Pc to AV receiver, soundcard?

[Hicks12]

Right for a while i have used my gpu (gtx46) hdmi port to hook up my pc to my AV receiver (PIONEER vsx-520) so I can play it all via my speakers, now I have setup two monitors now and its impossible to do this anymore, the only way I could get it to work originally was by setting it to duplicate the video output (i.e show it on my primary display and a copy to the AV receiver, didnt work with just sound!).

Does anyone have a clue how I could hook up my av receiver to my pc and allow for HD audio(s/pdif is not possible as it only does dts/dd no HD)? I am considering buying a new soundcard to ensure it works so are there any cards that can do this? I have seen a few hdmi sound cards and I assume that would be the best/only option?.

Any helps appreciated as this is a rather annoying issue!.

[g8ina]

Is there such a thing as an active HDMI splitter rather than switch ?

Alternatively, forget the HDMI sound and just use optical.

[Hicks12]

Ill look into that thanks.

Using optical just isnt an option, I want my lossless DTS/DD being played! Seems pointless having a HD receiver if you cant use it , dont know why you cant easily connect a pc to an av receiver in this age!.

[g8ina]

Errrr, optical is digital therefore lossless

[Terbinator]

Errrr, optical is digital therefore lossless

I assume he means the HD offerings, which SPDIF doesn't do.

[Bluecube]

HDMI into the amp, HDMI out to a monitor?

[Hicks12]

Yeah you're right terbinator I was on about how Dolby trueHD and DTS HD arent supported over optical cable, if it did my life would be so simple and I would have it hooked up by now haha!.

I have tried again Bluecube but I now remember why I dont use it as a pass through, originally when I got it I had my dell setup via the av hoping to make it simple and easy however the issue I have is that the av receiver seems to change the colour format basically makes the screen bright so blacks are really grey infact every colour looks tinted with grey, and whenever you alt tab out of a fullscreen application it makes the screen go blank for a second or two then flicks back (seems as if it loses its source), unfortunately it is showing the exact same issues on this lg monitor .

Looking pretty shocking how silly it is just to get blurays played on the desktop! May just have to buy a bluray player at this rate .

[Terbinator]

Looking pretty shocking how silly it is just to get blurays played on the desktop! May just have to buy a bluray player at this rate .

I think you'll find that's the general consensus for a lot of people.

[jim]

Is this just DRM nonsense?

I'm sure that I played MKV trailers with DTS over optical before?

[Hicks12]

No i dont think its DRM being the douche this time, optical can do DTS and DD no problem but it doesnt have the bandwidth for uncompressed(lossless) sound tracks on blurays HD-DVDs etc, unfortunately HDMI seems to be the only means of getting this across.

I think I will just pick up a bluray player, the panasonic I used till I gave it to my parents (finally they got a hd tv ) was very good and easy to use. If I did get a bluray player it would solve my issue as I will just buy a toslink cable and have it for games/music and bluray will have the hd audio .

Seems like the cheapest option as the splitters are £50+! Can get nice bluray players for £50+ now and it saves me having to use this piece of cheese that is powerdvd haha!.

[Macadee]

Have you tried outputting audio through the mobo HDMI?