Media Center PC and HDMI Receiver

[admin_exported]

Hi all.

I am building my own media center PC with blu-ray drive to play HD material. I am (after next months What Hi-Fi group test) getting new HDMI receiver. What I am wanting to know is, does antone know what is the best way to connect the PC to the AV receiver to get the full HD audio from a blu-ray disc? The PC will have a HD ready graphics card that will be connected to the receiver by HDMI lead but I'm not sure if that will carry the full audio. By the way at present I'm looking at the Onkyo 606 receiver, but am having difficulty getting past it's looks!! How vain am I?

Thanks

 

[Andy Clough]

marcusarnett:
By the way at present I'm looking at the Onkyo 606 receiver, but am having difficulty getting past it's looks!! How vain am I?

Thanks

Never mind the looks, hear the quality. But have to agree I'm not totally sold on that retro '70s look...

 

[Anonymous]

I have my media centre PC connected to Onkyo 605 using a DVI to HDMI converter and then straight to the receiver HDMI.

Audio is carried via the PC sound card SPDIF out to the receiver using an optical cable.

I don't know if there is a graphics card that will also carry out the audio via HDMI. I doubt there is one yet.

 

[Anonymous]

I have heard it, and your right it sounds awesome. Think I'm gonna wait to see what else you have to say in the group test next month.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply. Am I right in thinking that by connecting the sound via an optical cable you don't get the full HD sound available from a blu ray disc? I know you will still get DTS.

 

[Gary233932]

You will need a soundcard like the Auzentech X-Tension HDMI sound card (Not yet avalable). Analogue will do TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus but all software should/will down sample to 640Kbps DD 5.1, A Advanced Access Content System (AACS) and its accompanying Digital Rights Management (DRM) rule. Hope this Helps

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply. Looks exactly like what I'm after. Just hacve to wait a month or two to find out how much ovetime I need to do!!!