Monitor on DP, audio to AVR via HDMI?

[Tommyn1979]

I'm not sure whether to put this topic in audio, display or graphics cards, so I've put it here. Admins feel free to move it if you know!

I currently have my 1080p TV plugged into my msi GTX970 via a Denon AVR-x2500h AV receiver using HDMI. This gets me fantastic HD audio.

I want to change my TV to a 4K gaming monitor and use Displayport. Unfortunately this means the signal can't go via my AVR and as such I need to find another way of getting HD audio to the AVR via HDMI.

Anyone got any bright ideas of how to do this?

I am considering upgrading the graphics card to a RTX2080 if it helps.

The only idea I've had so far is to plug an HDMI cable into the second monitor output of my graphics card and set nvidia to clone displays. Obviously this results in the GPU doing more work and I believe results in refresh rate issues since both outputs have to have the same resolution (my AVR only supports 60Hz at 4K).

Anyone got a better idea?

[homeap5]

Minijack to rca cable and plug sound directly to your amplifier. I don't know why do you want to complicate this.

[TempestCatto]

Why not just use optical? There's likely a TOSlink output on your mobo.

[Tommyn1979]

Thanks for your replies guys.

TempestCatto my mobo doesn't have a TOSlink output

Homeap5 the classic minijack to rca solution doesn't get me the HD audio standards on pass-through direct to my amp and results in audio quality degredation since the pc is doing the decoding and doesn't do it as well as the AVR. I'm something of an audiophile and like getting dolby true-HD or DTS master HD etc. direct to my amp rather than decoded to individual signals by the computer.

[circeseye]

ummmm...why cant you still use hdmi to receiver for audio? 

you will just set video as duplicate displays. then set res on the denon to whatever and your good to go (just make sure the 4k is set as primary)

i have my receiver set at 1280x720 for res with 4k tv set full

[Zagna]

33 minutes ago, Tommyn1979 said:

TempestCatto my mobo doesn't have a TOSlink output

Not even a SPDIF 2-pin header?

For something like a SPDIF Optical Plate Cable Bracket?

Or it seems like the modern SPDIF header isn't for those simple adapters anymore?

[homeap5]

So buy any soundcard if you're audiophile. It may have even optical output if you think that good soundcard is not enough to convert digital to analog proper. But believe me - I have soundcard with good rca output without distortions that you may notice using integrated sound chip. And before you start arguing about digital quality vs analog wired from soundcard to your amplifier - as you know, your sound is always analog. Your wires from amplifier to speakers are analog. DAC inside your amplifier converts digital to analog too. There is no reason to believe that additional 2 meters of good quality rca cable, paired with good quality soundcard, makes your sound worse. Good soundcard may cost even half of your amplifier price, but hey - audiophiles spends a lot more money just on cables, so money is not an issue here I guess.

 

[Derkoli]

36 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

So buy any soundcard if you're audiophile. It may have even optical output if you think that good soundcard is not enough to convert digital to analog proper. But believe me - I have soundcard with good rca output without distortions that you may notice using integrated sound chip. And before you start arguing about digital quality vs analog wired from soundcard to your amplifier - as you know, your sound is always analog. Your wires from amplifier to speakers are analog. DAC inside your amplifier converts digital to analog too. There is no reason to believe that additional 2 meters of good quality rca cable, paired with good quality soundcard, makes your sound worse. Good soundcard may cost even half of your amplifier price, but hey - audiophiles spends a lot more money just on cables, so money is not an issue here I guess.

 

Well, receiver's usually have decently nice DAC's onboard, as the whole point is to extract the audio from HDMI, then amplify it and spit it out to speakers, Some Soundcards dont have a DAC that is nearly as good, But if it is a decent soundcard, with decent RCA cable's (these can be had for cheap, don't buy the ones i have unless youre super serious) then it will outpace the receiver, BUT optical is compressed, which is what @Tommyn1979 might be referring to when he is talking about HDMI providing better sound quality.

[Tommyn1979]

Thank you @Derkoli, that's useful answer. I haven't bought a soundcard for many years, are there any currently available that you recommend?

[Tommyn1979]

Actually, I've just realised, my receiver doesn't have RCA connections for surround sound, it's designed to work with HDMI unless you're only using stereo.

This brings me back to finding a way to use hdmi as the sound source. I'm not keen on the idea of using optical, as Derkoli says, it's compressed and loses quality.

[circeseye]

2 hours ago, Tommyn1979 said:

Actually, I've just realised, my receiver doesn't have RCA connections for surround sound, it's designed to work with HDMI unless you're only using stereo.

This brings me back to finding a way to use hdmi as the sound source. I'm not keen on the idea of using optical, as Derkoli says, it's compressed and loses quality.

you can use hdmi..just set up as dual monitor. set as duplicate displays...set the 4k as primary and receiver set in audio settings and your set..its not that hard

[homeap5]

Optical cables uses compression? I know what digital compression is and it has nothing to do with optical cables.

[circeseye]

3 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

Optical cables uses compression? I know what digital compression is and it has nothing to do with optical cables.

yes optical/spdif is compressed..its also why only basic 5.1 dolby and dts through it..it doesnt have the bandwidth for the better ones

[Tommyn1979]

1 hour ago, circeseye said:

you can use hdmi..just set up as dual monitor. set as duplicate displays...set the 4k as primary and receiver set in audio settings and your set..its not that hard

Circeseye That's what I'm thinking is the best idea atm. I was mainly wondering if there was a better way that didn't waste gpu power on running a non existent second display. 

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, circeseye said:

yes optical/spdif is compressed..its also why only basic 5.1 dolby and dts through it..it doesnt have the bandwidth for the better ones

But only for 5.1 format. For standard stereo it delivers PCM uncompressed as far as I know. That means if someone is really audiophile, it will be enough for listening music loseless in stereo and using 5.1 sound in games with small compression which is not so bad since is not music.

 

But you're right - HDMI gives you more.

 

[circeseye]

1 hour ago, Tommyn1979 said:

Circeseye That's what I'm thinking is the best idea atm. I was mainly wondering if there was a better way that didn't waste gpu power on running a non existent second display. 

i run the video res for the receiver 1280x720. i dont see any lower performance with gaming. 

and no there really is no other way really unless you find a receiver that supports dp. otherwise its a monitor AND a receiver with hdmi 2.1 to get to 120hz if im not mistaken