HTPC Audio Help

[gwm1471]

I am in the process of building a HTPC using a Foxconn A7DA-S MB. This HTPC will replace (hopefully) my Blu-Ray & HD-DVD players as well as play DVD ISO's.
I have been scouring the Net concerning audio and am confused beyond believe. Any help would be appreciated...

This MB has analog 5.1 output jacks as well as a SPDIF output header. Although I was going to use my Sony STR-DA333ES receiver (which has both analog and SPDIF inputs), Through research, this is my understanding:

- SPDIF only supports 5.1 audio via compression processed on the MB
- Analog is true 5.1 with NO compression and no processing on the MB
- Could have analog audio noise
- Digital audio clean with no noise
- May be some issues concerning BD audio protection on playback via digital.

As I said I am confused as ever. Aside from SPDIF being the easiest and quickest solution, what would be the absolute best connection senario? Would analog be best if using high quality cables? Or will it bad enough that SPDIF is just the way to go.

One more thing...would an option be to use a dedicated HTPC amp? Simpifi has a 5.1 analog amp (5075) and a 5.1 USB (5075D). Any experiences users that could shed some light?

Thanks...sorry for the long post :-)

[Tez]

Hi, welcome to the forums!

I have read up quite a bit on this lately since I was also going to build a HTPC. In terms of playing Blu Ray/HD DVD, you can only get playback of the new high def. audio tracks such as Dolby TrueHD straight from the disc through a computer using a hdmi connection. All software players such as Power DVD and Win DVD will downsample these lossless formats into lossy standard dolby digital tracks through analogue connections. SPDIF does not have the bandwidth for them either. It makes no difference if you have an external receiver which can decode the tracks either.

That being said you will still hear audio since it will be a dolby digital track. This will most likely sound better than a dolby digital track on a DVD since it is from a lossless master. Don't think quality cables are necessary since onboard sound isn't that great.

My solution to getting hd audio tracks is to rip discs I have bought to the hard drive and follow this guide:

Latest HD-DVD Conversion thread including LPCM, TrueHD and DD+ audio AND subtitles .. - SlySoft Forum

Works for Blu Ray also, looks and sounds great. The drawback is each movie taking up ~18gb so you need alot of hard drive space.

If you are concerned with the hd formats then you could wait for the new ASUS HDAV1.3 or the Auzentech Home Theatre 7.1 to come out. Expect a price premium though .

[gwm1471]

Thank you for your help understanding this a little better.

Now I'm really in a pickle. My LCD TV does not have a HDMI input but a DVI...which I currently use with a HDMI to DVI cable for my BD player (I will use this for the HTPC). So I don't have the ability to get sound via HDMI.

Ok, so using the Simplfi USB solution won't work and SPDIF will not as well. So I guess the best solution for me is analog through my Sony receiver. Disappointing to say the least...

[gwm1471]

So you have great sound from the rip...are you using analog or SPDIF?

[Tez]

Originally Posted by gwm1471

Thank you for your help understanding this a little better.

Now I'm really in a pickle. My LCD TV does not have a HDMI input but a DVI...which I currently use with a HDMI to DVI cable for my BD player (I will use this for the HTPC). So I don't have the ability to get sound via HDMI.

Ok, so using the Simplfi USB solution won't work and SPDIF will not as well. So I guess the best solution for me is analog through my Sony receiver. Disappointing to say the least...

Your welcome. Right, in terms of video my TV does have hdmi but my graphics card does not so i'm using DVI from my graphics card to VGA on the TV. This is similar to your situation. The problem here is that the stupid, cumbersome protection on the discs means that you must have a HDCP TV (I think yours should be) and a HDCP graphics card/motherboard. However, a program called Any DVD removes all such protection, you can download a free trial for 21 days. See if you can get full quality without it first and if not try it out.

If you don't mind the audio being downsampled to Dolby Digital then I think you can use whatever sound output you like. If however like me you want the full audio quality then you can also use Any DVD to rip the disc to your hard drive and follow that guide I linked.

So you have great sound from the rip...are you using analog or SPDIF?

The sound is fantastic, the guide explains how to convert lpcm, truehd, DD+ etc to flac. It is a little bit confusing to get everything working at first but just try it.

At the moment I'm using optical but in XP sound is not correct, voices are extremely distant, possibly due to the bandwidth problem. Once I get my X-Fi back from being modded I intend to go analogue.

