Aerothorn on 13/12/2009 at 22:02
Okay, so basically I'm interested in using an Xbox 360 (and in the future, a PS3) with my new computer monitor. Unfortunately, it never really *clicked* with me that this was possible until after I had bought a monitor, which is nice but has no HDMI port (I accidentally bought the Samsung 2494SW rather than the Samsung 2494HM). Now, I know I can get an HDMI-to-DVI adapter and that there is no quality loss in this process - but what happens to the audio?
I'm planning on getting a new sound card soon (an (
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_forte.php) Auzentech Forte) but not sure if this can accept incoming digital signals. I know I could get a standard composite audio-to-minijack adapter, but would the system recognize this if I was using HDMI? Can they be used simultaneously?
Flagston on 14/12/2009 at 00:37
Yes they can be used simultaneously. I game on my computer monitor exactly the way you describe and sometimes on my TV while connected into a set of headphones.
oudeis on 14/12/2009 at 01:15
So why the Forte and not the Prelude? I ask because I'm trying to decide between the two myself and I'm leaning heavily toward the Prelude.
Aerothorn on 14/12/2009 at 13:13
Flagston: So how exactly would I set this up? Would I run an HDMI cord to my computer HDMI port, and then run things are normal? Can HDMI work both ways, or does it have to specifically be an HDMI-in port (I think mine is HDMI-out, from the built in GF8200)? Trying to figure out if the Forte has audio-in, either through minijack or digital. [Edit: Forte *does* have a minijack input, not sure if it has digital input.]
Oudeis: The Forte is the newer card. I did a lot of research on head-fi.org (since I'm planning on using this thing primarilly with headphones) and it comes down to the following points:
1. Subjective impressions from people who've used both tend to feel that the Forte sounds better (up to the point where some people have upgraded to it from a Prelude)
2. The Forte has a dedicated headphone amplifier that is apparently quite good and comparable to a solid external one - the Prelude lacks this.
3. The Forte is, somewhat bizarrely, cheaper.
Specifically, check out (
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/auzen-forte-vs-prelude-vs-essence-stx-438737/) these (
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/auzen-x-fi-forte-7-1-a-405213/) topics from Head-Fi.
Also, it has the versatility of being a low-profile card, so if I ever built a small computer in the future I could use it for that.
oudeis on 14/12/2009 at 21:44
Interesting. Every review of the Forte I've read has said just the opposite- that the Prelude sounds better than the Forte. They were testing on standard speakers, so perhaps bypassing the Forte's headphone amp made the difference.
Aerothorn on 15/12/2009 at 01:16
That's probably the case.
Other difference I forgot to mention: Forte is PCI-Express, Prelude is PCI, and PCI-Express is apparently better in some ways, though don't know how much of a difference it makes in sound quality.
Flagston on 15/12/2009 at 03:40
Hey Aerothorn, HDMI only goes the one way as far as I know (from output to input). What you need to do is run the HDMI cable from the 360 to the monitor. In your case you need a cable with both an HDMI end and a DVI end or an HDMI/DVI adapter for the dvi port on your monitor.
For the audio you need what the kid has in this video
(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZVaEeH3S28&feature=related)
Both my 360's came with one of these but I think you can buy them separately.
It looks like the sound card you are getting only has digital output not input so you would have to use the red and white audio cable and connect it into the line-in or mic-in input. This is basically the way I do it except I don't use my computer at all I just hook it directly into speakers or into my headphones (for the headphones I use a coupler to change the gender of the cable)
This second video is more or less the way I have mine set up except my Red white RCA cable has a different gender which is easily fixed by buying a simple adapter or different cable.
(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9sJ-_l9zBM&feature=related)
If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Aerothorn on 18/12/2009 at 23:18
Thanks much!
Apparently that dongle only comes with the Elite (I have an old Pro) and Microsoft wants to charge you $50 for the damn thing, and the normal component out won't fit with the HDMI at the same time. Fortunately, this is solved with $0 - I found out you can simply pry the plastic casing off the component cable and the cables are still inside an aluminum shell, making it fit while still leaving the cables protected.
Ordered an HDMI-to-DIV cable and an RCA-to-minijack adapter. Thanks! Apparently the digital audio tends to lag when run through a sound card anyway, at least in the case of the 360.
oudeis on 21/12/2009 at 06:28
I was able to find a new dongle on Amazon for about $21 including shipping. There are third-party vendors selling them as well (mine was official Microsoft).
By the way, while PCI-E has more bandwidth, no soundcard would ever be able to saturate even a PCI bus; however, apparently Auzentech has managed to eliminate the crackle that plagued Creative's own X-FI cards, which I think was even worse on PCI-E than PCI.
