DVI for Video+HDMI for Audio Issue DVI for Video+HDMI for Audio Without My PC Detecting an Imaginary
Hey all,

I just got the new 27" Acer 3D monitor which comes with the 3D Vision transmitter built in and a pair of nVIDIA's 3D glasses and so far I am loving it. The problem I have is I use the HDMI out on my GTX570 for my audio which is plugged into my home theater receiver. This (for obvious reasons) was never a problem before being that HDMI was fine for both audio and video but now that I need to use a Dual Link DVI cable in order to get proper 3D playback in games I'm having to set my system up for dual monitors (one for the DVI and one for the HDMI so I can still get audio) even though I only really have one display. I know I'm probably in the vast minority here and I don't know how many nVIDIA employees who could look into this actually visit this forum (or if what I'm asking is even possible) but is there any chance in future drivers that nVIDIA can set up an option for people like me to turn HDMI video output "off" but keep the audio on so our PCs properly detect that we are only using a single monitor? I know there is the option to turn off the audio but keep the video, I'm just hoping that having the opposite option would be a possible and hopefully easy addition (as easy as adding exceptions/options to existing drivers can be anyway) to future driver versions.

I'm only bringing this up because I've been having some issues with certain games not displaying properly, a large drop in FPS in some cases and crashing where I've never had these problems prior, all this without having 3D on and the only change to my system has been the new monitor and having to use a dual display setup with a single monitor. I've tried both dual monitor display options (spanning the desktop between "both" displays and duplicating the desktop on each) and they both cause some funky issues. When I unplug the HDMI cable or just turn off the second display (which also turns off the audio) so the drivers only show a single monitor everything runs like normal unfortunately for me this isn't an option... I like my audio and my current setup too much to sacrifice it or change it if I don't absolutely have to. /haha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':haha:' /> It would also be nice to be able to use my whole desktop without randomly loosing things (it seems I'm loss prone in both the real world and the digital one) on my new imaginary second display. /wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> (The spanning option seems to be the more stable of the two for me)

I am currently using Windows 7 x64 Pro (all current) and driver version 270.51 though I did install 266.58 and 267.24 to see if there were any stability changes but there were none so I'm pretty sure it's more an issue with running dual displays in general or with a single monitor than it is a pure driver issue.


Thanks for reading and for any help that may be offered in assisting me with this "issue",

xGryfter.
Hey all,



I just got the new 27" Acer 3D monitor which comes with the 3D Vision transmitter built in and a pair of nVIDIA's 3D glasses and so far I am loving it. The problem I have is I use the HDMI out on my GTX570 for my audio which is plugged into my home theater receiver. This (for obvious reasons) was never a problem before being that HDMI was fine for both audio and video but now that I need to use a Dual Link DVI cable in order to get proper 3D playback in games I'm having to set my system up for dual monitors (one for the DVI and one for the HDMI so I can still get audio) even though I only really have one display. I know I'm probably in the vast minority here and I don't know how many nVIDIA employees who could look into this actually visit this forum (or if what I'm asking is even possible) but is there any chance in future drivers that nVIDIA can set up an option for people like me to turn HDMI video output "off" but keep the audio on so our PCs properly detect that we are only using a single monitor? I know there is the option to turn off the audio but keep the video, I'm just hoping that having the opposite option would be a possible and hopefully easy addition (as easy as adding exceptions/options to existing drivers can be anyway) to future driver versions.



I'm only bringing this up because I've been having some issues with certain games not displaying properly, a large drop in FPS in some cases and crashing where I've never had these problems prior, all this without having 3D on and the only change to my system has been the new monitor and having to use a dual display setup with a single monitor. I've tried both dual monitor display options (spanning the desktop between "both" displays and duplicating the desktop on each) and they both cause some funky issues. When I unplug the HDMI cable or just turn off the second display (which also turns off the audio) so the drivers only show a single monitor everything runs like normal unfortunately for me this isn't an option... I like my audio and my current setup too much to sacrifice it or change it if I don't absolutely have to. /haha.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':haha:' /> It would also be nice to be able to use my whole desktop without randomly loosing things (it seems I'm loss prone in both the real world and the digital one) on my new imaginary second display. /wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> (The spanning option seems to be the more stable of the two for me)



I am currently using Windows 7 x64 Pro (all current) and driver version 270.51 though I did install 266.58 and 267.24 to see if there were any stability changes but there were none so I'm pretty sure it's more an issue with running dual displays in general or with a single monitor than it is a pure driver issue.





Thanks for reading and for any help that may be offered in assisting me with this "issue",



xGryfter.

#1
Posted 04/08/2011 06:28 PM   
Hi

Why dont you just use your motherboard's digital audio connector to go to your receiver?
Hi



Why dont you just use your motherboard's digital audio connector to go to your receiver?

#2
Posted 04/08/2011 06:31 PM   
[quote name='andrewf@nvidia' date='08 April 2011 - 11:31 AM' timestamp='1302287467' post='1221554']
Hi

Why dont you just use your motherboard's digital audio connector to go to your receiver?
[/quote]

Because I'm not that smart... Seriously though, I've used it in the past and nVIDIA's (your) audio solution is much better than my motherboards when it comes to outputting audio through my receiver. For some reason, unless a game uses the actual Dolby Digital 5.1 codec it will only output in stereo mode (it won't even let me select my speaker setup in windows) where as using the HDMI connector seems to pass through all 5.1 audio Dolby Digital or otherwise and keeps it intact for my receiver to output appropriately. Also, it just always works, no dicking around messing with settings every time a game does something different or a video uses an odd codec. I plug in the HDMI cable, tell windows I have a 5.1 setup and what audio formats it's capable of decoding and leave it at that, no issues.