[WolfyWolf Von Wolfenstein]

What exactly is the point of ditching your dedicated players for the computer? Is it to use you LCD TV? I am lost here as it sounds to me like you might be barking up the wrong tree. If you are not happy with your stand alone players, i don't know what you are going to get out of the computer? I am not trying to rain on your parade (sorry about the metaphors) but you might be better off to upgrade your individual components and get a system which does what you want. Flame me if you will, but that is the feeling I get from reading your thread. I have an htpc and I have found there is nothing it can do better or even equal to a standalone component. Get a nice hd dvd/bd player and a receiver. Maybe get a new tv with hdmi if you can afford it. I don't know what your budget is. Sorry if I am missing the point.

[obobskivich]

I'm thinking the point is to have it all in one box, as it seems he wants HD-DVD, BD-ROM, and storage for his DVD ISOs (instead of having a ton of DVDs sitting about), in addition to the other features of an HTPC (gaming, internet, music, etc) all in one solution

thats the only reason I'd vote for an HTPC

and no, I'm not trying to flame you, I agree that for pure quality, separate players is best, but sometimes physical space constraints (or electrical constraints, or simply that the guy doesn't like having a ton of gadgets) also drive things like this (and I'm not saying its wrong to do the HTPC route, I actually agree with it)

now, for the HD content, you will need HDMI out, does the receiver have HDMI in? (it should be capable of going HDMI in -> DVI out (since the DVI signal is the same video signal as used for HDMI, and should be able to pass the HDCP voodoo to the disc's content)) and then just don't worry about the audio passout (because the receiver will handle the decode/amplification/whatever)

if you don't want to deal with HDMI, go with the digital output on the board, as it will be the same as the analog output, but without the risks of analog noise (and onboard sound almost always have analog noise (I've only heard one onboard sound soultion that doesn't, and its been out of production for years))

the compression is a lossy format, such as Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1, compared to lossless like TrueHD, the analog output is just analog of whatever the system is handling (so the computer decodes Dolby Digital 5.1 to analog signals), tbh I'd prefer having a receiver doing DD decode over the onboard codec (if you had a discrete audio card it would be another story, but the receiver is still more than capable)

[gwm1471]

Tez...thank you for all your help and patience.

WolfyWolf...I understand and appreciate your input.

Obobskivich...you are exactly right in my HTPC reasoning. My goal is to have everything in one box as well as have the ability to enjoy gaming, mp3's, internet and PVR.

I absolutely love my 50" LCD and although it was purchased right before HDMI became standard, I have no desire to replace it. Unfortunately, it has only one DVI input so I have only been able to view BD with it and HD-DVD with component...another reason an all-in-one solution is desired.

Now I am intrigued by the HDMI receiver option. Although my receiver has several optical and 1 SPDIF inputs (as well as 5.1 analog), it does not have HDMI. I had considered replacing it with a dedicated amp (Simplifi 5075D) but that does not have HDMI and doesn't appear to be much more than I already have. Although it does receive all audio via USB, my understanding is that only HDMI carries the Dolby TrueHD signal so my guess is that it will be the same as SPDIF...correct?

I'm thinking a receiver (or dedicated amp) with HDMI would be my best solution. Obobskivich, thanks for the suggestion...I never thought of it.

Any HDMI receiver or amp suggestions? Any other options?

Again, thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions...I appreciate it immensely.

[obobskivich]

afaik there are no dedicated amps with HDMI inputs, I've only seen it on pre's and receivers (although before today, I didn't know Simpli-Fi existed, or that you could get a 5 channel USB amp for HT, so that shows what I know, lol)

but yes, you'll need HDMI for TrueHD/Master Audio (S/PDIF doesn't have enough bandwidth, even if HDCP weren't a problem (this statement only applies to HTPCs in general, not all audio equipment))

If you're going to do a new receiver and all that, the budget needs to be able to handle it
I'd suggest looking at Yamaha or Harman/Kardon (personally I like Yamaha, but I've never disliked H/K products that I've used in the past, the same is true for Sony (and I still use some older Sony components in my system, no issues, although I've never used a Sony receiver/amp))

honestly I'm not sure where to suggest you to receivers, because I'm not sure whats comparable SQ/power to your current setup, nor what speakers, etc that you have

not to mention that just having HDMI doesn't denote DTS Master Audio/Dolby TrueHD capability (most receivers that can do this are around a grand or more)

[Tez]

Any HDMI receiver or amp suggestions? Any other options?

I am very tempted by this:

Onkyo Europe - TX-SR606

Has got great reviews everywhere I have looked. Check it out, its £400 so not sure if your budget can stretch this far, mine certainly can't atm lol.