HDMI Headache - No Audio Output - PC/PS3

DustyBottoms

Okay so I just built a new computer that runs beautifully.

MOBO: Gigabyte P55-UD3L
CPU: Intel i5-750
GPU: Sapphire Vapor-X HD 5770 1 GB
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
(using on-board sound)

One of the things I wanted it to do was to connect to my 22" Samsung LCD TV (LN22B360) for display and sound using only HDMI. This should theoretically be no problem for the Radeon HD 5770 that I got specifically to do this.

It displays beautifully. I do not, however, get any sound whatsoever through the HDMI cable. I have to plug in a 3.5" patch cord from the motherboard's speaker out to the TV's PC-IN connection to get any sound. Which is decent, but does not really help the clutter behind the desk, and is not what I intended. The ATI HDMI Output is selected in the sound preferences doohickey - nada. Volume is turned all the way up.

I tried this with the drivers that came on the disk. I tried with the latest driver from Sapphire's site. I tried it with the brand new Catalyst 10.1 drivers. I installed the ATI HDMI Audio drivers. I installed the Realtek High Definition Audio drivers. Nothing.

At the end of my rope last night, decided to try plugging my PS3 in through HDMI just to ensure that it worked, which I have never done. Lo and behold, that didn't work either - display, yes, but no audio even when I go in and set it specifically to HDMI sound in the menus.

Google is useless. Every suggestion I find is either for an ancient GPU that doesn't support HDMI audio, or is for someone who didn't select the ATI HDMI Audio output in their sound preferences. It shows up as an option in mine - the green bar even shows the sound when I test it - but I hear nothing.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. It's hugely annoying to have a brand new computer that I researched and built myself and end up with one nagging issue that I can't seem to fix. I have a 15 hour day today and an early day tomorrow, and I was still up until 2:30 last night trying to fix this. Please help before it drives me bonkers!

tldr; No audio output through TV when PC or PS3 is connected through HDMI. Proper settings chosen, everything should be working, but no audio.

Beazle

Did you use the same cable to test both the computer and the PS3?

DustyBottoms

Yes. I sure hope it is a an HDMI cable issue. The major problem is, if I order something from Monoprice, I won't be able to get it until Saturday (home for the weekend) and won't be able to test it until Sunday night (back to dorm). After waiting 2 weeks like this for all the parts to come and finally build the damn thing, I'm a wee bit impatient.

I suppose I will go order a replacement. Any other thoughts in the meantime?

I should clarify that my current HDMI cable was bought off Amazon for ~$0.99, I think because I had some credit there. Clearly I have since learned the error of my ways.

Scrublet

I know you probably have already done this, but please verify 100% that your TV is properly setup for sound from the HDMI. I say this because if the cable was bad I would expect some video problem to manifest as well. That said, I've definitely heard of those Amazon cables performing very poorly. You don't know anyone who has an HDMI cable in their home theater that you could borrow? That standard's pretty prevalent now.

BEAST!

I agree with Scrublet, there is usually a menu option to use audio from HDMI....if you're able to plug in and get sound from the PC-in then you're probably setup incorrectly on the tv end

Apogee

I went through this problem myself. There are two main things that will trip you up:

1) You need the right cable - a DVI Dual Link Cable. Has extra bandwidth, for bigger resolutions and audio. More expensive, too. Comparison shot. It doesn't matter if it's DVI-I or D, just so long as it's dual ink (so, full row of pins, no break in the middle). As long as you ahve that cable type, the PS3 should work no problem.

2) For the PC, you need to have the DVI cable running from the video card to the monitor, and inside the case, you need to hook up the SPDIF output (two pins) to the video card. There should be a cable included with your card, and the motherboard manual should tell you where the pins are, if any. If not, you're SOL on that one.

That should be everything... good luck! By the way, Newegg is where I got my cable; dual link cables are hard to find without crazy markups, and Monoprice only has single-link.

BEAST!

But he's ummm, using HDMI. DVI cables wouldn't help with HDMI.

Apogee

Bah, I'm thinking DVI output form the PC. Ignore the PS3 bit.
/need coffee.

Does the 5570 have an actual HDMI output? If so, all you need to do then is the internal SPDIF cable thing. If not, you'll need a DVI adapter (as I did).

Scrublet

Apogee wrote: »

Bah, I'm thinking DVI output form the PC. Ignore the PS3 bit.
/need coffee.

Does the 5570 have an actual HDMI output? If so, all you need to do then is the internal SPDIF cable thing. If not, you'll need a DVI adapter (as I did).

I did not know you had to do this SPDIF thing. Right now I'm using an optical cable out the back of my X-Fi. I wonder if there is a way to connect my X-Fi to my 5870 and get the audio going out the HDMI...it would make no difference on quality but save me an extra cable out the back of my comp...

Captain Vash

When I got my 9800gt it needed an extra cable that connected the video card to the mobo in order to do audio out over the hdmi.

badpoet

DustyBottoms wrote: »

Yes. I sure hope it is a an HDMI cable issue. The major problem is, if I order something from Monoprice, I won't be able to get it until Saturday (home for the weekend) and won't be able to test it until Sunday night (back to dorm). After waiting 2 weeks like this for all the parts to come and finally build the damn thing, I'm a wee bit impatient.

I suppose I will go order a replacement. Any other thoughts in the meantime?

I should clarify that my current HDMI cable was bought off Amazon for ~$0.99, I think because I had some credit there. Clearly I have since learned the error of my ways.

I had this exact same problem and it was a cable. I spent hours trying to fix drivers/hook up cables the card/try changing settings. Turns out it was the cheap cable I bought from Newegg.

I would suggest you buy a cable off Monoprice, it worked for me.

DustyBottoms

Scrublet wrote: »

I know you probably have already done this, but please verify 100% that your TV is properly setup for sound from the HDMI. I say this because if the cable was bad I would expect some video problem to manifest as well. That said, I've definitely heard of those Amazon cables performing very poorly. You don't know anyone who has an HDMI cable in their home theater that you could borrow? That standard's pretty prevalent now.

My TV should be set up for sound from HDMI. I have been through all of the menus five times over and don't see anything related to HDMI sound except for when I set the TV to the HDMI input, which is what gives me my video input.


I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS. As I was typing this, I fiddled with some settings on the menu just for the hell of it. I have an "Edit Name" option for each jack on the TV on the source list. I thought this was just for my reference. It seems that it actually has something to do with how is sees the data. I had the HDMI port set to DVI PC. There was a PC option. I made the change, the sound comes out even with the 3.5" cord unplugged. I changed it back, nothing. HDMI Audio is selected. I think my problem is solved. Now what the hell to do with the second HDMI cable I ordered earlier today.. ha!

Thanatos

You can always use an extra HDMI cable.