Which Motherboard to watch Blu-ray movies with 7.1 lossless using onboard audio?

[drvasek]

Looking to build a new Gaming/Blu-ray/Video and Photo editing PC. I want to make sure I start with the correct motherboard for my needs.

Which Motherboard do I need to watch Blu-ray movies with 7.1 lossless audio without having to purchase a soundcard?

Looking for:
LGA 1151/Intel Z170
ATX
Overclocking: Yes
SLI: Yes
USB 3.0 and 3.1 and Type-C
Lossless Audio 48/96kHz (7.1) 192kHz (5.1) 24bit

Trying to decide between: ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and EVGA.

Thank you!

 

[getochkn]

What are you listening to the 7.1 on? Surround receiver?

 

[drvasek]

What are you listening to the 7.1 on? Surround receiver?

I plan to use this:
Denon AVR-X4000 7.2-Channel 4K AV Receiver

 

[getochkn]

I would HDMI output to the receiver then. What are you watching on, your monitor or a TV? If it's a 4K HDMI 2.0 capable TV, 4K blurays are coming this fall. Will need a new player but I make sure you get something that has HVEC 265 decoding hardware wise. I think skylake does.

 

[drvasek]

I would HDMI output to the receiver then. What are you watching on, your monitor or a TV? If it's a 4K HDMI 2.0 capable TV, 4K blurays are coming this fall. Will need a new player but I make sure you get something that has HVEC 265 decoding hardware wise. I think skylake does.

I have a 27"LED 1080p Monitor and this TV:
Samsung PN64F8500 64-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Smart Plasma HDTV

I'm assuming you want me to HDMI out the sound from the motherboard? If so which motherboards should I be choosing from?

And then HDMI out the video from the GPU?

I'm not worried about 4K right now just want 1080p Ultra settings 60fps+ BUT want my system to support 4K down the road.

 

[getochkn]

HDMI output from the GPU into the Denon, and then out from the Denon to a TV or monitor. That's how mine is hooked up, HDMI from my AMD GPU to my Denon, then off to my 4K TV.

 

[drvasek]

HDMI output from the GPU into the Denon, and then out from the Denon to a TV or monitor. That's how mine is hooked up, HDMI from my AMD GPU to my Denon, then off to my 4K TV.

So how do I know the GPU will output 7.1 lossless? I'm aware HDMI can carry video and audio but how do I know for sure the source material is of the highest quality and being sent through and transferred by components correctly?

With my Home Theater it is easy, Blu-ray player to Receiver to TV done, and my receiver and TV show what is being heard and displayed. I just don't know that much about PC Video and Audio.

 

[getochkn]

I watch all my stuff through Kodi, and with passthrough selected, it just passes whatever the audio is to my Denon and it decodes it. It take DTS MA, 96k lossless, a few 7.1 titles I have. I think they key is whatever player you are using can do audio passthrough. You don't want the software doing the decoding. If I turn off passthrough on Kodi, it just goes to multi-channel 7.1 input on my denon, so the software is decoding whatever and sending 8 channels to the denon. With passthrough on, it just sends the audio, as is, and as long as it's a supported format by the denon, then it decodes it and switches modes automatically for me based on input source. Then I can turn on like PL Neo:6 if I want it to create a 6th channel for my 6.1 setup if the source is 6.1 or less down to stereo.

I would assume as I said, it's more a software thing and as long as it's connected HDMI, your good.

 

[drvasek]

I watch all my stuff through Kodi, and with passthrough selected, it just passes whatever the audio is to my Denon and it decodes it. It take DTS MA, 96k lossless, a few 7.1 titles I have. I think they key is whatever player you are using can do audio passthrough. You don't want the software doing the decoding. If I turn off passthrough on Kodi, it just goes to multi-channel 7.1 input on my denon, so the software is decoding whatever and sending 8 channels to the denon. With passthrough on, it just sends the audio, as is, and as long as it's a supported format by the denon, then it decodes it and switches modes automatically for me based on input source. Then I can turn on like PL Neo:6 if I want it to create a 6th channel for my 6.1 setup if the source is 6.1 or less down to stereo.

I would assume as I said, it's more a software thing and as long as it's connected HDMI, your good.

So if I'm following what you are saying it wont matter if I get a 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8 channel or 9 or 10 channel motherboard that as long as I output out of the GPU (does it matter which GPU), that everything should be fine, and not to worry about onboard sound? I'm asking because I live in Alaska and don't want to buy something and it not work like I want it to and have to deal with shipping things back.

 

[getochkn]

Usually the onboard audio channels refer to analog connections. Usually left and right is one cable. Rear speakers another. Sub and center on a third, etc. You want to keep everything digital and let that sweet denon do all the decoding for you or even if the software does it HDMI is the way to go.

 

[drvasek]

Usually the onboard audio channels refer to analog connections. Usually left and right is one cable. Rear speakers another. Sub and center on a third, etc. You want to keep everything digital and let that sweet denon do all the decoding for you or even if the software does it HDMI is the way to go.

Well, I have been researching this topic on and off for the last few weeks, and you are telling me all I need is a $4 HDMI cable? Sweet! Thanks!