need advice from experts - XONAR HDAV1.3 + Creative S750

The card has a HDMI so you can plug your video card directy into the HDMI in on the xonar to send the video data thru it. Then the card will send both audio and video data to whatever device your plugging it into.

THe audio data coming from the comp it self.

 

IIRC, the HDMI in on that card is actually a DVI/HDCP input. The two are very closley related. The main difference is that HDMI carries audio aswell as video and DVI carries only video.

The connection is meant to be connected to your GFX card for integration into the HDMI stream along with the aduio from the HDAV 1.3.

I will find out from ASUS as to if this input is a DVI or HDCP.

 

I see... in that casse I wonder what is the point of this asus card since most video cards now also does 7.1 LPCM sound through HDMI/DVI. the only difference seems to be that the asus card can also stream DTS HD MA and DDplus etc, but arent they just the same quality as LPCM?

 

..Well that is the point. Most Blue ray etc have newer high resolution soundtracks that are DD+, Dolby True HD, DTS-HDMA etc... If your going to bther going Blu ray what is the point of limiting your audio? -to plan old' Dolby Digital or DTS? -Which are compressed formats.
You have to watch these motherbaords and GFX cards that say they support HDMI. They do, for the video and they will allow you to integrate audio into the stream but it is not anywhere clsoe to what it should be.

I am not 100% sure that the card won't accept a HDMI stream, if you ask me though it seems your looking for a receiver not a soundcard.

 

Since the modern video card does 7.1 LPCM, so it just comes down to let the Pc decode DTSHD/DD+, and let the receiver decode LPCM and pass sound to speakers... all this asus card does is just skip the pc processing DTSHD part and let the receiver do the job.. I cant see any gain since it is the same quality..


What i am looking for is actually like a receiver, the reason i am looking at this setup is the cost. cheapest receiver that will decode 7.1 LPCM cost around 1000 NZD here in New zealand, whereas this card cost less than 400. also to get a decent set of speakers for the receiver, i would need to spend at the least 1000 more, whereas I found S750 for about 530 dollars, which is THX certified.

so basically i will save about 1000 dollars and get product i know is good, compared to spend more and spending it in a product i have very little expereince with (hi-fi, expensive speakers etc)

 

No, the Xonar HDAV 1.3 Deluxe card can do either. Bitstream or LPCM. One is processed on the card and the other is processed at the receiver.
Most AV nuts, prefer bitstream as their is less chance of the software messing with the audio.
The Xonar card can also output these standards through analog also with no downsampling essentially bypassing the need for the receiver, if need be.
Many GFX cards that offer support for HDMI are very limited in audio options either offering older standards or possibly downsampled 16/48Khz audio.

 

ok now it makes a bit mroe sense.

Since this card does DTS Hd /DD+ hardware decoding, so why would one want it to pass bitsteam?

and I thought now the latest gen of video cards, like ATi 48xx cards all do pretty good decoding and no down sampling.

 

I already explained that part, if the card can do bitstreaming to a external receiver then there is no chance of the audio being messed with by the card or software as it is decoded and converted by the receiver. Generally it is prefered by the AV guys, for whatever reason.

 

ok. so some people perfer to let receiver do the decoding over the card, even though the card does it at hardware level.

thats ok, now I see why this card exists.