A Few Thoughts on HTPC

venkatcr

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1. If I am routing my HTPC output to a high end AVR, will a simple graphics card for the HTPC not do? After all, the AVR should be able to do the scaling, will it not? What is the advantage of having an high end graphics card? By a simple card I meant one that can transmit 1080p, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Audio.

2. Will an nVidia card work well with an AMD based motherboard? Or, will there be 'conflict of interests'? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks

Cheers
 
1. If I am routing my HTPC output to a high end AVR, will a simple graphics card for the HTPC not do? After all, the AVR should be able to do the scaling, will it not? What is the advantage of having an high end graphics card? By a simple card I meant one that can transmit 1080p, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Audio.

2. Will an nVidia card work well with an AMD based motherboard? Or, will there be 'conflict of interests'? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks

Cheers

1. I think yes a simple graphics card which can bitstreams raw output for HD audio should be fine. I use a GT440 and it works fine without any issues since more than 3 to 4 years.
2. Yes I use the Nvidia GT440 with a AMD motherboard and does not have any issues.
 
Yes to both questions as manniraj suggested. Get GT630 which is equivalent to GT440 (not coming anymore)

High end GPU ..... 15K+ is only needed for high end gaming ....
 
GPU with min 1GB Ram and DTSMA 7.1 out support would do the job easily provided power-supply and system requirement matches.
 
Thanks guys. If I were the CEO of AMD, I would be insulted that someone is installing a nVidia GPU on an AMD MB!! But that is what competition does to you.

Cheers
 
I don't know if this makes any sense in your situation but there's a strange predicament for me when I use my MacBook Pro with Windows 10, madVR in MPCHC with NVidia GeForce GT 650M. Through the AVR the picture somehow is not good at all. In fact its faded and awful. The moment I change over to the Mac side of things the visual quality improves drastically. While if I use Windows 10 and the combination mentioned earlier, connected directly to the TV via HDMI, the visual quality is very good (this is how I used to use it before I got my AVR anyway. Obviously, the AVR is not processing too well in this case. Why? Search me. Maybe someone here can tell.
 
I had a PC with AMD Athlon processor + Zotaz Nvidia GT610 2GB DDR3 graphics card.. It was able to bit-stream DTS HDMA and Dolby True HD without any issues.. I didn't face any issues...

I selected the basic card and let the AVR with HQV Vida 1080p video processor do the up-scaling..
 
I don't know if this makes any sense in your situation but there's a strange predicament for me when I use my MacBook Pro with Windows 10, madVR in MPCHC with NVidia GeForce GT 650M. Through the AVR the picture somehow is not good at all. In fact its faded and awful. The moment I change over to the Mac side of things the visual quality improves drastically. While if I use Windows 10 and the combination mentioned earlier, connected directly to the TV via HDMI, the visual quality is very good (this is how I used to use it before I got my AVR anyway. Obviously, the AVR is not processing too well in this case. Why? Search me. Maybe someone here can tell.

Could be a compatibility issue. Maybe the AVR was getting wrong instructions with the incoming data. Maybe the AVR was not set properly. When you send data for upscaling down the line, it is best to send data in raw format from the source. I am not even sure if AVRs understand what madVR does, if at all anything. What I do is to set all scaling and acceleration in the GPU off, and let the AVR do it's job. Alternatively if the AVR does not have a good scaler, set is to pass video through.

What you could do is to set the upscaling in the AVR off and see what happens. Then set the upscaling in the source off (and the AVR on) and see what happens.

Had to tell what is happening unless you spend time and tick off issues and possibilities one by one.

Cheers

AMD has retired the entire series of 5xxx, 6xxx, and 7xxx GPU. The ones before 5xxx has gone to the stone age. They only active ones are those that have the GCN architecture.

Not sure what this means, but all the 5-7 series GPUs now bite the dust. No support, no driver enhancements, nothing. Effectively, AMD has reduced the life of a GPU to between 2-3 years.

