Question about building HTPC and Audio setup & HTPC Advice (1 Viewer)

Ok so looking to build a cheap file server basically that can play videos at 1080p without stutter. I have a slim case and PSU that I am going to use so just going to buy CPU/MOBO, Ram and HD.

My question is with how the audio works, lets say I have a video that I rip so I can store it on my HD with 5.1 or 7.1 audio. The mobo only supports "6 channels" but If I run it from HDMI out from the PC to the TV (Samsung un55c7100wfxza) then run the audio out to my receiver (Yamaha HTR-5940) from the optical option from the TV (its not a true optical out, but rather a 2.5mm jack that converts to optical plug) would the output from the speakers still be true 5.1 or 7.1 audio?

Im still green to all the audio stuff so I hope my question doesn't confuse you all.

Secondly, I have not yet ordered my cpu/mobo/ram and HD so am open to suggestions right now to buy this set up its going to cost, $378.96

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136874 - Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128555 - Mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115078 - CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104262 - RAM

Your TV is going to dumb it down to 2.0 PCM regardless.You'll have to run the audio directly to the AVR.Nothing you can do, with your current setup, for 7.1. As digital audio cables(coax or toslink) carries no more than 5.1 and I doubt your current AVR has an 8 channel analog.

Also, since you bought an LCD, instead of a plasma, you'll likely be running into audio sync issues.

schan1269 said:

Your TV is going to dumb it down to 2.0 PCM regardless.You'll have to run the audio directly to the AVR.Nothing you can do, with your current setup, for 7.1. As digital audio cables(coax or toslink) carries no more than 5.1 and I doubt your current AVR has an 8 channel analog.

Click to expand...

+1 to this
Hdmi to AVR, then run HDMI from your AVR output to the TV. Your AVR by the way is only 6.1.

The 5940 is a low end. The 5990(same year) was the first HDMI Yamaha.

I have never run no audio sync on LCD/led. On plasma, just make sure your bars all auto hide, etc to avoid bun in.

Great! Thank you for all the information. Lets say I bought a new AVR with HDMI and then did the HTPC to AVR via HDMI then AVR to TV via HDMI, would it matter if the HTPC has only 6 channel audio to get 7.1? My main question would probably be does the "6 channel audio" affect the output of the HDMI or are they two separate things on the motherboard?

I have had this AVR for many years, its time to upgrade, I been wanting to upgrade because I hate how hard this AVR is to change settings. I have been wanting something newer for a while now. Any suggestions? I have currently, PS3, Xbox 360, HTPC (soon), Direct TV DVR that are all currently connecting into my TV if it matters.

Any new AVR is leaps easier. Yamaha's "new GUI"(which I think the 475 has...might have to get the 575...or egad...the 675) is stupid easy.(and it looks fabulous, you have to get the 575 for 7.1 anyway)

As long as it has enough HDMI...you are set.

But...if the current PC "stuff" you are buying limits you to 5.1(6 channel)...that is all the discrete channels you get, period.

But there are(which the Yamaha 7.1 AVRs have) Dolby programs (IIx notably) which create 7.1 from 5.1. But if you want "discrete 7.1"...buy the appropriate hardware(which...don't ask me...cause "ripping this stuff" is not something we talk about on this forum...and I don't do it anyway)

On a side note. If looking for a new AVR. There is "today's Woot" (there is a thread here everyday...with the "new Woot's") and the Onkyo 560 is $400. Yamaha is still easier(their new GUI if the 575 does indeed have it), but the 560 does a "whole lot more" and can still be ran from Apple/Android devices.

Joe Bender said:

Great! Thank you for all the information. Lets say I bought a new AVR with HDMI and then did the HTPC to AVR via HDMI then AVR to TV via HDMI, would it matter if the HTPC has only 6 channel audio to get 7.1? My main question would probably be does the "6 channel audio" affect the output of the HDMI or are they two separate things on the motherboard?

