Computer guys - video card with HDMI - will it put out surround sound?

scottmandue · 06-21-2018, 02:04 PM

Another cutting the cord thread... I will make it short.
My current home theater setup has a BluRay and a satellite receiver connected to my home theater amplifier with HDMI.
With only that I get full surround sound from just the HDMI connections.
If I go to high speed internet into computer with video card w/HDMI out put will I get 5.1 (or 7.1 or 16.6 or whatever they are up to by now) surround signal coming out of the video card?

Thanks for your support.

arcsine · 06-21-2018, 02:30 PM

In my setup, the HDMI out from my computer gives me 5-channel Dolby surround to my AV receiver.

scottmandue · 06-21-2018, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcsine

In my setup, the HDMI out from my computer gives me 5-channel Dolby surround to my AV receiver.

What video card are you using?

bleucamaro · 06-21-2018, 02:44 PM

Some of the higher end nVidia cards will.
Which HDMI audio formats do NVIDIA GPUs support? | NVIDIA

I've cut the cord, and I prefer to just use my XBox One. Has Netflix built in with a good interface. Plex is available, as is Kodi (I've heard). I also run an Amazon firestick with Kodi and some add-ins. Firestick has a cool Android App that lets you use the phone as a remote which is handy to use the keyboard vs. arrows & clicks when searching.

Are you looking to use the PC as a media server? Stream from the web?

John Rogers · 06-21-2018, 04:38 PM

Go to a computer parts store and buy the "gaming video card" with the most memory and it should also say it is good for streaming TV and attached sound. I have the latest NVidia card and it has more RAM than all my previous computes together!

At Fry's they lock the best ones in a cage!

Gogar · 06-21-2018, 05:03 PM

I know I’m getting off track, but.... are you watching movies or
TV or playing games or what with the computer?

A HDMI roku stick is <$50 and pretty damn easy and sends 5.1

flipper35 · flipper35's Garage

Our HTPC outputs up to 7.1d 1080P (and has a bluray drive on it) though HDMI and it is just an older AMD with the APU/GPU build in graphics. Kids play games on it as well. The only issue we have is it reverts to 2.1 if we use the pass-through on the receiver to output sound on the TV and we have to manually set it back to 5.1 when we use the receiver again.

My work laptop will also do 5.1 with the Intel graphics through HDMI.

The question is, what do you want to do with the unit? Just streaming video?

RKDinOKC · RKDinOKC's Garage

My Main TV has sound output set to my receiver. used to have a bunch of different sources, now just use my AppleTV. Have a couple of services, kodi, and can airplay my computer or phone. It plays surround if the source material is surround. Some older movies or bootlegs just don't have it.

scottmandue · 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar

I know I’m getting off track, but.... are you watching movies or
TV or playing games or what with the computer?

A HDMI roku stick is <$50 and pretty damn easy and sends 5.1

Funny you should say that, was looking at Amazon:
ROKU Ultra = $80 HD/HDR/4K & 5.1

Gaming video card = +/- $200

We do no gaming, I presume ROKU has a webrowser so wifey can surf the internet for cute kitten videos (and check out email)? For starters we will just use Netflix and Amazon (already have accounts) so mostly video and some webrowsing.

flipper35 · flipper35's Garage

If the Roku doesn't work for your needs a cheap laptop will, or a Nuk or anything similar. Get a HTPC keyboard from Logitech for $40 and you are set.

John Rogers · 06-22-2018, 03:46 PM

I think many missed my point about the video system......It is the CPU power on the video card, RAM on the card, the bundled software with it and finally the speed of the internet connection that will determine how well the end result is displayed. The software has to be able to work with a big flat screen, 4K display and such.

At the little college I am teaching at they use a two year old laptop connected by HDMI to a 60 inch flat screen for classes. The video system on that poor little laptop can't push the display to the full screen no matter what. I hooked up one of my students brand new Dell with an I7 CPU and top end video card with 6GB of video RAM and we got full screen and surround sound that was great!

Gogar · 06-23-2018, 06:13 AM

Well that’s sort of my point as well; why set up a fresh computer tower with a hot video card so you can stream 4K video when you can spend $50 on a box that fits in the palm of your hand that will do the same thing? Maybe if you’re a really intense video game player I guess.

JD159 · 06-23-2018, 06:41 AM

You would probably be fine with something like a 1050 or 1050ti. Don't need much memory for your purposes.

scottmandue · 06-23-2018, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Rogers

I think many missed my point about the video system......It is the CPU power on the video card, RAM on the card, the bundled software with it and finally the speed of the internet connection that will determine how well the end result is displayed. The software has to be able to work with a big flat screen, 4K display and such.

I get it, we are all wrench heads and computer geeks and want more horsepower but...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar

Well that’s sort of my point as well; why set up a fresh computer tower with a hot video card so you can stream 4K video when you can spend $50 on a box that fits in the palm of your hand that will do the same thing? Maybe if you’re a really intense video game player I guess.

This will just be for watching Netflix/Amazon etc. and I'm a tech at work and don't want to build something and load software blah, blah, blah, like I do 8 to 5 five days a week. Just want a plug and play box, ROKU ($80) + 10Mbps internet @ $60 a month fills the bill perfectly.

arcsine · 06-26-2018, 09:57 AM

Sorry for not including the obvious but I honestly do not know. I am using a Gigabyte Brix and they are not forthcoming on what the video card is. Sorry.

John Rogers · 06-26-2018, 10:27 AM

With the Gigabyte Brix I looked at their website and it appears the video system is built into their main board. That happens with a lot of small footprint computers. If you have a mouse hooked up, right click the mouse button while the cursor is anywhere on the screen and check what the popup little window has, usually it will say 'personalize" and if you click that it should show some details. Good luck

gtc · gtc's Garage

I set up a friend with a Roku stick a few years ago. I think it is actually pretty great. It works with pretty much any streaming service including youtube.
The only thing that is a bother is typing, as the remote is basically just a d-pad and a couple of buttons.... but I think there is a phone/tablet app that will give you a keyboard.

flipper35 · flipper35's Garage

Well he didn't say 4k and just about anything on the market will do 1080p and full surround.

Brix has many configurations available including discreet GPUs. In the device manager it would tell him which GPU he has. Not that it matters for him since it does what he wants it to.

The AMD APU from a couple generations ago can do some decent gaming and the Intel stuff on the higher integrated will do streaming video very well.

For the OP, it looks like a Roku will do nicely.