Wonder if they are succumbing to competition from nVidia.

Cheers

so through HDMI there is no issue,suppose i dont have a AVR then i need a audio card to do the job for transmitting all the audio formats then which audio card is best???

You want to transmit the sound to what and to do what?

If you don't have an AVR, or a multichannel pre-processor, all you would need is a two channel sound to (I am assuming) an amplifier.

If you want to amplify and play two channel sound, the GPU is completely irrelevant. What you need is a good 2 channel sound card.

If you clarify, we can give you more help.

Cheers
 
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GPU with min 1GB Ram and DTSMA 7.1 out support would do the job easily provided power-supply and system requirement matches.

I have AMD Radeon HD 6670 Graphics,1GB DDR5,supports
Output protected high bit rate 7.1 channel surround sound over HDMI,
Supports AC-3, AAC, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio formats.

so through HDMI there is no issue,suppose i dont have a AVR then i need a audio card to do the job for transmitting all the audio formats then which audio card is best???

Creative sound blaster has support to maximum 5.1 ch (24bit S/R 124db,
i need 7.1 ch with PCIe Connection non usb card

how about this and what price

https://www.asus.com/Essence-Hi-Fi-Audio/Essence_STX_II/

can anyone help???

thanks
rajesh
 
1. If I am routing my HTPC output to a high end AVR, will a simple graphics card for the HTPC not do? After all, the AVR should be able to do the scaling, will it not? What is the advantage of having an high end graphics card? By a simple card I meant one that can transmit 1080p, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Audio.

2. Will an nVidia card work well with an AMD based motherboard? Or, will there be 'conflict of interests'? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks

Cheers

If this is your need, then wouldnt a mob that has HDMI output and can bitstream audio be enough. Would you even need the GPU? I suppose 3D is the only time it will get stressed out, otherwise it should be fine.
 
so through HDMI there is no issue,suppose i dont have a AVR then i need a audio card to do the job for transmitting all the audio formats then which audio card is best???

I have xonar D2X.I have tried its 5.1 analog out with marantz AVR. But I preferred sound of HDMI out to same marantz AVR. With soundcard soundstage was not as bigger as marantz in the same setup. I believe Soundcard may be a option for smaller room with active 5.1 speakers.

Now also all cards are not PAP compliant.So this is the posible solution-
http://www.hifivision.com/home-thea...ng-lossless-hd-audio-5-1analoge-out-htpc.html
 
If this is your need, then wouldnt a mob that has HDMI output and can bitstream audio be enough. Would you even need the GPU? I suppose 3D is the only time it will get stressed out, otherwise it should be fine.

My MOBO has AMD 4290 that does NOT bitstream. That is the issue. I will try to see if I can sidestep that, but that may not be possible.

Cheers
 
venkat your mailbox is full. I was trying to reply to your PM but it aint going through. Care to release some space ..???? :)
 
venkat your mailbox is full. I was trying to reply to your PM but it aint going through. Care to release some space ..???? :)

Sam, I can only do it in the night. I dont have connection to the Net through my personal laptop. Will clear my inbox by 11ish.

My apologies.

Thanks
 
1. If I am routing my HTPC output to a high end AVR, will a simple graphics card for the HTPC not do? After all, the AVR should be able to do the scaling, will it not? What is the advantage of having an high end graphics card? By a simple card I meant one that can transmit 1080p, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Audio.

2. Will an nVidia card work well with an AMD based motherboard? Or, will there be 'conflict of interests'? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks

Cheers

The simplest card which can meet the requirement including bitstreaming Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Audio is GT610 for 2.9 k.

Everything else shall be taken care by the AVR.

You can also alternatively directly connect the GPUs HDMI output to the TV if your TV has ARC and enabled it to transmit to AVR.

Mine Is LGA 775 - Intel 945 Mobo
 
You want to transmit the sound to what and to do what?

If you don't have an AVR, or a multichannel pre-processor, all you would need is a two channel sound to (I am assuming) an amplifier.

