Building a HTPC....

Bobsama

On a sidenote, something I discovered:

Multichannel out over digital interfaces usually requires Dolby Digital or DTS--both encoding and decoding. Otherwise, the audio stream will default to 2-channel PCM. Over AMD's HDMI, you'll need an HDMI receiver for 6-/8-channel operation--otherwise, it'll default again to PCM.

A problem I've noticed is that the video from my HTPC isn't centered properly on the screen and seems grainy. It's using the HDMI interface so I don't really know what the problem is (or rather, how to fix it). Online searches said that I should disable the HDMI audio component but that did absolutely nothing.

disneyjoe7

Looking under device manager I find this?


Sound

Hauppauge WinTV HVR-2250 (8851)

High Definition Audio Device

RealTek High Definition Audio


The later two state internal bus 0


Also under Sound in Control panel it's states 2 channel mode via HDMI.



Still confused on how to change this.

EndersShadow

Joe, you should have a listing for ATI HDMI Output under your "Playback Properties" (assuming your using Vista or Win 7). Thats what you want to have selected.

You also might want to ensure you have the most updated ATI drivers for your card as well.

disneyjoe7

EndersShadow wrote: »

Joe, you should have a listing for ATI HDMI Output under your "Playback Properties" (assuming your using Vista or Win 7). Thats what you want to have selected.

You also might want to ensure you have the most updated ATI drivers for your card as well.

Will look later, and yes Win 7

Drenis

Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Sound -> AMD HDMI Output (Under Playback tab) - Right click and select properties. This will open a new window, select the last tab which will show you your sample rates.

What's selected and checked off here?

Too bad you wern't in the market, I'm selling my HTPC

disneyjoe7

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

Looking under device manager I find this?


Sound

Hauppauge WinTV HVR-2250 (8851)

High Definition Audio Device

RealTek High Definition Audio


The later two state internal bus 0


Also under Sound in Control panel it's states 2 channel mode via HDMI.



Still confused on how to change this.

Drenis wrote: »

Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Sound -> AMD HDMI Output (Under Playback tab) - Right click and select properties. This will open a new window, select the last tab which will show you your sample rates.

What's selected and checked off here?

Too bad you wern't in the market, I'm selling my HTPC

This is what I got under "Sound", like its not there.

Drenis

That's strange.

I would disable the Realtek crap completely, reinstall your video card drivers from AMD and restart your machine. Do you have simultaneous connections utilizing your onboard and video card? (e.g. - Using HDMI out from video card for video and HD audio and using coax out from the motherboard or HDMI out from the motherboard?) You should really use one output for sound.

I just sold the same video card as what you have and had it paired with the same motherboard you have so I know it's a working combination.

disneyjoe7

I'm only using the HDMI output via the video card which goes from the HTPC to the AVR, and the AVR to the TV.

Syndil

Disneyjoe, this post over at xbmc.org should explain how to resolve your problem:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=688708&postcount=1

Apparently the important step is step 2. The audio chipset on the ATI graphics card is provided by Realtek, and apparently you get more features enabled when you install the Realtek driver in addition to the one provided by ATI. You can find the Realtek driver here:

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/

Click High Definition Audio Codecs, accept the agreement, then download one of the top two choices, depending on if your OS is 32- or 64-bit.

disneyjoe7

Drenis wrote: »

That's strange.

I would disable the Realtek crap completely, reinstall your video card drivers from AMD and restart your machine. Do you have simultaneous connections utilizing your onboard and video card? (e.g. - Using HDMI out from video card for video and HD audio and using coax out from the motherboard or HDMI out from the motherboard?) You should really use one output for sound.

I just sold the same video card as what you have and had it paired with the same motherboard you have so I know it's a working combination.

Drenis,

I did just what you stated, restarted WMC and to my surprise DD5.1....

Thanks and this forum has saved me some $$ and some extra time playing with everything over and over again.

disneyjoe7

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

http://youtu.be/eOrNdBpGMv8

I Love it NOW! I could play that over and over again it shacks the whole house. :cheesygrin:

Drenis

Glad it's working as it should.

Serendipity

Glad to hear you got everything working!!

Theheadsn

just my two cents, and this is not spam ha I was actually planning on building a HTPC but moneys so damn tight right now. And I had an amazon gift card sitting around that needed to be used.

I just picked up a Pivos Aios. For the price, especially for what it does, makes it a great option for someone who wants the whole HTPC without having to build or fork over a lot of money to get one.

Amazon has them for 89.99 and Pivos is doing a mail in rebate right now for 20 bucks. So shelling out 70 dollars for something this cool really isnt that bad of a thing.

Theres a TON of support for this thing, offical firmware updates and unofficial ones as well to customize it to your hearts content.

http://pivos-aios.wikidot.com/

Syndil

Not really a HTPC... More comparable to a WD TV Live Hub.

Theheadsn

Syndil wrote: »

Not really a HTPC... More comparable to a WD TV Live Hub.

you're right in the sense if you want anything other then to play movies or music, you'd probably wanna go with a HTPC. But I'd assume most people just wanna use it to play movies. And seeing how Sony keeps gimping the ps3, and locking out the ability to play different files (copyright or not), its a good CHEAP option. I still would love someday to build a real HTPC, but it'll probably be just a good gaming rig that happens to be hooked up to my TV ha

and on a side note, WD TV live hub (and all its other versions), are becoming useless. To many "mainstream" players are folding under the studios pressure to block out certain content, which negates the reason to even own a device like that

disneyjoe7

So how does a device like that play a movie? I mean does it play a DVD or just stream? Having built a HTPC I would say not having a tuner for OTA signal's it's more like a large paper weight.

magicka

Streaming only. Either Netflix/Hulu or from a home server. I'd rather spend the extra to get a Squeezebox or build a real HTPC.

disneyjoe7

I wish I could use something like that as a media extender vs. a xbox much cheaper.

Theheadsn

nope, not just streaming. Works off a bunch of things actually. Wifi for one, DLNA, FTP, memory card, RAID system, or installing a 3.5" HDD inside. Loads of different options.

Theheadsn

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

I wish I could use something like that as a media extender vs. a xbox much cheaper.

and you can trust me, if you have it hook up via DLNA, that skys the limit if you have another computer located in a different part of your house, but dont feel like moving it right next to your television.

Theheadsn

and just on a completely side note, I have Directv with a DVR, so I kinda have that base covered. The pivos is more for downloaded or ripped movies/tv shows/music more then anything else