Radeon HDMI Audio Set For Linux 2.6.33 Kernel

[n0nsense]

*raises hand* I've got a receiver with multiple HDMI inputs, and I'd love to be able to run a single HDMI audio/video cable from my Mythbox (780G motherboard) to my receiver. I'm currently using a DVI->HDMI adapter for video and optical cable for audio, but anything to reduce the rat's nest of cables behind my receiver is welcome.

Even though you have a receiver with no HDMI inputs, does your TV have digital audio out? I've got it on mine, and so if needed, I could run HDMI from htpc to TV, and then forward the audio over a digital output to the receiver.

So yeah, if you don't have the right inputs/outputs on your tv/receiver, running the a/v separately could be needed, but that's not the only usage scenario out there.

I got the point
But with any setup, you need two cables (no matter what type).
One to receiver and another to TV.
So it's practical in case that your PC is far enough from TV/receiver.
Anyway it's good to have more features.
What is more important for me is video playback ability/quality, so HTPC is built around C2D + 9400 IGP. I tend to forget that i have no more ATI GPUs at home.

[fa5hion]

The receiver doesn't need HDMI connections. Most TV's have an optical output, so the audio signal goes Computer --> TV (via HDMI) --> Receiver (via optical). No sound degradation due to being digital the whole way through.

Have you actually tried this kind of setup? Most TVs only let you output digital sound from the internal tuner (no HDMI to SPDIF routing). And this digital output is sometimes capable of outputting only two channels. What TV brand/model are you using?

Sound over HDMI is the way to go for HTPC users.

[deanjo]

The receiver doesn't need HDMI connections. Most TV's have an optical output, so the audio signal goes Computer --> TV (via HDMI) --> Receiver (via optical). No sound degradation due to being digital the whole way through.

Unfortunately going this route usually disables the ability to play protected streams. When this kind of configuration is used you will usually be treated with stereo sound as the HDCP has been compromised. Of course without the ability to play such streams in linux without stripping the DRM is not currently possible anyways.

[linuxjacques]

Will this let me play HD audio formats from my computer?

Computer -> HDMI -> Receiver

I'm currently using TOSlink but that doesn't have the bandwidth for HD.

[HokTar]

Will this let me play HD audio formats from my computer?

As far as I know it supports 7.1 audio channels, so most probably yes. And it's digital, of course.

[Hephasteus]

Who uses audio in HDMI? People with HTPC's?

If I ever set up a 2 seat system. I'll just use main sound board for one seat and hang some powered speakers off the 2nd monitor.

[grege]

98% (a percentage that is a mere starting guess) of people using ATI cards are NOT running HTPCs, they are just normal desktops. So what? The HDMI driver grabs sound card zero and effectively mutes your computer. The savvy user knows this and edits /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf to move the HDMI sound to -2. The noob goes wtf? and goes back to Windows. If it is part of the kernel then the sound output from the soundcard will not work right from the start.

Just my two cents worth. I have a desktop with an HD3450 that does not have HDMI, yet the driver makes the device anyway so i had to fix my sound up. I also have an HTPC running a Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard with onboard HD3200 and it does have HDMI sound, which I do not use for the reasons given above. The output from the TV is nobbled for DRM requirements so I need Optical spdif out to my amp. Again I had to work at fixing the sound. One day I will replace my amp with an HDMI model, but my current amp is working well so it will not be for a long time.

I am a 12 year plus Linux user, and I worked out the problem and solution without effort. A noob is going to struggle with even where to start.

[grege]

I am a Sidux user and the wonderful people who package Sidux have made the latest drivers available in the repos. My machine with an HD3450 now runs the open source radeon driver with desktop effects and xv acceleration. So far it has been rock solid. It is also installed on my HTPC and works just as well with the onboard HD3200.

A big thank you to those who have slaved away to create the radeon driver.

[n0nsense]

98% (a percentage that is a mere starting guess) of people using ATI cards are NOT running HTPCs, they are just normal desktops. So what? The HDMI driver grabs sound card zero and effectively mutes your computer. The savvy user knows this and edits /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf to move the HDMI sound to -2. The noob goes wtf? and goes back to Windows. If it is part of the kernel then the sound output from the soundcard will not work right from the start.

Just my two cents worth. I have a desktop with an HD3450 that does not have HDMI, yet the driver makes the device anyway so i had to fix my sound up. I also have an HTPC running a Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard with onboard HD3200 and it does have HDMI sound, which I do not use for the reasons given above. The output from the TV is nobbled for DRM requirements so I need Optical spdif out to my amp. Again I had to work at fixing the sound. One day I will replace my amp with an HDMI model, but my current amp is working well so it will not be for a long time.

I am a 12 year plus Linux user, and I worked out the problem and solution without effort. A noob is going to struggle with even where to start.

There are more frustrating things
Can't call myself a newbie, but still couldn't find a way to disable playback from mic on X31 without muting mic. Sound on Linux is a mess. And configuration is anything but easy and intuitive.

[droidhacker]

98% (a percentage that is a mere starting guess) of people using ATI cards are NOT running HTPCs, they are just normal desktops. So what? The HDMI driver grabs sound card zero and effectively mutes your computer. The savvy user knows this and edits /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf to move the HDMI sound to -2. The noob goes wtf? and goes back to Windows. If it is part of the kernel then the sound output from the soundcard will not work right from the start.

Just my two cents worth. I have a desktop with an HD3450 that does not have HDMI, yet the driver makes the device anyway so i had to fix my sound up. I also have an HTPC running a Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard with onboard HD3200 and it does have HDMI sound, which I do not use for the reasons given above. The output from the TV is nobbled for DRM requirements so I need Optical spdif out to my amp. Again I had to work at fixing the sound. One day I will replace my amp with an HDMI model, but my current amp is working well so it will not be for a long time.

I am a 12 year plus Linux user, and I worked out the problem and solution without effort. A noob is going to struggle with even where to start.

Something wrong with your distro pal, F12 with RHD -- audio *just works* out of the mainboard soundcard with no issues. The problems only happen when you tell PA to use the RHD soundcard, but that is to be expected. Certainly isn't going to scare off any newb's when it *just works*.