If you want to amplify and play two channel sound, the GPU is completely irrelevant. What you need is a good 2 channel sound card.

If you clarify, we can give you more help.

Cheers

dear venkatcr,

I dont have an AVR so at present i enjoy my multi channel (5.1 or 7.1 ch) through mobo sound card (analog) connecting to stereo amp for each channel,video ofcourse through hdmi to the t.v.

Now if i want to get high bit rate audio the only option will be to install dedicated 7.1ch sound card which has capability to transmit high bit rate audio like Max. 192kHz/24bit., 124dB SNR, and which supports all the audio formats.

Do audio sound cards are available to the above specifications.?//

r/s
 
While writing this messenger, I am comparing sound quality of HTPC with Pioneer BDp150 bit-streaming.I have multiple software installed for HT and music(Jriver,Potplayer,MPCHC,Foobar...).But I am surprised with sound coming from pioneer Bdp is top of all.
I have HD5570 which bitstreams.Also xonar coaxial out.Sound from pioneer bdp is very good and I rate it on top of all.I even compared toshiba Bdp,which was not that great.
I tried music and DTSMA too.
Again it depends on system to system.Still I wonder how can pioneer output sound beautiful?
 
dear venkatcr,

I dont have an AVR so at present i enjoy my multi channel (5.1 or 7.1 ch) through mobo sound card (analog) connecting to stereo amp for each channel,video ofcourse through hdmi to the t.v.

Now if i want to get high bit rate audio the only option will be to install dedicated 7.1ch sound card which has capability to transmit high bit rate audio like Max. 192kHz/24bit., 124dB SNR, and which supports all the audio formats.

Do audio sound cards are available to the above specifications.?//

r/s

I am confused. When you say 'stereo amp for each channel', am I right in assuming you have one stereo amp?

If that is true, you really do not have to output 5.1 or 7.1 sound. You just need stereo output. Any good audio sound card will do.

The best today is Asus Xonar STX. Very hard to beat.

Cheers
 
I guess Rajesh meant one stereo amp per L/R pair, and a mono amp for center.
This is assuming the sound card can put 5.1/7.1 pre-out
Cheers,
Raghu

Maybe the experts can chime in on this question. Venkat, sorry for the subtle hijack of your thread.

1. Assume a powerful PC purpose built for HT/Music
2. Let's throw in a good graphics card (decode/upscale capability)
3. Lets throw in a good and flexible outputs sound card (decent multi-channel DACs)

With the above combo:
1. can we route Video via graphics card to TV and Audio via sound card to amps?
2. if yes, then does having an AVR make sense?
3. can we just have a multichannel power amp to drive speakers connected to them?
4. system will be limited in terms of sources, but with the movies/music going digital, will this work in theory (sound and video quality apart)?

Cheers,
Raghu
 
With the above combo:
1. can we route Video via graphics card to TV and Audio via sound card to amps?
2. if yes, then does having an AVR make sense?
3. can we just have a multichannel power amp to drive speakers connected to them?
4. system will be limited in terms of sources, but with the movies/music going digital, will this work in theory (sound and video quality apart)?

Cheers,
Raghu

1. Yes, but why a dedicated sound card ?
2. Commented later.
3. Yes ( provided, the multichannel decoding/sound processing is already done and the sound signals are sent to the amp only for amplification. What behemoth of speakers are you planning to drive ?

And now, where will you connect your CD player, BD player, Set up Box and what will happen if you run movies from Hard disk/ Pen drives ?

How much more cables are you ready to run ? The method you have commented is the most complicated method.

The simplest method is to get a graphics card which can bit stream. Send the video and Audio to the TV with ARC option or to AVR directly.

So one HDMI cable between from PC and to TV or AVR and another between AVR and TV.

So the answer for question 2. Depends on how you want to set up. But without AVR, you need a decoder.

Edit: You really don't need a powerful PC for Video and never if you are bit streaming.
 
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