my HTPC (Win7MC) hooked up to my a/v receiver via the COAX digital out on my motherboard. With this I'm able to get DD/DTS but no lossless audio like DTS-HD as others have stated. If you do want those higher end audio formats to be supported then you need to go HDMI. If all you care about are downloaded MKV bluray rips which are almost always DD or DTS, then the first setup is more than enough.

BTW, I thought I saw that you mentioned Linux...I'm not 100% sure but I think you might have issues with the bitstreaming of those higher end audio formats because of lack of drivers or something. Keep that in mind.

Lobo
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Mar 26, 2007
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lobo wrote: Just thought I'd post that I have my HTPC (Win7MC) hooked up to my a/v receiver via the COAX digital out on my motherboard. With this I'm able to get DD/DTS but no lossless audio like DTS-HD as others have stated. If you do want those higher end audio formats to be supported then you need to go HDMI. If all you care about are downloaded MKV bluray rips which are almost always DD or DTS, then the first setup is more than enough.

BTW, I thought I saw that you mentioned Linux...I'm not 100% sure but I think you might have issues with the bitstreaming of those higher end audio formats because of lack of drivers or something. Keep that in mind.

Lobo

Yes I am on linux, I have checked quite extensively about drivers and thankfully it is not an issue even with HDMI :D

Thanks for your first point about DD/DTS vs. DTS-HD! Yes, I am going to be playing 99% .MKV rips, .avi, basically everything off a video file and off the net (Youtube, video sites, XBMC). I have zero intention of having a bluray player, I would only have a DVD player hooked up to receiver for the odd occasion.

Now it raises the question: So DD/DTS/AC3 are what the .MKV's have, while DTS-HD is what's on the actual BR disc, right? For my puny brain, would it be similar to FLAC vs. MP3?

And to add to that, an .MKV cannot have DTS-HD?

Thanks :)
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Sep 16, 2005
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I just use the digital coaxial on the pc motherboard to send the signal to the receiver.....any cons to doing this other than that hdmi audio route you are suggesting?
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SPDIF (optical or coax) will do the job just fine. Please also note HDMI doesn't mean HD audio bitstream capable.
The thing is, it is cheap enough you might as well get it...it's a $35 video card.
If you don't do anything that is Blu-ray related, be it the actually disc or the rips onto your HDD, then you really don't need the HD codec capability. Digital out is sufficient. Many player software will downmix the HD codec to DTS or DD and surround is maintained.

I think I should also mention...HTPC is so dead when you can have a $50 player like the Patriot Box Office that does pretty much everything. Now, 99% of the PBO are not HD audio codec capable either. But talk about fun to use compared to HTPC.
colbert wrote: Yes I am on linux, I have checked quite extensively about drivers and thankfully it is not an issue even with HDMI :D

Thanks for your first point about DD/DTS vs. DTS-HD! Yes, I am going to be playing 99% .MKV rips, .avi, basically everything off a video file and off the net (Youtube, video sites, XBMC). I have zero intention of having a bluray player, I would only have a DVD player hooked up to receiver for the odd occasion.

Now it raises the question: So DD/DTS/AC3 are what the .MKV's have, while DTS-HD is what's on the actual BR disc, right? For my puny brain, would it be similar to FLAC vs. MP3?

And to add to that, an .MKV cannot have DTS-HD?

Thanks :)
john widow wrote: I just use the digital coaxial on the pc motherboard to send the signal to the receiver.....any cons to doing this other than that hdmi audio route you are suggesting?
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Mar 26, 2007
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ppl4golf wrote: SPDIF (optical or coax) will do the job just fine. Please also note HDMI doesn't mean HD audio bitstream capable.
The thing is, it is cheap enough you might as well get it...it's a $35 video card.
If you don't do anything that is Blu-ray related, be it the actually disc or the rips onto your HDD, then you really don't need the HD codec capability. Digital out is sufficient. Many player software will downmix the HD codec to DTS or DD and surround is maintained.

I think I should also mention...HTPC is so dead when you can have a $50 player like the Patriot Box Office that does pretty much everything. Now, 99% of the PBO are not HD audio codec capable either. But talk about fun to use compared to HTPC.

Yes I got the WD Live for my sister a while back, but for my situation HTPC makes perfect sense. It's just for me, I already have box that has been htpc for some years and I'd just use the TV via Twinview and have full control from one place which is what I want.

What do you mean that HDMI doesn't mean HD audio bitstream capable? So for instance if one has a BR player connected via HDMI, they wouldn't be able to play the DTS-HD their movie has? I'm curious why that would be, unless I'm missing something. Thanks!
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colbert wrote: Yes I got the WD Live for my sister a while back, but for my situation HTPC makes perfect sense. It's just for me, I already have box that has been htpc for some years and I'd just use the TV via Twinview and have full control from one place which is what I want.

What do you mean that HDMI doesn't mean HD audio bitstream capable? So for instance if one has a BR player connected via HDMI, they wouldn't be able to play the DTS-HD their movie has? I'm curious why that would be, unless I'm missing something. Thanks!

HD bitstreaming is very video card dependent. For onboard solution, you can assume it doesn't do it. My laptop which is Core i5 + onboard Intel HD graphics does it. ATI 5xxx+ discrete GPU does it of course. All BD/HDDVD players have HDMI ports. Some will decode, most will bitstream these days...nothing is a given. There is only so much manufacturers can 'milk' consumers by deleting these features. It's total BS with the earlier generation players that didn't do all of that. I can't wait until optical disc format be freaking dead in the next decade.
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Nov 27, 2003
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colbert wrote: I am using a desktop as an HTPC and I'm gonna get an LCD TV and 5.1 system soon. I am not interested in pc speaker systems (already have z5300e), am going to get a decent 5.1 Klipsch/Yamaha/Onkyo system.

So before I embark on a waste of time and money, I currently have this soundcard: http://www.buildorbuy.org/images/revo-rotated.jpg

Is it as simple as connecting the TV to receiver via HDMI, and the 5.1 speakers + PC to the receiver via Optical, and viola? Or?

Thanks a bunch for any help folks

You should be good to go as you've got a coax digital output on your sound card (looking at the picture you provided). I'd just hook up the computer to the TV with a DVI-HDMI cable (or whatever connection use) then I'd hook the receiver to your current sound card using a coax cable. If you don't want to deal with two remotes (one for tv and one for receiver - and possibly one for your htpc) then pickup a Harmony remote.

I guess you could buy a whole new video card with audio, but it seems that you already have everything and just need the TV and 5.1 sound system. There's nothing wrong with using the analog connections to the receiver either.

Noticed you said you have an 8800GT, you can already use that card with twin-view, just hook up one of the video ports to your TV and the other to your monitor. I'm not sure what kind of connections you have on the back of your video card (dvi, hdmi, or vga).

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