HDMI-PC Crash Issue...Near Resolution?

[modman]

This fresh thread references my original HTPC thread from April 6 (see below "Help Needed with HTPC Problem."

I have now determined that my PC crashes (black screen and rapid beeping in the morning) only if the HDMI cable is connected. This has occurred with three different HDMI cables of different makes. I disconnected the HDMI cable four weeks ago, and the PC is chugging along happily.

But that leaves me with an issue of how to get the undecoded digital stream from my PC into my Yammy receiver. Need your help!

1. In addition to the Intel HDMI card and output, the PC has a Realtek High Definition audio card, with an optical output. Would that be a suitable alternative if I can't get the HDMI to work and I don't necessarily need the video from the PC to be seen on the TV screen?

2. Should I try to update the driver for the Intel HDMI card first?

3. I am confused...how can I tell if the HDMI output is undecoded and just the bitstream?

Thanks for your continued help.

 

[Grador]

I'll start by addressing #3: Unless you're talking about a source with a dolby digital or dts audio track [in any of their iterations] you are not 'bitstreaming' the audio to your receiver. Any other source [flac, mp3, wav..] will be decoded to PCM which will be sent over HDMI in perfect fashion. Depending upon how new your yamaha is you can tell what exact signal is being received by going into the "option" page [older, these also have a "setup" page] or the all encompassing on screen menu [newer] and going to the "signal info" page. If you are bitstreaming this will tell you the codec being used. If not it will tell you what flavor of PCM it is receiving. If you are receiving PCM you will want this to match the source: for instance if you're playing back CD audio it should be 44.1/16.

 

[modman]

Yep!

Thanks, Grador...just as you were posting, I was re-educating myself on PCM and the "input info" function in my A-1000. Sure enough, it's PCM. So one issue settled!

 

[Grador]

Thanks, Grador...just as you were posting, I was re-educating myself on PCM and the "input info" function in my A-1000. Sure enough, it's PCM. So one issue settled!

It is very important that the PCM being sent to your receiver matches the source, re-sampling has some pretty strong effects on sound quality.

 

[jinjuku]

Did you try a add in card with HDMI as suggested?

 

[modman]

Matching PCM

I'll start by addressing #3: Unless you're talking about a source with a dolby digital or dts audio track [in any of their iterations] you are not 'bitstreaming' the audio to your receiver. Any other source [flac, mp3, wav..] will be decoded to PCM which will be sent over HDMI in perfect fashion. Depending upon how new your yamaha is you can tell what exact signal is being received by going into the "option" page [older, these also have a "setup" page] or the all encompassing on screen menu [newer] and going to the "signal info" page. If you are bitstreaming this will tell you the codec being used. If not it will tell you what flavor of PCM it is receiving. If you are receiving PCM you will want this to match the source: for instance if you're playing back CD audio it should be 44.1/16.

So...if I ripped the CD to WAV, should I choose 44.1/16 for PCM for playback?

 

[modman]

Not yet

Did you try a add in card with HDMI as suggested?

I'm making sure first that there is not some simple explanation for why this card does not work. Some have said to reload the driver. Others have said to re-seat the card.

 

[Lordhumungus]

I'm making sure first that there is not some simple explanation for why this card does not work. Some have said to reload the driver. Others have said to re-seat the card.

I don't recall the exact model of your system, but I think I do remember you were using the on-board graphics, so there won't be any card to re-seat as the HDMI is actually built into the motherboard. That being said, check the second post in this thread, it may lead you somewhere.

 

[Grador]

So...if I ripped the CD to WAV, should I choose 44.1/16 for PCM for playback?

Exactly, or in your media player of choice as the default output device select "WASAPI". WASAPI allows the media player to change this setting as it needs to, it's a completely useless step if you're only ever going to play CD's though.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

"Intel HDMI card " - I Never heard of Intel making add-on video cards
Would you mind doing more details on that?

is it something like this : INTEL LADKITADDS1 ADD-ON VIDEO CARD - New :: LegendMicro.com ????

One more issue - Intel video card drivers are terrbile for any of their onboard video cards

You should go ahead and by $30 video card - will most likely solve your issues
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6450 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card ( 100322L)

 

[Lordhumungus]

"Intel HDMI card " - I Never heard of Intel making add-on video cards
Would you mind doing more details on that?

is it something like this : INTEL LADKITADDS1 ADD-ON VIDEO CARD - New :: LegendMicro.com ????

One more issue - Intel video card drivers are terrbile for any of their onboard video cards

You should go ahead and by $30 video card - will most likely solve your issues
Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6450 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card ( 100322L)

Intel doesn't make any add-in cards, he is referring to the on-board video.

 

[Trev]

If you're interested in some additional help, though it's up to you, can find the errors that you're getting.

Press windows key + R to open run command, then type: eventvwr.msc

Hit enter.

Event viewer should open for you, expand the sub menus, navigate to the time when the last error like this occurred under each sub category. Make a list of the errors, can note em here.

With on-board intel graphics, you're likely to have them controlled from your bios. You are right - there is probably a simple fix. Driver re-installation can be your solution. I'd scout the errors first to determine the cause.

 

[modman]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Strangely, I have now gone one week with HDMI connected and not had any problems. I believe the only thing I changed was the sampling rate (as noted above) and not letting the mini-monitor go to sleep. Could it be that simple?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Strangely, I have now gone one week with HDMI connected and not had any problems. I believe the only thing I changed was the sampling rate (as noted above) and not letting the mini-monitor go to sleep. Could it be that simple?

Not surprised as this also pointing to bad intel video drivers
See my and other suggestions before - get cheap aftermarket card or
Start learning how to diagnose BSOD like pros do
How To Analyze Windows XP BSOD Minidump Files with WinDbg by Britec - YouTube

 

[modman]

Spoke too soon!

Well, last week the system crashed again...same MO...found it beeping in the morning. As suggested by the post above, I ran the windows events viewer. There is a lot going on in there. In the events summary section, there is one error listed, sixth the following info:
Event ID = 10
Source= WMI
Log= application

But when I go to the applications and service logs submenu, I cannot find any errors under any of the categories. However, in the admin events custom view, I do find one error of type 10, with a message about an event filter.

Any reconmendations?