HTPC Sound Card - Low Profile

[gadgets]

hey,

First post, so be nice........

I have recently purchased a Onkyo HT-S6200 and wish to connect my HTPC to it.

My HTPC is based on a HP DC7800. I have added a video card for DVI out and that takes up the PCIe x16 slot so I am left with the following:

1 low-profile PCI
2 low-profile PCIe x1

What low profile/small form factor sound card would be best suited to my needs, I have optical and coax digital inputs to play with on the amp.

gadgets

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121377
Use HDMI Cable to connect to your avr
The Reason: HDMI will carry both audio and video in single cable.
Hdmi supports Dolby Digital HD and DTS-HD, unlike coax/fiber spdif and this card does (unlike many others which dont)
If you decide to use this htpc to play legal BluRays, you must connect it using hdmi anyways

 

[fightinkraut]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121377
Use HDMI Cable to connect to your avr
The Reason: HDMI will carry both audio and video in single cable.
Hdmi supports Dolby Digital HD and DTS-HD, unlike coax/fiber spdif and this card does (unlike many others which dont)
If you decide to use this htpc to play legal BluRays, you must connect it using hdmi anyways

+1 to everything BSA said, the 5450 is a great HTPC card, at a great price to boot.

 

[digicidal]

Yep BSA has the winner I think - also if you just purchased your DVI card recently - you might be able to return it and consider it a *FREE* solution.

Plus that will leave you with a slot open in case you wind up becoming storage-limited (something that HTPCs quickly become) and need to add in an ESATA card to connect some external storage. Although perhaps this is not an issue if you have your main storage on another system you can access via the network.

 

[LittleRed]

Guys, I think he asked about a sound card, not a video card. Unless the Ati includes an audio component.
Gadget, I have been using an Auzentech PCI card with an Envy24PT chipset in mine (currently an old Acer Aspire SA85). Product link here: http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-studio.php. It works great but I had to ask Linux nicely to get it to work properly. I can't comment on Windows MCE as I don't use it, but basic audio seems to work in XP. I am also looking to use the HP 7800, but it only has one PCI slot. I'll either have to upgrade my sound card or my tuner. I'll let you know what I decide. Auzentech also do a low profile PCI-E here: http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_forte.php.

I am quite annoyed that the 7800 board has no SPID/TOSLINK though, really sucks. I did check the chip specs and it does have a S/PDIF out pin. Might be possible to do some fine soldering, I might just have a go.

 

[digicidal]

Guys, I think he asked about a sound card, not a video card. Unless the Ati includes an audio component.

Not just "AN" audio component - pretty much "THE" as far as utility. By carrying both audio and video signals it's a one-cable solution.

It is certainly possible to use another sound card, however as he already has to use an add-in board for video (other than on-board VGA that is) he might as well use it for both.

Additionally, if the desire was NOT to use HDMI for a particular reason (i.e. he has a receiver that doesn't have HDMI on it) then it would be cheaper and just as useful to just go with a USB DAC/Digital output converter or dongle-card rather than buy a card that has everything built on-board just to use the COAX output.

However, if a quick solution that was available locally were desired, your soundcard would definitely work fine. It's just more than is required since he's going to be using the DAC and output from the AVR.

Credit where it is due - that Behringer unit was a find by Krzywica not me... however, it's one heck of a deal considering that it is both analog inputs and outputs digital output and up to 32bit resolution with the driver... all for under $30. I don't think you can find better for less... plus you could use it on your desktop or a laptop with ease.

 

[LittleRed]

Thanks Digicidal, I'm all for HDMI, I've been chasing a proper HDMI solution for a while as I am very aware of the advantages. My current setup uses an nvidia 7300 GT AGP, no HDMI and no digital on-board sound. This is why I went for the Auzentech. Power on this machine is lacking though, and the Pentium D generates a lot of heat so the fans are always loud. This is why I've sought out the 7800, since it fits in my cabinet, has enough power and is dead quiet. I also know that it will run Ubuntu flawlessly. Of course the really important thing is the PCI-E for the HDMI graphics,
What I didn't realize (see my first post) was that the newer graphics cards have integrated digital audio for feeding the HDMI. This changes everything, as it means I don't need the sound card any more. I thought I would have to use the S/PDIF header on the graphics card to provide the audio from the sound card (or the motherboard for the lucky ones). I must admit, I had to look really hard to figure this out. It was only when I started looking at the Linux forums that I found the info about the audio devices on the graphics cards. For some strange reason I just didn't see any information about this on the manufacturer's websites. Maybe it's just me.
I will probably end up getting a GT 210 fanless as I refuse to use ATI because of their appalling support for Linux. I use the GT 210 in a DC7900 at work and am very pleased with it's performance. Let's hope it does just as well for the HDMI HTPC task.

 

[digicidal]

Well, I'm pretty much the biggest Nvidia fanboy out there - I just love their cards and hate the fact that ATI has always made me install .NET on everything just to control their drivers in Windows.

However, in their defense - I've actually found them to be at least as responsive, if not moreso, than Nvidia. At least as far as in-house open source driver development. Now I have to admit to also always being a bleeding-edger as far as video cards are concerned. Probably the only person to have upgraded GTX260/216s for GTX285s and then upgrading those to GTX460s the day they were released... what can I say - I like trying out new cards.

Of course, I can expense about half of them to work - so it's not like it's totally irresponsible..

You should have no problem with the on-board audio through HDMI on any of the last 2 generations of cards. I've had great success with all flavors - from the cheapest onboard chipset-only implementations by Intel - to the GTX460's HDMI output - and several ATI's inbetween.

 

[LittleRed]

Thanks digicidal, that's good to hear. I have to agree, I can't stand .NOT either, for anything. It's a bloated, unreliable, inconsistent, undependable piece of effluent. For crying out loud, stop being so lazy and program properly, we'll all be better for it.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

ATI did have issues while transition to .NET control panel - I think they polished them out by now. I love my home HD4870 and my work pc HD5770 card. Both running win7 64 and have 0 issues with drivers
Plus AMD's Radeon starting HD5xxx series have support for HD lossless audio formats passthru, which asfasas I know nVidia card still lack

That said, GT460 does represents better value/performance currently at $160 - it's more than enough for casual/budget gamer. In addition better support for gpu accelerated computing plus Physics acceleration do add up to overall value.

I'd say - HTPC - get ATI, Gaming PC - nVidia.