Dual-Sound and an Additional Monitor

[dashbarron]

Hey everyone. I came here awhile ago when I was building my computer, and I return once again to tackle an issue about sound and possibly sound cards.

There's a lot of little projects and media/sound-related issues I've been wanting to tackle, and here's a question I've had for awhile, and I'd like to move forward with solving it. I see and read so many different things, that I want to ask my question directly and see what sort of answer you ladies and gents have for me.

- I have an EVGA 780i MB with onboard sound, and an EVGA 8800GT gpu with two DVI connections, one that leads to my 19" LCD and the other to my 22" HDTV. So, how do I get sound to my HDTV (with converter-box)?

From what I understand, DVI only transfers video, though I've heard some say a DVI to HDMI will do audio, but I'm unsure rather this rumor is true. Regardless, I only have component connections (link to my setup) http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/EM/200608/20060811175349265/EN/3_sub.htm .

I know I can run sound from my onboard audio to my TV, but I want to go one-step further. I would like to be able to listen to music/use the sound on my computer while also watching a movie on my TV from the DVD player on my computer. Seems such division isn't possible with basic onboard audio, but how would I go about achieving this? I've always gathered the impression that with a sound card, your computer could push sound from one application to one destination (speakers) and the audio from another application (DVD player application) to another desitnation (TV). Is this possible, or only a poor man's inane dreams?

 

[mi1ez]

NVidia graphics cards won't output sound through the video connection nativey, although I believe there is a way of doing it with a passthrough cable of some sort. Hopefully someone else can help you out there.

I believe your sound issues are solvable, it's something I looked into but I ended up not needing it so I never tried this, but it's probably worth a look.
http://kevingc.blogspot.com/2007/03/windows-vista-volume-mixer-trick.html

 

[dashbarron]

It's funny you mention this, I've been working with trying to get my Widows Media Player (or whatever application) to push music through to Ventrilo, and I think it has to do with a mixture between your post above, and a dedicated sound card/mixer.

 

[dashbarron]

Seems like I want to stream audio to two seperate paths, and Im unable to do it now.

 

[cmmcnamara]

You'll have to examine your card but I know that some NVIDIA cards will pass audio through the DVI connector (have to be using a DVI to HDMI connector) by connecting a 2 pin SPDIF header cable from an SPDIF header on your motherboard to the graphics card. The obstacle here is that your graphics card has to support it (have the SPDIF input) and your motherboard has to have the header. I have the GTX 260 which I know has the input, let me check my XFX 780i motherboard and see if it has the header.

 

[dashbarron]

Hm, I'm pretty sure mine isn't one of those. But I tried using a spdif connector from my digital out on my motherboard to my monitor, in hopes that the sound would split between the streams (which I'm lost in this department), only to find out that there are at least two different types of SPDIF connectors, argh. I bought a coaxial, and apparently I need an "optical" connector.

Back to monoprice....