Using A/V Receiver with Laptop

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skaveesh

Enthusiast
First of all sorry if this is not the right place to ask this question.

I'm going to buy a Yamaha A/V Receiver (RX-V485 - 5.1 channel). I thought of hooking My Laptop (Asus X455L) to it and my Monitor (Dell P2417H - 1080p Resolution) to A/V receiver through an HDMI cable. But when I go through the RX-V485 user manual I found out that it does not support HDCP incompatible devices. Also found out my monitor is also not compatible with HDCP.

Then I thought of hooking the Monitor to VGA port and HDMI to Receiver and both running on the same resolution (1080p). And I'm not going to use the HDMI output from the receiver. Both VGA and HDMI outputs from the Laptop is duplicated from the Windows 10 Display Properties.

I attached a diagram which I explained above along with a screenshot of HDMI compatibility from the A/V receiver user manual.

So my questions are,

  1. If I hook the system like in the diagram, will it work?
  2. Will it pass sound through the HDMI to the A/V receiver when the VGA and HDMI is duplicated?
I'm living outside the US and getting a good 4K TV costs a fortune.Yamaha RX-V485 User Manual

jc0a9fcwiim51.jpg
 
surfacetension

surfacetension

Audioholic Intern
I'm not sure anyone can definitively answer your two questions since it could depend on the hardware and config. But I'm not sure why it matters?

The only display you're using outside of the laptop display is the Dell monitor correct? No TV? If that's the case you should be able to simply change the default sound device in Windows to HDMI and call it a day. No need to be duplicating video outputs, what would be the point in that?
 
S

skaveesh

Enthusiast
I'm not sure anyone can definitively answer your two questions since it could depend on the hardware and config. But I'm not sure why it matters?

The only display you're using outside of the laptop display is the Dell monitor correct? No TV? If that's the case you should be able to simply change the default sound device in Windows to HDMI and call it a day. No need to be duplicating video outputs, what would be the point in that?
The only display you're using outside of the laptop display is the Dell monitor correct?
yes.

because I want to watch movies with the Dell monitor. and for audio use the HDMI. That is why I thought duplicating displays
 
Ponzio

Ponzio

Audioholic Samurai
First of all sorry if this is not the right place to ask this question.

I'm going to buy a Yamaha A/V Receiver (RX-V485 - 5.1 channel). I thought of hooking My Laptop (Asus X455L) to it and my Monitor (Dell P2417H - 1080p Resolution) to A/V receiver through an HDMI cable. But when I go through the RX-V485 user manual I found out that it does not support HDCP incompatible devices. Also found out my monitor is also not compatible with HDCP.

Then I thought of hooking the Monitor to VGA port and HDMI to Receiver and both running on the same resolution (1080p). And I'm not going to use the HDMI output from the receiver. Both VGA and HDMI outputs from the Laptop is duplicated from the Windows 10 Display Properties.

I attached a diagram which I explained above along with a screenshot of HDMI compatibility from the A/V receiver user manual.

So my questions are,

  1. If I hook the system like in the diagram, will it work?
  2. Will it pass sound through the HDMI to the A/V receiver when the VGA and HDMI is duplicated?
I'm living outside the US and getting a good 4K TV costs a fortune.Yamaha RX-V485 User Manual

View attachment 39703
I'm also interested in your question but I have a PC vs. laptop, here in the US.

Getting a 3.5m cable for sound to the AVR wasn't an issue but I've hesitated in getting a long (25' minimum) HDMI cable to my AVR to project/pas-thru the video from my PC. I don't want to constantly change my display properties on the PC every time I want to watch a YouTube video or something on my TV.
 
S

skaveesh

Enthusiast
I'm also interested in your question but I have a PC vs. laptop, here in the US.