EDIT:
I also wanted to add, for the cards that support DTS-MA and DD-HD Bit-Streaming, using HDMI is essential. I have a GTX460 in my HTPC specifically for HD audio play back and while I don't do a lot of gaming on it it would be nice not to have to constantly change connections around every time I wanted to go from watching a Blu Ray to playing a 3D Vision based game.
[quote name='andrewf@nvidia' date='08 April 2011 - 11:31 AM' timestamp='1302287467' post='1221554']

Hi



Why dont you just use your motherboard's digital audio connector to go to your receiver?





Because I'm not that smart... Seriously though, I've used it in the past and nVIDIA's (your) audio solution is much better than my motherboards when it comes to outputting audio through my receiver. For some reason, unless a game uses the actual Dolby Digital 5.1 codec it will only output in stereo mode (it won't even let me select my speaker setup in windows) where as using the HDMI connector seems to pass through all 5.1 audio Dolby Digital or otherwise and keeps it intact for my receiver to output appropriately. Also, it just always works, no dicking around messing with settings every time a game does something different or a video uses an odd codec. I plug in the HDMI cable, tell windows I have a 5.1 setup and what audio formats it's capable of decoding and leave it at that, no issues.



EDIT:

I also wanted to add, for the cards that support DTS-MA and DD-HD Bit-Streaming, using HDMI is essential. I have a GTX460 in my HTPC specifically for HD audio play back and while I don't do a lot of gaming on it it would be nice not to have to constantly change connections around every time I wanted to go from watching a Blu Ray to playing a 3D Vision based game.

#3
Posted 04/08/2011 07:20 PM   
[quote name='xGryfter' date='08 April 2011 - 02:20 PM' timestamp='1302290427' post='1221572']
Because I'm not that smart... Seriously though, I've used it in the past and nVIDIA's (your) audio solution is much better than my motherboards when it comes to outputting audio through my receiver. For some reason, unless a game uses the actual Dolby Digital 5.1 codec it will only output in stereo mode (it won't even let me select my speaker setup in windows) where as using the HDMI connector seems to pass through all 5.1 audio Dolby Digital or otherwise and keeps it intact for my receiver to output appropriately. Also, it just always works, no dicking around messing with settings every time a game does something different or a video uses an odd codec. I plug in the HDMI cable, tell windows I have a 5.1 setup and what audio formats it's capable of decoding and leave it at that.
[/quote]

Its an interesting idea...I will float the idea around of making the HDMI port just an audio connector.
[quote name='xGryfter' date='08 April 2011 - 02:20 PM' timestamp='1302290427' post='1221572']

Because I'm not that smart... Seriously though, I've used it in the past and nVIDIA's (your) audio solution is much better than my motherboards when it comes to outputting audio through my receiver. For some reason, unless a game uses the actual Dolby Digital 5.1 codec it will only output in stereo mode (it won't even let me select my speaker setup in windows) where as using the HDMI connector seems to pass through all 5.1 audio Dolby Digital or otherwise and keeps it intact for my receiver to output appropriately. Also, it just always works, no dicking around messing with settings every time a game does something different or a video uses an odd codec. I plug in the HDMI cable, tell windows I have a 5.1 setup and what audio formats it's capable of decoding and leave it at that.





Its an interesting idea...I will float the idea around of making the HDMI port just an audio connector.

#4
Posted 04/08/2011 07:40 PM   
[quote name='andrewf@nvidia' date='08 April 2011 - 12:40 PM' timestamp='1302291620' post='1221580']
Its an interesting idea...I will float the idea around of making the HDMI port just an audio connector.
[/quote]


Thank you, I take my audio (and video) very seriously (yes, I'm a bit of an AV snob) and want the best sound quality I can get and right now, with setups like mine and all the weird decisions Microsoft made when it comes to processing audio in windows 7 using your (nVIDIA's) audio out via HDMI is the best and (in what is a very rare occurrence) easiest option so I really do appreciate you floating this idea to your driver teams... hopefully they like it.
[quote name='andrewf@nvidia' date='08 April 2011 - 12:40 PM' timestamp='1302291620' post='1221580']

Its an interesting idea...I will float the idea around of making the HDMI port just an audio connector.







Thank you, I take my audio (and video) very seriously (yes, I'm a bit of an AV snob) and want the best sound quality I can get and right now, with setups like mine and all the weird decisions Microsoft made when it comes to processing audio in windows 7 using your (nVIDIA's) audio out via HDMI is the best and (in what is a very rare occurrence) easiest option so I really do appreciate you floating this idea to your driver teams... hopefully they like it.

#5
Posted 04/08/2011 07:54 PM   
I would just like to second that I use the GTX560ti in a very similar setup- DVI-D to a Viewsonic 3D screen (VX2265wm), yet the audio via HDMI to my receiver for convenient surround-sound setup. It would be REALLY nice to be able to disable the display for the receiver as currently it shows up as a ghost screen which occasionally has windows open in it, etc.
I would just like to second that I use the GTX560ti in a very similar setup- DVI-D to a Viewsonic 3D screen (VX2265wm), yet the audio via HDMI to my receiver for convenient surround-sound setup. It would be REALLY nice to be able to disable the display for the receiver as currently it shows up as a ghost screen which occasionally has windows open in it, etc.

#6
Posted 07/08/2011 06:49 PM   
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