HDMI

Dymetrie · 07-08-2007, 23:12

So a few months ago my brother came round my house and saw the ickle mediabox thingummy whatsit that me and Paul built and plugged into our TV. My brother being my brother liked what he saw and concocted plans to steal our technological expertise...

Now, thanks to Morba and MB, next week I should be getting a lovely little shuttle system to turn into a fully functioning media centre for my brother. And this is where it gets complicated.

He's got a lovely Samsung LCD TV with both VGA and HDMI input. I can run the mediabox with purely HDMI but the speakers on the TV aren't great and so he's looking (at my insistence that 5.1 is great) on getting a decent surround system. The problem comes from the sound input.

I've looked at HDMI cables and can get one which runs DVI->HDMI (I has the converter for the GFX card if needed) but where does this leave the sound?

Ideally he wants the sound from everything running through one set of speakers. He has audio output on his TV and obviously there's audio output from the mediabox. But how to get the 2 outputs to work together?

HDMI states that it is A/V, but without an input to the PC sound card then where does it get the audio from?

This leads me to the question: "How do I organise sound from both TV and mediabox without having to get up to change connections and getting decent sound?"

Can I get the HDMI running the sound from the PC into the TV and then out into the speakers?

Can I run the sound from the TV into the PC and then out to the speakers?

Do I just get even more cables and splice the two together?

Suggestions on a postcard to "WTF is Dym on about, Freepost 007, confusedville".

Mark · 07-08-2007, 23:20

At this point, the model number of the Samsung TV (to figure out what inputs it has) would be very helpful.

If you want the 'keep it simple stupid' HDMI-to-HDMI option, then that's possible, but you'll need to acquire an ATI Radeon HD series graphics card (I don't know if nVidia have an equivalent). These have on-board sound.

Robert · 08-08-2007, 09:46

Connect phono leads from t he telly to the PC?

Feek · 09-08-2007, 21:28

Ahhhhhh, this seems to be now the sort of thing I could be looking at, but I'd need a cable with HDMI at one end and DVI/digital audio in from the other to take video/audio from a PC with two separate outputs.

Mark · 09-08-2007, 21:35

I did try looking for such an implement when the idea was originally suggested, but came up empty. Whether that's absence of Google-fu or mission:impossible, I don't know.

Zirax · 09-08-2007, 21:45

Feek, something like this?
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/88440/rb/0

Dym, you mentioned that he is considering a 5.1 system. Is it not possible to get an "all in one" for 100-200 system that includes an amp? Its likey to support optical and analogue inputs thereby meaning all you need to do is change the input on the amp?

Mark · 09-08-2007, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zirax

Feek, something like this?
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/88440/rb/0

That's the standard cable - no audio there I'm afraid.

Dymetrie · 09-08-2007, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zirax

Feek, something like this?
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/88440/rb/0

Dym, you mentioned that he is considering a 5.1 system. Is it not possible to get an "all in one" for 100-200 system that includes an amp? Its likey to support optical and analogue inputs thereby meaning all you need to do is change the input on the amp?

That's just a video cable Zee :/

As for the rest of your post... *woosh* well over my head

Feek · 09-08-2007, 21:48

That does video, but doesn't get me audio in the same input and it's audio inputs I'm lacking in - I'd much rather pump it all up a single HDMI if I can.

Zirax · 09-08-2007, 22:22

Ok a pic says a 1000 words or so they say

Right, look at surround sound amp speaker systems from the likes of Comet etc. It'll come with loads of connectors on the pic, crucially optical in/out and analogue. Here is my setup in my office to show you what I mean

The right hand side has 5.1 analogue inputs from the surround and the left has optical inputs / outputs. This way he'll have great sound and all the connectivity he could need.

There are much better kits then this one, but to give you an idea of what I am talking about, have a quick look here

http://www.richersounds.co.uk/showpr...ANA-SCHT330-MR

07-08-2007, 23:12	#1
Dymetrie A large glass of Merlot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Letchworth with a Lightsaber Posts: 5,819	HDMI So a few months ago my brother came round my house and saw the ickle mediabox thingummy whatsit that me and Paul built and plugged into our TV. My brother being my brother liked what he saw and concocted plans to steal our technological expertise... Now, thanks to Morba and MB, next week I should be getting a lovely little shuttle system to turn into a fully functioning media centre for my brother. And this is where it gets complicated. He's got a lovely Samsung LCD TV with both VGA and HDMI input. I can run the mediabox with purely HDMI but the speakers on the TV aren't great and so he's looking (at my insistence that 5.1 is great) on getting a decent surround system. The problem comes from the sound input. I've looked at HDMI cables and can get one which runs DVI->HDMI (I has the converter for the GFX card if needed) but where does this leave the sound? Ideally he wants the sound from everything running through one set of speakers. He has audio output on his TV and obviously there's audio output from the mediabox. But how to get the 2 outputs to work together? HDMI states that it is A/V, but without an input to the PC sound card then where does it get the audio from? This leads me to the question: "How do I organise sound from both TV and mediabox without having to get up to change connections and getting decent sound?" Can I get the HDMI running the sound from the PC into the TV and then out into the speakers? Can I run the sound from the TV into the PC and then out to the speakers? Do I just get even more cables and splice the two together? Suggestions on a postcard to "WTF is Dym on about, Freepost 007, confusedville". __________________ Khef, Ka and Ka-Tet....

07-08-2007, 23:20	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	At this point, the model number of the Samsung TV (to figure out what inputs it has) would be very helpful. If you want the 'keep it simple stupid' HDMI-to-HDMI option, then that's possible, but you'll need to acquire an ATI Radeon HD series graphics card (I don't know if nVidia have an equivalent). These have on-board sound. Last edited by Mark; 07-08-2007 at 23:24.

09-08-2007, 21:28	#4
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	Ahhhhhh, this seems to be now the sort of thing I could be looking at, but I'd need a cable with HDMI at one end and DVI/digital audio in from the other to take video/audio from a PC with two separate outputs. __________________

09-08-2007, 21:48	#9
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	That does video, but doesn't get me audio in the same input and it's audio inputs I'm lacking in - I'd much rather pump it all up a single HDMI if I can. __________________

09-08-2007, 22:22	#10
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Ok a pic says a 1000 words or so they say Right, look at surround sound amp speaker systems from the likes of Comet etc. It'll come with loads of connectors on the pic, crucially optical in/out and analogue. Here is my setup in my office to show you what I mean The right hand side has 5.1 analogue inputs from the surround and the left has optical inputs / outputs. This way he'll have great sound and all the connectivity he could need. There are much better kits then this one, but to give you an idea of what I am talking about, have a quick look here http://www.richersounds.co.uk/showpr...ANA-SCHT330-MR Last edited by Zirax; 09-08-2007 at 22:29.

08-08-2007, 09:46	#3
Robert Chump!!! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: North West Posts: 993	Connect phono leads from t he telly to the PC?

09-08-2007, 21:35	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I did try looking for such an implement when the idea was originally suggested, but came up empty. Whether that's absence of Google-fu or mission:impossible, I don't know.

09-08-2007, 21:45	#6
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Feek, something like this? http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/88440/rb/0 Dym, you mentioned that he is considering a 5.1 system. Is it not possible to get an "all in one" for 100-200 system that includes an amp? Its likey to support optical and analogue inputs thereby meaning all you need to do is change the input on the amp?