DVI to HDMI adapter audio conundrum?

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I have an and ati 4870 x2 and the hdmi adapter provided by ati carries the audio to my receiver, then passes the video thru to the hdtv. I have a second monitor connected via hdmi useing a second adapter bought online. The problem is that I am not getting audio thru to the monitor. Do ati cards only output audio thru 1 connection? The adapter I bought is the same ati adapter.
 
Actually the poster who claimed that DVI cannot carry audio was almost correct. DVI is a standard layer1 signalling protocol defined by Silicon Image, Inc. Unlike HDMI, the DVI standard does not define a means for transmitting audio.

That doesn't mean audio can't be transmitted via a DVI style plug, but it does mean that since there is no standard for doing so, every manufacturer may come up with their own unique way of doing it. If they violate the standard to make the audio work (e.g. by using pins reserved for the second link on a single link adapter), then one could argue that the interface is no longer DVI, even if the plug looks like a DVI plug. And if they don't technically violate the standard (e.g. by encoding the audio in the TMDS channel), it's probably still not guaranteed to work with all hardware.
 
I am using ATI's DVI to HDMI adapter, a 50ft HDMI cable and plugged into my TV. Audio and Video transfer to the TV (cloned desktop). My issue, which I cannot seem to find a solution for...When I am connected to the TV the audio transfers, and is no longer available through my computer speakers. I am guessing that it is re-routing the audio via the PCI-e bus? This all makes a little bit of sense to me until...i open Windows Media Center. When I am navigating in Media Center the sound effects of the Media Center application only come over through the computer (which I like). Then when I select the movie I want to watch the audio comes through the TV...perfect. BUT...if I am not in Media Center ALL of my audio is going through the TV via HDMI, including alert message sounds, etc in Windows.

My question: How do I maintain audio on the computer speakers AND the TV when the HDMI cable is plugged in? I have to physically unplug to get audio back to the computer. Thanks.

...pardon my ignorance.
 


When you extend or clone your desktop to the TV. Windows Display Options/ATI Catalyst should automatically choose HDMI audio output in your volume control/playback devices. When you disable your TV in Windows Display Options/ATI Catalyst, audio output should revert back to your default audio/computer speakers. There is no need for you to unplug and replug your HDMI cable. To manually control your audio output right click on your volume icon on the taskbar and change your playback devices.

However, you should not be able to play audio through both HDMI and the computer speakers at the same time. I haven't found a solution to that yet, it seems that Windows does not have this option to play audio through many audio devices at the same time or have the ability to manually control sound through each audio device.

Also, I'm pretty sure Windows Media Center is playing sound effects through your TV (extend or clone) on HDMI and not through your computer speakers. I'm testing it on my computer and TV right now. What Windows version are you using?
 
I bought a GeForce GTS 250 video card and on the back of the box it says:

NVIDIA 2-way and 3-may SLI ready
NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology
NVIDIA PhysX ready
NVIDIA CUBA technology

so Given what has been said because it is NVIDIA I will not be able to get sound through an HDMI cable with this card? Also, I do not know what most of the terminology means if you could enlighten me it would be greatly appreciated.
 
I'm following this thread because I am having the same trouble.

I have a msi GTX 275 that came with a DVI-HDMI converter cable and a SPDIF cable. I have connected the SPDIF cable from the mobo to the graphics card. A toshiba tv is attached to one of the DVI ports with an HDMI cable and the DVI-HDMI converter. Still no sound from the tv. I've checked all the audio settings within Windows 7 and still cannot get the audio to pass over the HDMI cable. Any suggestions that might solve this problem?


 
ATI videocards have an integrated sound chip to output audio and video through the HDMI. Nvidia videocards can only output video through HDMI.

You cannot use a generic DVI-HDMI converter because ATI's DVI-HDMI converter pins are placed differently (which allows sound and audio through HDMI).

I hope this answers some questions.
 

