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[jagdriver]

I've been skimming some of threads. My MC box is at home. Is there a way to route MC audio from my HTPC over its HDMI connection? (Presently it streams video from Netflix, PBS, et al., just fine.)

And if I can setup MC17 to do this, which input mode would I use on my AV receiver to listen to tracks routed from the HTPC in this way?

Should I expect better sound quality than through my USB DAC connected via SP/DIF to the AV receiver?

[BryanC]

Digital is digital but HDMI is probably a more elegant solution from an aesthetic point of view.

If you are using HDMI and your HDMI sound card is able to support multi-channel PCM, you have the option to decode in MC or to bitstream and let your receiver decode the audio. By decoding in MC you gain a wealth of features that probably aren't available on your receiver (like videoclock, convolution, room correction, etc). However, some people like to let the receiver do the work and that's fine too. SP/DIF requires bitstreaming of multichannel soundtracks and also doesn't have the bandwidth to pass the newest HD Blu-Ray audio formats.

[mbagge]

Should I expect better sound quality than through my USB DAC connected via SP/DIF to the AV receiver?

If I understand this correct you are connecting HTPC - usb cable - USB DAC - coax/toslink cable - AV Receiver

This way you probably bypasses any sound quality improvement in your USB DAC as you still uses the DAC in the AV receiver.

which input mode would I use on my AV receiver

When using HDMI to connect HTPCs with AVRs that have TVs attached with HDMI as well, the HDMI CEC protocol tends to give some problems. If you ex. power down your TV while listening to audio you could loose the HDMI audio device and playing stops.

[kdwoodrow]

Digital is digital but HDMI is probably a more elegant solution from an aesthetic point of view.

If you are using HDMI and your HDMI sound card is able to support multi-channel PCM, you have the option to decode in MC or to bitstream and let your receiver decode the audio. By decoding in MC you gain a wealth of features that probably aren't available on your receiver (like videoclock, convolution, room correction, etc). However, some people like to let the receiver do the work and that's fine too. SP/DIF requires bitstreaming of multichannel soundtracks and also doesn't have the bandwidth to pass the newest HD Blu-Ray audio formats.

If MC does the decoding, what setting should be made on receiver to keep the receiver from attempting to decode the signal again?  Put another way, how does the receiver know the signal is already decoded?

[BryanC]

The receiver will adjust automatically. There are identifying packets sent with each format.