Bitstream over HDMI for HTPC

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Raife1

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Joined
Dec 31, 2012
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27
Good morning all

So I am looking to upgrade my HTPC to be able to get an audio bitstream through HDMI to my receiver. My current video is passed through a DVI to HDMI cable and the audio is passed through optical. The HTPC runs/performs the following:

- Windows 7 Professional
- Windows Media Center
- Live TV over antenna – uncompressed 1080P
- DVR (up to 2 simultaneous uncompressed 1080P recordings while also streaming from net or my server)
- Stream from my server (WHS11) in the basement
- Stream from Netflix
- Stream from Amazon Prime

Current hardware to be reused:
- SSD
- 8GB of RAM
- Powersupply
- Case
- Tuner card

I anticipate reusing most of my current hardware so am really only concerned about the motherboard and CPU. I have a mid-tower case so motherboard size in not a concern. A couple questions:

1) Should I use integrated graphics or reuse my two 9800GTX cards in SLI?
2) If I go integrated graphics, based on the tasks above, should I go AMD or Intel?
a. Recommendations for each?
3) If I reuse the two 9800GTX in SLI, I will likely go intel – how powerful a CPU do I need
4) I have not been able to get any definitive answers on how to ensure a motherboard will pass a bitstream over HDMI. Will every motherboard with an HDMI port pass a bitstream?
5) Any particular suggestions of motherboards (again I have a mid-tower case) for:
a. Intel 1150 (for Intel integrated graphics)
b. AMD FM2/FM2+ (for AMD integrated graphics)
c. Intel without integrated graphics

Budget is under $250

Any information is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
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Just FYI, Amazon & Netflix PC streams are compromised streams. Because all PC users are evil hackers. They may be 16x9 but they are SD quality. I don't know about the audio streams.
 
What is your current PC? Bitstreaming is extremely simple, you just need audio output over HDMI which is standard with any modern graphics card, even cheap ones. Hell, my 2008 nvidia Ion chipset box can do bitstreaming. Tbh there's no real audio difference between PCM, the only advantage you get with bitstreaming is that the audio decoding is done on the receiver and it tells you what the audio type is.

What is your setup for the Live TV over antenna, are you using a HDhomerun tuner or something similar? I'm unsure about netflix, but I know from experience that Amazon prime does not stream audio in a format that would reach the receiver encoded at all, atleast not in windows. You CAN bitstream from a Fire TV stick though. Amazon prime audio comes across as stereo in a browser.
 
I do not have HDMI on my current rig, I have dual link DVI (graphics cards) and optical (motherboard).

While I understand that Netflix and Amazon may be compromised (i.e. compressed) I do know they stream in HD and have multi-channel streams.

For my live TV, I have an antenna in the attic pulling OTA which is run into my HTPC through a hauppauge TV tunder card.

I do get multi-channel on recorded TV through WMC, but not Netlfix or Amazon
 
Raife1 said:
I do not have HDMI on my current rig, I have dual link DVI (graphics cards) and optical (motherboard).

While I understand that Netflix and Amazon may be compromised (i.e. compressed) I do know they stream in HD and have multi-channel streams.

For my live TV, I have an antenna in the attic pulling OTA which is run into my HTPC through a hauppauge TV tunder card.

I do get multi-channel on recorded TV through WMC, but not Netlfix or Amazon
Click to expand...

I'm asking what your current computer is because it could be as simple as getting a cheap graphics card and throwing it in your current computer in place of the one that only has DVI out.

I've yet to see a single multi-channel amazon stream actually work, though I've read that there are some out there. Either way, I've never heard of anyone streaming video from amazon in a browser and bitstreaming the audio intact. See here: https://www.avforums.com/threads/amazon-instant-bitstream-audio.1919821/. I actually bought a fire TV stick specifically so I could get a better audio format. They were only $20 back when they came out.

Edit: It looks like you started a forum thread over there as well.
 
so my current hardware is:

EVGA 132-CK-NF79
2.67 Ghz Intel Core2 Quad
Samsung SSD 840 Evo
2 sticks of OCZ3N1800SR4GK(I thought it was 8)
DVD drive SH-S203B
Two Geforce 9800GTX in SLI
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
Coolermaster RS-850-EMBA Powersupply

In terms of Amazon Prime, I may be able to do it through my new Smart TV (I can't believe I may actually use a smart function of my TV)
 
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I just parted out my HTPC but I was bitstreaming with Intel integrated graphics on a Z77 intel system with zero problems. Have you checked out Assassin HTPC? Google that, that guy has the best info ever for HTPCs both hardware and software. I would have never been able to put together an HTPC and get the software working right without his guides.

You can talk to him directly on the AVS Forum as well.
 
jpm100 said:
Just FYI, Amazon & Netflix PC streams are compromised streams. Because all PC users are evil hackers. They may be 16x9 but they are SD quality. I don't know about the audio streams.
Click to expand...