Getting a 3.5m cable for sound to the AVR wasn't an issue but I've hesitated in getting a long (25' minimum) HDMI cable to my AVR to project/pas-thru the video from my PC. I don't want to constantly change my display properties on the PC every time I want to watch a YouTube video or something on my TV.
Issue with using 3.5mm cable is, it only supports stereo and also, AVR does not use it's DAC (BurrBrown for this certain model) to decode audio.
So the only option is to use HDMI.
But in your case you can automate with some command line or with some program according to here
https://superuser.com/questions/394601/change-display-arrangement-via-batch-command-line-on-windows-7
 
surfacetension

surfacetension

Audioholic Intern
yes.

because I want to watch movies with the Dell monitor. and for audio use the HDMI. That is why I thought duplicating displays
Okay, so that's super simple then. As I mentioned in my last comment, all you have to do is go to your sound properties in Windows and change the default sound output device to HDMI, vs the traditional 3.5mm sound device. I attached a screenshot of my HTPC as an example.

You're basically just using HDMI instead of 3.5mm because it supports surround sound and using 3.5mm would obviously limit you to stereo output. The only other option I can see to keep surround sound would cost money, you could purchase an external USB sound card and connect it to your AVR via optical cable:

https://us.creative.com/p/sound-cards/sound-blaster-x3

But the only reason I'd consider that is if the VGA connection to the monitor became inadequate and you need to connect to it with the laptop's only HDMI, making this the only way I can think of to still output surround sound to the AVR.
 

Attachments

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skaveesh

Enthusiast
Okay, so that's super simple then. As I mentioned in my last comment, all you have to do is go to your sound properties in Windows and change the default sound output device to HDMI, vs the traditional 3.5mm sound device. I attached a screenshot of my HTPC as an example.

You're basically just using HDMI instead of 3.5mm because it supports surround sound and using 3.5mm would obviously limit you to stereo output. The only other option I can see to keep surround sound would cost money, you could purchase an external USB sound card and connect it to your AVR via optical cable:

https://us.creative.com/p/sound-cards/sound-blaster-x3

But the only reason I'd consider that is if the VGA connection to the monitor became inadequate and you need to connect to it with the laptop's only HDMI, making this the only way I can think of to still output surround sound to the AVR.
Thank you. you mean that Sound Blaster X3 Opt-out can output surround sound (5.1)?
 
surfacetension

surfacetension

Audioholic Intern
Thank you. you mean that Sound Blaster X3 Opt-out can output surround sound (5.1)?
Yeah that's actually a 7.1 channel soundcard and it has an optical out that can connect to an AVR. But HDMI is still the best option since optical can't pass through uncompressed surround sound like HDMI can (TrueHD, DTS-MA, etc.).
 
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skaveesh

Enthusiast
Yeah that's actually a 7.1 channel soundcard and it has an optical out that can connect to an AVR. But HDMI is still the best option since optical can't pass through uncompressed surround sound like HDMI can (TrueHD, DTS-MA, etc.).
Thanks you. HDMI is the best option then.
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
HDMI can't carry audio without video. The audio is embedded as part of the video stream. This means that you MUST hook up HDMI and the computer MUST see the A/V receiver as a video device, or there will be no audio.

I have heard that there is a program which can limit your desktop to a single screen while allowing this to work. I have never done this, but I've seen it in action when someone had a 4K display and only a 1080p capable AV receiver. So, they made two displays available, but locked the display hooked up to the AV receiver out of the desktop space. The gaming and mouse operated entirely on the visible screen.

It is ALSO quite possible that the video will pass directly through the A/V receiver to your display and work just fine. It is unusual for any modern display of the last ten years to not support HDCP. I'm not sure exactly what you have as a monitor, but for under 300 bucks you can buy a brand new 4K 58" television, so maybe it's time to think seriously about upgrading.
 
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skaveesh

Enthusiast
HDMI can't carry audio without video. The audio is embedded as part of the video stream. This means that you MUST hook up HDMI and the computer MUST see the A/V receiver as a video device, or there will be no audio.