Have you tried the other DVI port? HDMI sound only works on one of the DVI ports, not both.
Have you double checked the SPDIF cable on the motherboard is correct also?
 
ati does ouput audio with the dvdi to hdmi adapter, however, use the adapter included in the box. i ahd a very expensive dvi-hdmi converter that would not output sound. once i changed it to the adapter included with the card...Bam i had sound. also, built in speakers are generally horrible. but it all depends on the make and model of the monitor u will b using so take that into account. you would not want to disable the onboard audio because it does have functions that the hdmi thru the ati vard does not have. for example.....audio input. where would you connect ur microphone for in game voice talk? what if you wanted to use the line in to record a guitar track? so i think disabling the onboard audio is a bad idea. using sound in the control panel u can configure ur augio out preference. in my case i select the ati hdmi rear output over the dvdi-hdni adpater but still use default onboard device for capturing audio. is: sonar cakewalk etc.
 


Wrong! Read above it's already been explained to you so stop posting the same wrong thing you did the first time. :pfff:
 


I'm not entirely wrong. I already know that Nvidia videocards can output audio with SPDIF through HDMI, but that is most likely if you have a compatible external soundcard with SPDIF or with a motherboard with SPDIF, which most people still don't have. Also, that doesn't guarantee that audio will output through SPDIF and HDMI due to different pin positions on generic DVI-HDMI converters. As you can see that many people are still having problems with that. Maybe, I shouldn't say that "Nvidia videocards can only output video through HDMI", but that it is not a reliable solution for everyone and can be problematic. It's not impossible, just not a practical solution for the majority of people.
 


Actually, alot of people in the AVS forums have tested the NV solution with a myriad of converters and actually it's converter independant, unlike the ATi solution that requires the ATi converter. The nV solution passes it along the TMDS signal which makes it more universal, but also limits the signal to SPDIF options (which would allow fors 5.1 DTS, DD, and then whatever PCM is processed and supported end to end) thus the audio limitations on nV unlike AMD's solution.

It's not impossible, just not a practical solution for the majority of people.
Click to expand...

Which would've been a far better way to put it, and that part I'd agree with, because your other statement makes it sound impossible and really HTPC and HDMI users are not the majority to begin with, so like multi-monitor while not practical for the majority, those that are wanting to do it, aren't limited to AMD/ATi, it is quite possible for them to do it too, and it can be as easy as a $30-50 add-in audio card that supports multi-SPDIF output options, similar to the Xonar one forum member drpcken pointed out in another thread which has helped alot of people here;

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132013

For many people it's a better solution to stick with the graphics card they prefer and add that card than to switch to AMD/ATi. If all it is is adding HDMI support for TV or basic surround sound, then that will do perfectly, if they want better audio support, then they may have to move to ATi or consider something like the Azentech HDMi option, but the thing is to make sure they have all the facts so they can make an intelligent choice, not limit their information because we assume it may not be practical for them because it isn't for others.

So IMO it may not be practical for most, but possible for those who care enough to do it. M'kay? [:jaydeejohn:5]
 
Maybe someone can help me. I just purchased the dvi to HDMI adapter and i'm having problems. I have a bedroom TV and a main TV that I want to duplicate the monitor so when I am in my bedroom I can watch TV and also If I'm in the living room I can watch the same computer. Currently I am running the HDMI straight out of my Radion 5770 to my Onkyo HT-S9100THX receiver. It is 7.1 surround and working perfectly. I have confirmed that the adapter does carry sound by hooking this HDMI to the adapter. My problem starts when I hook up my bedroom TV. It does not matter if I hook it up alone or if I hook it up and duplicate the displays no matter which way I hook it up I am not getting any sound through my bedroom TV (Its a 32 inch Dynex). I am getting picture just no sound. Can someone please help?


Thank You
 
Wow i have never seen a post with so many wrong answers in my life. This is completely possible, and exceptionally easy.

I was able to set this up on my desktop machine in 10 minutes, just took long to find the audio cable.

I have a asus p5b deluxe motherboard. The board has a spdif header on it. I also have a asus 9800 gtx video card. EN9800GTX

Like most 9800 gtx video cards there is a small 2 port spdif in on the top of the card. Usually un-used because most cards dont come with the cable. I connected an audio cable from the motherboard to the ports on the card.

I am using a standard 25 foot - dvi to hdmi video cable, that i picked up from a computer show. Gold contacts but nothing fancy.

Connecting to a sony kds50xbr1 television. Audio works perfectly in games and regular windows. I havent tested movies. According to nvidia control panel hdcp is ok.