Not exactly, the Netflix win 8.1 app will run Super HD and I have seen mention that it will do 5.1 but only out via HDMI. (which annoys me to no end given i've got a 5.1 speaker setup...)
 
Raife1 said:
so my current hardware is:

EVGA 132-CK-NF79
2.67 Ghz Intel Core2 Quad
Samsung SSD 840 Evo
2 sticks of OCZ3N1800SR4GK(I thought it was 8)
DVD drive SH-S203B
Two Geforce 9800GTX in SLI
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
Coolermaster RS-850-EMBA Powersupply

In terms of Amazon Prime, I may be able to do it through my new Smart TV (I can't believe I may actually use a smart function of my TV)
Click to expand...

Your gfx cards can already pass audio from their DVI ports.
My GTX580 could do it, my current AMD card (290x) can do it.
Its not part of the DVI spec but the ability to do it has been in use since around/after 8800GT days, both AMD and NVidia implement it.

However, if you are using surround displays, you may have trouble getting audio over HDMI or DVI to your amp.
 
I tried multiple ways to get the audio over the DVI to HDMI connection and had no luck.

what do you mean surround displays?

Thanks.
 
Raife1 said:
so my current hardware is:

EVGA 132-CK-NF79
2.67 Ghz Intel Core2 Quad
Samsung SSD 840 Evo
2 sticks of OCZ3N1800SR4GK(I thought it was 8)
DVD drive SH-S203B
Two Geforce 9800GTX in SLI
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
Coolermaster RS-850-EMBA Powersupply

In terms of Amazon Prime, I may be able to do it through my new Smart TV (I can't believe I may actually use a smart function of my TV)
Click to expand...

This is probably a good time to ask what you're bitstreaming to. What is the AVR? To do a bitstream from the TV back to the AVR usually requires a relatively new AVR and TV. My TV I bought just last year does it through HDMI control (CEC), though it's branded as "aquous link."

You may very well just need to buy a cheap general graphics card and be set. Those 9800GTXs are getting pretty long in the tooth. As for what the other user stated, some cards do employ audio over DVI, you just need a cable that goes from DVI to HDMI and to ensure that the option is turned on, as it's generally off by default (if it's available).
 
Netflix usually uses Dolby Digital Plus to do surround over HDMI. It's functional. Not amazing, but functional. Obviously some streams are better than others.
In terms of the visuals, it will most definitely do 1080i/p and even 4K. It won't be the same quality as a Blu-Ray, but it's most definitely a big jump over SD quality.
 
Raife1 said:
I tried multiple ways to get the audio over the DVI to HDMI connection and had no luck.

what do you mean surround displays?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It might be the DVI to HDMI cable/adapter you are using is very old or the wrong version.

Years ago, people used to buy an HDMI cable that allowed you to route soundcard SPDIF signals onto the HDMI out.
Then gfx card manufacturers started routing the HDMI audio onto unused DVI pins on Dual Link DVI ports.
This works because HDMI only needs Single Link DVI, leaving a lot of spare pins on a Dual Link port.

But it needs a DVI to HDMI lead/adapter that takes the HDMI sound from those pins and puts them onto the HDMI stream.
Modern cables should do this, but its feasible that some dont because its not part of the DVI spec.
I've bought cheap leads and adapters and they all work.


Re surround displays:
You can game on multiple displays in video surround but when using surround, you cannot twin one of the display outputs to feed your AV amp with sound.
So you cannot feed DVI or HDMI to your amp when using surround displays.
Its one of the bug bears of surround.
 
So if I went the new graphics card route instead of the CPU/IGPU motherboard route, what do people recommend?
 
If your current gfx cards dont work you need to find why. They should work ok.
Otherwise you could have the same problem with new hardware.

Can you explain the tests you have done and what with?
 
The cable I have is an Amazon Basics DVI to HDMI cable. In the Nvidia control panel it shows the Onkyo receiver as an audio device under DVI1. It then directs me to the MS Windows Sound Control Panel and HDMI is listed, but when I hit test, no sound, when I go to configure it only lists Stereo as the option.
 
ok, I ordered another cable. It specifically says digital audio in the description, so we will see.

As an FYI, I went back through the Amazon Basics DVI-HDMI description and it says it won't pass audio and to buy a separate audio cable.

Thanks for the help.
 
So I tried a new cable and still couldn't get it to work...

I think I am onto new MB and CPU with integrated graphics...

I am thinking of Intel Core i3-4330 Dual Core Processor 3.5 2 NA (BX80646I34330)

As I look at new motherboard, I am thinking of an H97 board with HDMI under $100..

Does it matter what audio chip I have on the board?

Any good suggestions?

Thanks everyone for the help.
 
the bitstreaming comes from the intel integrated display driver. shouldn't matter which audio chip as far as I know
 
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