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[JimH]

I broke down this weekend and bought a Blu-ray player.  It's a Sony BDP-S350.

I also switched all my cabling for my TV/Amp/PC and the new Blu-ray player to HDMI cables. 

HDMI cables can carry both digital sound and video in a single cable, so it can clean up a big mess.

My plan was to route everything to the Amp (Receiver) and then a single cable would connect the Amp to the TV.  At least I thought I was going to do that.

Blu-ray to Amp and Amp to TV went fine.  All worked with HDMI cables immediately.

PC to Amp didn't.  I was connecting from my video card, a GeForce GTX 260.  It has DVI connectors, but it came with adaptors from DVI to HDMI. 

With that HDMI connection from the PC to the Amp, I couldn't get digital optical audio to work.   So I tried routing audio separately by using an optical cable.  The Amp wouldn't recognize it.  It might be that the Amp saw an HDMI connection without audio and wasn't programmed to look anywhere else.

I ended up routing an optical cable for digital to the amp and running the HDMI cable from the PC directly to the TV.  So now, the TV has two HDMI inputs, but it works.

All equipment involved was Sony and all less than 6 months old. 

Maybe this will help someone else with the same problem.

[benn600]

If it is a standalone video card, it seems logical that audio would not be easily routed through the HDMI.  If you have onboard HDMI, it seems more logical that it could be added in.  For my two identical HTPC boxes, there is HDMI on the motherboard and I do get audio over this single output.  The key is to go to the Sound Control Panel and see if there is an HDMI audio output in the drop downs.  By selecting this, it will become the default--if it is available.  For me it is so I do get audio and video over one cable.  It really helps with high end cables too because then it's only one to buy instead of HDMI + Optical.

[JimH]

What I should have said is that I tried routing audio separately.  I've corrected my first post.

[Matt]

I do Blu-ray using a computer, and have never tried HDMI.

But I think you need to hook your soundcard up to your GTX 260 if you want audio + video HDMI output.  I know my GTX 280 has a little plug on it for this.

[jmone]

Hi Jim - it's time for a new Video Card.  While HDMI and DVI transmission compatible (eg just need adapters to change the "plugs" between DVI and HDMI) it is up to the Chipset/Drivers each MFR use to as wether (and what type) of sound is inserted between the Video packets on the data stream.  Have a look at this post at AVS Forum as it outlines which chipset can do what http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1093445

I currently use a Gigabyte HD4550 HDMI Fanless card (previously an IGA Intel G33) and it will output both High Def Multi Ch Sound as well as 1080p over HDMI just fine and for a very modest price.  Your current workaround using S/PDIF (either via it's own Optical/Coax Cable or through HDMI piggybacking) will mean you are restricted to a Max of 2.0 CH in PCM or stock standard 5.1 DD / DTS (eg NO Multi-channel HD Sound).  Given that the lossless Audio formats are up to 10 times the bitrate of what you get on a DVD you are really missing out on a big audio upgrade if you have a decent sound system.  IMHO the sound upgrade with Blu-ray is more apparent than the increase video resolution (especially if you don't have a big TV / Projector) and it is like going from 128K MP3 to FLAC in the Audio World (fine for many but no real quality comparison).

My setup is HDMI for all my sources (HTPC & Cable Box) to my receiver then a single HDMI cable to the TV (eg the receiver does all my Audio and Video Switching)

Once you’re hooked (or more importantly your wife is hooked) can we get Blu-ray playback in MC13?

Thanks
Nathan

PS - If you just added a Blu-ray drive (+ SW!) to you PC you would have not needed to by the Blu-ray Standalone Player!

[benn600]

IMHO the sound upgrade with Blu-ray is more apparent than the increase video resolution (especially if you don't have a big TV / Projector) and it is like going from 128K MP3 to FLAC in the Audio World (fine for many but no real quality comparison).

But if you do have a large screen, the resolution difference is BREATHTAKING.