I have had this AVR for many years, its time to upgrade, I been wanting to upgrade because I hate how hard this AVR is to change settings. I have been wanting something newer for a while now. Any suggestions? I have currently, PS3, Xbox 360, HTPC (soon), Direct TV DVR that are all currently connecting into my TV if it matters.

Click to expand...

Looking at your choice of motherboards, it says it does 8 channels of audio - ( digital ), and it's got an HDMI out, so I don't see that it would be a problem. With a new AVR you're going to want the AVR to do the decoding anyways, which means bitstreaming audio out of you HTPC. Don't worry it sounds complicated but it's just a setting. You'd do this via HDMI, which basically won't touch the source at all and sends it to the receiver to decode. So if the medium you're playing is encoded with 7.1 audio, DTS - MA 7.1 or what have you, ( assuming you're playing a blue ray on your htpc ) it will send that information ( all 8 channels ) untouched from your PC to your AVR, at which point the AVR takes over and will decode it and send it where it's supposed to go, in this case 7.1 discrete audio channels.

As far as AVR suggestions go, for the most part it's a personal preference, with one person swearing that their brand of choice ( x ) destroys brand ( y ) every time. What's your budget? The most popular brands seem to be Onkyo and Denon, with Yamaha and Pioneer fans swearing by their equipment also. Some higher end " audiophile " quality brands include Marantz, who make some cool looking AVR's - great for wow factor with looks, Anthem, NAD, and Cambridge audio. Though I wouldn't worry too much about dropping a ton of money on those - I have a mid range Denon with my HTPC and PS3 hooked up, and it sounds superlative IMO.

Thanks for the advice, does the onboard audio chipset of the motherboard have anything to do with the hdmi? or if the AVR does the decoding does it simply not matter what the onboard audio does?

Since your motherboard allows 8 channels...and the software you buy to "store" the movies doesn't change the 8 -> 6...

No, you couldn't care less what the HTPC is capable of. Again, all you care about is bitstreaming out of the HTPC. If it is set bitstream, it will be bitstream from "stored", streamed or an actual disc.

What software do you use to bitstream? I was planning on using a wireless kb with mousepad and just use VLC player to play the movie I wanted. I need to learn what and how to bitstream so I will look it up but if you have an easy explanation I would appreciate it.

As of April 2011 VLC could not bitstream lossless audio.

Found that out via a quick Google search.

And using the VideoLAN forum(the people behind VLC) as of Jan 2013, it still couldn't.

Again, found that out via a quick Google search.

Little hints for you...

Nvidia

Watch the DRM (if you do it wrong, you have to throw it all away{digitally trash it} and start over. Cause Nvidia allows 15 minutes of audio to pass before DRM kills it)

And oh yeah, quit asking on this Forum. AVR and speakers, sure. "how to rip stuff"...no.

There is this thread about playback software(again, it is all Greek to me)

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/323331-what-media-playback-software/#entry3973521

Media center, XBMC and mpc-classic/hoc all bitstream fine. Think first about why our end oak is. Look hard at mediabrowser and meta tools.. Http://mediabrowser.tvBut he big decision will be about whether or not ou will use your htpc for a DVR because that sets a lot of choices.

Joe Bender said:

What software do you use to bitstream? I was planning on using a wireless kb with mousepad and just use VLC player to play the movie I wanted. I need to learn what and how to bitstream so I will look it up but if you have an easy explanation I would appreciate it.

Click to expand...

I use xbmc for everything. You can use it as a beginner, with out too much problem, and of you want to get into customizations you can have it look amazing, and do just about everything. Xbmc Frodo build ( the latest and Greatest with their new Audio engine can be found here: http://xbmc.org/download/ It's free as well. An explanation about WASAPI can be found here: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Windows_Settings_for_AudioEngine Once you install it, go into settings, audio, and change playback devices to wasapi, and it'll biystream anything and everything - Audio tracks and Video.

Does this mean VLC now supports bitstream? http://www.videolan.org/developers/bitstream.html

Thank you Sean and Matt, looks like I will be giving XMBC a go to check it out.