I have heard that there is a program which can limit your desktop to a single screen while allowing this to work. I have never done this, but I've seen it in action when someone had a 4K display and only a 1080p capable AV receiver. So, they made two displays available, but locked the display hooked up to the AV receiver out of the desktop space. The gaming and mouse operated entirely on the visible screen.

It is ALSO quite possible that the video will pass directly through the A/V receiver to your display and work just fine. It is unusual for any modern display of the last ten years to not support HDCP. I'm not sure exactly what you have as a monitor, but for under 300 bucks you can buy a brand new 4K 58" television, so maybe it's time to think seriously about upgrading.
Thank for the reply. But if we connect the AV receiver to the laptop with HDMI, without hooking a display to the AVR receiver (like in the diagram); will the laptop detect AVR receiver as a external display?

or is it a must to connect a display to the AVR receiver in order to use it with the laptop?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
The avr doesn't usually have the option of sending hdmi, but rather receiving, more a matter of the avr recognizing your computer as a valid source. When I hook my laptop to my avr via hdmi I have both displays simultaneously, the laptop's own as well as the one on my display (tv) connected to the avr's hdmi outputs....but I can go into laptop settings and turn the laptop's display off.....
 
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skaveesh

Enthusiast
The avr doesn't usually have the option of sending hdmi, but rather receiving, more a matter of the avr recognizing your computer as a valid source. When I hook my laptop to my avr via hdmi I have both displays simultaneously, the laptop's own as well as the one on my display (tv) connected to the avr's hdmi outputs....but I can go into laptop settings and turn the laptop's display off.....
thank you for the reply. if you disconnect your display from AVR. does laptop detects your AVR as a valid device and still send the HDMI signals to the AVR?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
thank you for the reply. if you disconnect your display from AVR. does laptop detects your AVR as a valid device and still send the HDMI signals to the AVR?
Well, just hooked up my laptop to my avr via hdmi and I can still get audio to avr with my display turned off....after I already had the avr on and laptop connected so I tried it connected then turning on avr and leaving display off and I still got audio to avr......so seems that works even though I thought it would have to have had a video sink at the other end....

ps Trying it with actual video content is something I didn't do, as I don't need my laptop for that generally, when turning off the display I kept the desktop showing on my laptop and played something from a music program to test audio. Wonder if a test streaming protected content might show something up....
 
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S

skaveesh

Enthusiast
Well, just hooked up my laptop to my avr via hdmi and I can still get audio to avr with my display turned off....after I already had the avr on and laptop connected so I tried it connected then turning on avr and leaving display off and I still got audio to avr......so seems that works even though I thought it would have to have had a video sink at the other end....
Thank you for the clarification. :)
 
panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
To clear up a few things. The PC will see the AVR as a display device as well as an audio device. It may pass through the EDID to your display, but it isn't required.

You can use two displays (AVR included) and it works great. I'm doing it right now. :)
 
S

skaveesh

Enthusiast
I just purchased a 35' HDMI cable.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZ1LOE8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Interested to see what happens after reading this post.

I have 2 HDMI ports on my PC video card. One is already being used for my PC's 32" monitor. Hopefully I'll be able to project the audio/video thru the Yammy AVR to the 50" TV without having to change the PC's or the TV's video settings.

Let us pray! :)
Yeah you don't have to worry. Just extend the displays using Windows Key + P :)

To clear up a few things. The PC will see the AVR as a display device as well as an audio device. It may pass through the EDID to your display, but it isn't required.

You can use two displays (AVR included) and it works great. I'm doing it right now. :)
Thanks you for the input. :)

If you are not connecting a display to your AVR, and you find that you are having problems because there is not a display there, you can buy a EDID emulator that makes your AVR think that you have a display connected for about 6 bucks from Amazon.

Thank you very much. That I didn't know before. I just met someone who has the same model and got clarified if this receiver works without HDMI out connected, after seeing your response here. :) and, Yeah the receiver does not care if a TV is connected or not.
 
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