This entire mod cost less that 2 dollars, you just need a old school audio spdif cable, the same cable you used to connect cd-rom's to sound cards. It should have 2 ports. I had to take them out of the plastic connector because it was too big for the card, but it still connected perfectly.
 


That is completely false. I currently have an ati 4800 series with a cable that's DVI to HDMI and I have the audio playing through my TV. Do some research before you ignorantly troll a forum. Please stop spreading your ignorance.
 
So I now understand that I cannot have my HIS radeon 4350 onboard audio out to my HDMI TV and the motherboard onboard audio to PC speakers working at the same time.
I have a plan that I need to check with others to see if it will work.
1. Disable the sound on the video card.
2. get a soundcard with analog sound out and spdif out
3. connect the analog to PC speakers
4. get this DVI + spdif to HDMI adapter - http://www.buy.com/prod/dvi-audio-spdif-toslink-to-hdmi-converter-adapter/q/listingid/23037267/loc/111/208047492.html
5. connect soundcard spdif and video card DVI to this box
6. box hdmi to tv

The only thing in here I am a little unsure of is if a soundcard can output analog and spdif at the same time.
Anyone's thougths?

Thanks
 
Or should I get a NVidia video card that needs spdif sound in and hdmi w/ sound out? (and also still get the sound card that can do analog and spdif at the same time)
That might be the same price and be a little more clean.

Suggestions on model numbers?
I am a minimal price person (cheap) so looking for the minimum models.
 
Guys.......... a simple question............. can i use just one PCI card to view movies from PC on a HDTV???????? I will be interested if there is ONE PCI card to take both digital audio and video signal from PC (could be bluray, divX, DVD) and throw both via a HDMI which i could input to a AV receiver and onto a HDTV and surround sound system.............

Any suggestions are welcome.............
 
just wanted to say cheers as this post helped me understand how to get my hdmi cable connected to my computer via a dvi/ hdmi converter. And yes I have an ATI card(xfx HD5970 black edition) but just means if you have an ATI card all u need to do is go to control panel and change ATI HDMI out so you can control the pc volume via TV remote
 
Hello. I read this post from the begining, but I have a huge problem. I bought a Zotac Gforce 9500GT and connected my 40`` Samsung through the DVI-HDMI and the video is nice. Now, the audio is another thing. The problem is that my MOBO does not have a Spdif out Header, so, I cant conect the Spedif cable that came with the Card.
Note, My Mobo is a Foxconn, with 8 channel analog audio, but NO Optic or Coaxial audio output (nor the Spdig header mentiones earlier).

How can I creat a Spdif autput ??? Do I have to bought an Audio card ??? Which one?

Help!!!!

Thanks!!!!

Chris.
 
I have a stock NVIDIA 295, which has both DVI and HDMI output. Unfortunately, the hdmi output is on the second internal SLI card and is not recognized by the bios during post, which means I cant see anything on the monitor until windows boots up (no bios). So, I have to use one of the DVI ports to access the bios. Since I overclock, I access the bios a lot, and therefore the only long term solution is to switch to DVI.

So I got a generic DVI to HDMI adapter (which originally came with an after market ATI X1950), and hooked it up, and amazingly, audio comes strait through the adapter and is picked up by my monitor. It's surprising because it is a totally generic adapter, which is pretty old and probably never designed to carry audio in the first place, and here it is working with an NVIDIA card.

It seems that all the adapter does is carry the HDMI signal in it's entirety and let the end devices sort out what's what. This means that the NVIDIA card is encoding audio into the DVI video stream in the same way that it is encoding audio into the HDMI video stream. This doesn't seem like a proprietary technology at all, and is probably a standard of some sort. Although it's not in the original DVI spec, I can see no reason why it wouldn't be an open standard.

Another possibility is that the 295 is detecting that the device on the DVI port is operating as a HDMI device, and is then changing the signal to suit, in which case, as others have stated above, the DVI port would not actually be operating in DVI.
 


Unless your card has a built in sound card (which it doesn't), you really need an spdif output on your mobo. Pick up a cheap soundcard with an spdif output, or, since your already going to the trouble, pick up a nice high quality one like a creative x-fi titanium, or one of the other (possibly better) alternatives. They all have SPDIF as standard.
 
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