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Topic: HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?) (Read 3687 times) previous topic - next topic
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HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Hey,

I'm currently slowly upgrading my system to something that's still worth using.
Right now I'm running an old SB Audigy 2, which is really starting to piss me off.  I mostly blame the drivers.

I was looking into the newer sound cards and have been wondering about conflicts with HDMI-video cards- namely, do I even need a soundcard if the video card is exporting sound through the HDMI link?

Thanks for the help!

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #1 –
Nope, you don't, except if you want analog (like for headphones without having to turn on your receiver), or extra features (like Dolby Headphone, which I would). Right now current ATI, Nvidia and Intel GPUs have HDMI audio capabilities, there are some differences though, one of the most obvious being what has been dubbed the "silent stream bug". I have no experience whatsoever with modern Intel HDMI audio (I tried G35 a few years back), but with Nvidia cards, and ATI cards and certain drivers (they've sort-of fixed this in later ones), when there is no audio playing, the audio stream gets cut, so when audio starts playing again, it can take up to a couple of seconds to re-enable the connection, and it can get annoying (for instance, you lose completely all short Windows chimes). ATI cards also have the option to install an alternate driver from Realtek, which personally I like more.

What are your intended uses anyway? (Player, content, if you'll be bitstreaming blu-ray audio, etc.)

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #2 –
Mostly music.  I have a nice speaker setup with 7.1.  I also occasionally game, but mostly just music.  I do amateur mixing and synthesizing.  Very, very amateur.  I'm a minor audiophile, so bit-streaming blu-ray is something I'd love to do.  My main problem is the fact that being a poor college student is not conductive to getting high-end computer parts.

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #3 –
Which receiver do you have, and which Windows OS? With music, especially stereo, there aren't many problems. Some annoyances only if you use WASAPI exclusive mode.

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #4 –
I haven't used HDMI audio much, but I heard it's not good for low latency stuff (making music). Although now I did a quick search and it seems some Asus soundcard has ASIO over HDMI.. but it seems a rather specialized product.
Other than that, it should be just fine, I think.

Another thing I'd check is if you can play audio only over HDMI (with whatever you have). It might be that it needs a video signal to function.


BTW, for the Audigy you can use KX drivers: http://kxproject.com/

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #5 –
Thanks for the tip with the kX drivers, they're vastly superior.

Running XP to a RX-V861.  Assorted full-range speakers.

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #6 –
Windows XP doesn't play well with new technologies in general, and that includes HDMI. You can't bitstream blu-ray formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD) for one. I don't know about the Asus HDAV card and bitstreaming on XP, but that's a non-starter for me, cause that card is only locked to one player (TotalMedia Theatre) for blu-ray bitstreaming. Same goes for the Auzen card (locked to PowerDVD). Besides, they're way too expensive for what they offer. Those HDMI "home theater" audio cards lost their value once the ATI 5000 series came out and ffdshow was made to support blu-ray bitstreaming with them. Now even Nvidia and Intel also do it.

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #7 –
Quote from: andy o on
Nope, you don't, except if you want analog (like for headphones without having to turn on your receiver), or extra features (like Dolby Headphone, which I would).


It seems like a lot of computer manufacturers are taking into account the use of headphones.  I've tried some newer computers and they don't have the usual audible electrical noise.  So it really depends on your computer/motherboard.
 

HDMI Video make soundcards unneccessary (or redundant?)

Reply #8 –
I was including onboard sound in there too, but I realize that onboard sound can pretty much be taken for granted nowadays.

Angelbaka, just noticed that your receiver doesn't support decoding of blu-ray lossless formats anyway.