HTPC as a Home Theater Receiver?

[sadpony]

I have just recently built a HTPC using Windows 7 and Windows Media Center. Everything is set up and working fine, but now I am wondering how to go about running all the sound for my tv and other components through it as a receiver. Does anyone have any tips on how to do this? What sound card would be best? If more information is needed on my set up then please ask, but here are the specs:

ASUS P7H55-M PRO LGA 1156 Intel H55 Mobo
Intel Core i3-540 Clarkdale 3.06GHz Processor
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
LG Blu-Ray Drive

 

[WR2]

for my tv and other components

What TV do have? Does it have an HDMI connector?
What are those other components and where are they located in relation to the HTPC?

 

[sadpony]

My TV is an LG 47" LCD, 120Hz, and it has 3 HDMI inputs which I connect all my components through. All of them are within a few feet of each other. The other components are my xbox 360 and our cox cable dvr (seems redundant with an HTPC but its for my roommate).

I just want all of them to share the same surround sound but I would rather just buy a sound card and use the HTPC rather than add a receiver.

 

[Richard_nixon]

Well even if you managed to get all the sound going through the computer, which I doubt you can without going to studio equipment. You would still need your reciever, as your computer wont power your surround sound speakers. The reciever just dosent combine your inputs and put it out to the speakers. Its an amplifier too.

Connect everything to the tv, and use the audio out on the tv to go to the surround sound reciever/amplifier.

 

[amnotanoobie]

You could go with:

Xbox/TV/Cable -> PC -> Amplifier (assuming you have one) -> speakers

PC-amp:
Pros:
- Very configurable
- Cheaper than the receiver
Cons:
- You need to configure it
- Boot time of the PC compared to a receiver

Receiver:
Pros:
- Ease of use as you'd usually just turn it on
- Boot time, it's probably ready within 5 seconds or less
Cons:
- Expensive

 

[sadpony]

Sorry, I guess my question was not very clear. I know generally how to set it up, I just need to know what hardware would be best to accomplish it... like which sound card?

 

[amnotanoobie]

Sorry, I guess my question was not very clear. I know generally how to set it up, I just need to know what hardware would be best to accomplish it... like which sound card?

Last I heard, the Asus Xonar's and Auzentech's seem to be good.

For Asus Xonar, the HDAV Deluxe seems to be right (HDMI in/out)
For Auzentech, the HomeTheater HD or X-Fi Forte 7.1 (Analog IN)

Or if you could get by with Creative:

Creative PCI Express Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio (Optical In)



The trouble is finding the sound card which would accept multi-channel audio in. Stereo input wouldn't be a problem, as all of those cards would be able to do it (line in or mic-in).

 

[sadpony]

Best answer selected by sadpony.