[Critical50]

Ive never heard of anyone using them with PCs, I only see suggestions for soundcards. I have a spare room Im converting into a little theater/video game room. Right now I have a Creative soundcard, but AV reciever seems like a better choice.

 

[Durza]

It probably depends what you want to use the receiver for. I have my desktop hooked up to my Yamaha stereo receiver, and the number of inputs is nice for if i want to play my pc audio through it, or my phone, or cassette, or cd player, or simply the built in radio. I don't really understand your wording though. An av receiver is totally different than a soundcard. Normally a soundcard replaces your built in motherboard sound, an av receiver normally is used to power speakers, they aren't really the same thing.

 

[Critical50]

Oh.
For some reason I thought a reciever is an alternative or better option to having a soundcard.

If I want to setup a surround sound system, would I need one?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ive never heard of anyone using them with PCs, I only see suggestions for soundcards. I have a spare room Im converting into a little theater/video game room. Right now I have a Creative soundcard, but AV reciever seems like a better choice.

 

Because that isn't a straight issue of PC with receiver. First off, most PC gamers don't just game on their desktops, they also work on them - that means blowing up Office with Lightroom or some rendering program on a single 42in display isn't exactly as good as multiple monitors, or heck even just one. Second, using a huge TV can limit the performance on a computer in many ways. Off the top of my head, refresh rates aren't as fast as monitors, and that split second you're aiming at something might not be where you think it will be (ie he's already there, if you're leading the target), which in most situations wouldn't really matter but to those in competitive scenarios, this can be important. Second, given you have to sit farther away, chances are you'll need wireless peripherals. Some have latency issues, which if you're up against a computer isn't a problem, but can be in competitive scenarios. Even then, while it's easy enough to find serious wireless gaming mice with the necessary ergonomics (and buttons), it's not the same for keyboards. And then, if you're worried about all this for playing against other humans, you still have to set-up the sound so that sound outputs via HDMI on the GPU - which in some cases does not have all the features, like compatibility with all surround sound formats (or they work with games since they use basic formats and mp3, but might not with some BluRay discs' audio tracks) - while you need to run some kind of input for the mic, which will either involve long cables or some expensive wireless solution (which in most cases would have included an entire headset).

 

[Critical50]

Uh..I was asking about AV recievers..

I do plan on putting a widescreen in there but most of the time if Im using that screen its for movies, shows, etc.
Hardly ever for gaming.

My monitor will be used for gaming, mostly.

I have studio headphones anyways, that have a cable longer than I care for. And a mic that has a cable that extends at least 4 feet...

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Uh..I was asking about AV recievers..

 

I'm not sure what part of what I posted didn't apply to A/V receivers considering I basically discussed HDMI 1.3 there.

 

I do plan on putting a widescreen in there but most of the time if Im using that screen its for movies, shows, etc.
Hardly ever for gaming.

My monitor will be used for gaming, mostly.

 

In that case just make sure to get a graphics card that won't have any limitations on surround sound through its HDMI1.3 port. Alternately however honestly there's really no point in using the computer for this application - for starters how will you control the interface to play the content? Wireless peripherals or you walk over to the computer. 

 

There's an easier way and they're called Network Receivers - the receiver has its own LAN port, you hook that up to your router (some have a wireless dongle option), download the remote app to your smartphone or tablet and then keep the computer or better yet an NAS running. You can browse the content on a tablet or smartphone like a typical player app on those devices. If you use an NAS then you also won't be running a computer, which depending on your components and if it's in the same room might have a cooling system that can add to the noise floor. The only downside to this set up is you would totally not be gaming on the HDTV with the PC, but you'd "hardly ever" be doing that anyway.

 

 

 
 

 

[Critical50]

If Im watching a show, or movie, I dont mind getting up every once in a while to pause/play, etc. Not that lazy.

If Im using my monitor I have a desk and office chair. When using my widescreen, I will have a couch directly behind my desk. The TV will be right above my desk.

I currently have a GTX 970..I dont think that it would have such a limitation.

What I see where my GPU is:
Two ports for a monitor. I dont know what these are called..
I see a port for an HDMI cable, for a TV.

Then a second port next to it, shaped like the HDMI port.Except only one side is shaped like it, the other side of the shape is just straight down.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I currently have a GTX 970..I dont think that it would have such a limitation.

 
At the very least the set-up isn't plug n' play - lots of threads like this everywhere.
http://forums.evga.com/GTX-970-and-HDMI-audio-m2343397.aspx 
 
 


Quote:

What I see where my GPU is:
Two ports for a monitor. I dont know what these are called..

 
Display Port
 
Quote:

Then a second port next to it, shaped like the HDMI port.Except only one side is shaped like it, the other side of the shape is just straight down.

 
Micro-HDMI
 

 
 

 

[Durza]

I am not an expert on surround sound systems, so i can't really help you much there, but there certainly is a difference between a normal stereo receiver and a surround one, the surround one will have many more outputs to speakers like front left, back left, front right, back right, while a normal stereo receiver only will have a left and right channel. Also the inputs will work differently, on a normal stereo you just have left and right inputs(essentially what comes from red and white rca, or a 3.5mm headphone jack). A surround sound stereo will be pretty different, many times using hdmi inputs rather than traditional rca, your gpu can probably output surround sound to the surround sound stereo no problem, but your sound card may not be able to. Like I said, I'm definitely not an expert but I hope this helps a bit. 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durza /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I am not an expert on surround sound systems, so i can't really help you much there, but there certainly is a difference between a normal stereo receiver and a surround one, the surround one will have many more outputs to speakers like front left, back left, front right, back right, while a normal stereo receiver only will have a left and right channel. Also the inputs will work differently, on a normal stereo you just have left and right inputs(essentially what comes from red and white rca, or a 3.5mm headphone jack). A surround sound stereo will be pretty different, many times using hdmi inputs rather than traditional rca, your gpu can probably output surround sound to the surround sound stereo no problem, but your sound card may not be able to. Like I said, I'm definitely not an expert but I hope this helps a bit. 

 

Actually any sound card with an analogue 5.1 output will more likely be able to output surround sound via optical if it has such an output. GPUs and HDMI are a little different - the first ones that came out didn't even have HDMI1.3 (which carries audio and at the time was already standard in disc players), later ones didn't work properly with surround, and now we still get hiccups like if you Alt+Tab out of the game you're playing, you have to just go and restart the game to get the sound back. In nearly all cases it really has to do with the software than the drivers, as long as the HDMI is v1.3 and up.

 

[Durza]

 

 

Actually any sound card with an analogue 5.1 output will more likely be able to output surround sound via optical if it has such an output. GPUs and HDMI are a little different - the first ones that came out didn't even have HDMI1.3 (which carries audio and at the time was already standard in disc players), later ones didn't work properly with surround, and now we still get hiccups like if you Alt+Tab out of the game you're playing, you have to just go and restart the game to get the sound back. In nearly all cases it really has to do with the software than the drivers, as long as the HDMI is v1.3 and up.

That is why i said i'm not an expert. I know that some soundcards can output surround sound, but not every soundcard can, Critical50 didn't specify his soundcard, or at least I didn't see it, so i didn't want to assume that it had that capability and be misleading so i said it may not be able to. While on the other hand, I do know he has a gtx 970 and it is certainly capable of outputting surround. I just wanted to point out that he has what he needs to output surround.