Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[kosmicken]

I've read on various boards the advantages of using an HTPC to control everything versus an AV or home theater receiver.  Of course I would still need external amps to power the speakers. But, if I only have a PC and amps, is there any way to play external HDMI sources through the sound system? For example, if I want to use a Chromecast or BD player, I can connect these devices to one of 3 HDMI inputs on my TV, but hen the sound comes through the crappy TV speakers.  Is there any such thing as an HDMI input/pass-through for the PC so that I could completely eliminate the separate receiver?  After all, why spend lots of money on two devices (PC and receiver in this case) that both do mostly the same thing?

[Mustangjeff]

I think your fighting a losing battle by trying to bypass a HT Receiver in your scenario.

A couple thoughts:

First, unless you have the amplifiers already laying around, a HT Receiver is going to be the most cost effective way provide amplification for your speakers.

Second, your going to need a soundcard or DAC that has an HDMI input.   Which is A) not very common  B) generally limited to a single HDMI input  C) can be expensive.

Third, I'm not even sure if JRiver could use an HDMI input connected to the computer as a source?

My suggestion is to output HDMI to a HT Receiver and have JRiver configured for multichannel PCM and not bitstream.  This way the HTPC is doing all the audio decoding instead of the receiver.

I'm in the exact opposite camp.  I believe in letting the receiver do the decoding, and keeping the software config as simple as possible.

[mwillems]

You're in for a tough time unfortunately.  HDMI inputs are not particularly common on PC enabled devices for DRM related reasons.  There are capture cards on the market (Hauppage makes a few), but to my knowledge JRiver can't currently display a video input stream from one in real time (it can play back recordings obviously). 

For my part, I got rid of my receiver and run everything direct from the computer to the DAC to power amps, but it required some creative thinking to get all of my content onto my computer.  One internal blu ray drive and one networked cablecard TV tuner later I managed to get a pretty solid level of integration.  The only device I don't have a perfect solution for is my record player 

[mojave]

You're in for a tough time unfortunately.  HDMI inputs are not particularly common on PC enabled devices for DRM related reasons.  There are capture cards on the market (Hauppage makes a few), but to my knowledge JRiver can't currently display a video input stream from one in real time (it can play back recordings obviously).

Per Yaobing, one can "tune" the Hauppauge Colossus to display a live video stream coming in on HDMI. The audio needs to be PCM or possibly AC3. This should allow one to use external sources such as a Blu-ray player be used.

Why would one want an external Blu-ray player if using an HTPC?

[kosmicken]

The Netflix interface on my BD player is far better than Media Center's.  But I just got a Chromecast, and its Netflix interface is even better. Either way, I would need to be able to use external HDMI.  I likely would ditch the BD player altogether.  Just wondering if it was an option.

[prerich]

You're in for a tough time unfortunately.  HDMI inputs are not particularly common on PC enabled devices for DRM related reasons.  There are capture cards on the market (Hauppage makes a few), but to my knowledge JRiver can't currently display a video input stream from one in real time (it can play back recordings obviously). 

For my part, I got rid of my receiver and run everything direct from the computer to the DAC to power amps, but it required some creative thinking to get all of my content onto my computer.  One internal blu ray drive and one networked cablecard TV tuner later I managed to get a pretty solid level of integration.  The only device I don't have a perfect solution for is my record player 

Answer for your turntable...Music Hall USB-1 Turntable

[prerich]

The Netflix interface on my BD player is far better than Media Center's.  But I just got a Chromecast, and its Netflix interface is even better. Either way, I would need to be able to use external HDMI.  I likely would ditch the BD player altogether.  Just wondering if it was an option.

I connect to Netflix via my PC browser.  Since I'm using MC20's WDM driver all of my DSP/Room Correction is available when I watch Netflix.  I play all BD's from my HTPC, and I have a HDHomeRun3 network cablecard tuner. I have no need for any external sources at all.

However i had a head start - I've been running separates since the late 80's - I've always had an abundance of power amps on hand. I'm also an IT person. I ditched my receiver a while ago and didn't look back. For a while a kept a receiver around for back-up but now I have 2 HTPC's and the abundance of power amps.  I should be able to take a few hits and recover.

[astromo]

I'm not sure I fully understand the objective, so apologies if my comment is irrelevant.

I've got an NAD C390DD stereo amp with an HDMI module. It can suck in 3 HDMI inputs and pass the selected input out to a video display. The sound is routed into the amp.

Easy. The tech is out there.

[mwillems]

I'm not sure I fully understand the objective, so apologies if my comment is irrelevant.

I've got an NAD C390DD stereo amp with an HDMI module. It can suck in 3 HDMI inputs and pass the selected input out to a video display. The sound is routed into the amp.

Easy. The tech is out there.

The hard part is getting an HDMI input into a PC so JRiver can process the audio.  As mojave noted, devices exist, but are not common.  HDMI routers or passthroughs are very common, just not PC enabled ones.