I have a Gateway GM5442 with an Intel 945G chipset. I have added an NVIDIA 9500 GT to the system for HDMI connectivity. Now I'd like to be able to integrate digital audio from the video card into the on-board audio. I have read that the only way to facilitate this is to use an S/PDIF cord. I have also read that not all chipsets support this connection. Can any of you gurus take a look at the hardware I have on hand and tell me if I can make something work? I'd like to eventually add an Xbox 360 or PS3 to mix and play games...but I'd like to be able to hear them as well. Thanks for any and all advice.
Let me double check what you are asking... You want to use the HDMI audio output device as an input to the onboard audio device? If so, I don't see much point to it; you could just select the onboard audio instead of the HDMI audio. If you are wanting to take the output from your onboard audio and use it as an input for the HDMI audio, you would need a SPDIF cable...but I see little point; you could just select the HDMI audio device as the output instead of the onboard.
Not exactly. As it stands, I have HDMI to the monitor. The monitor has no way of delivering sound, as it is just a monitor. I believe this message sums up the issue a little better: "To enable HDMI audio out function, a motherboard with internal S/PDIF header and the correct connection of S/PDIF cable with graphics card and motherboard are needed."
If your HDMI device does not have sound support, then you don't need the HDMI audio function at all. Just disable it in device manager and use the onboard sound for everything; that is what most people with monitors do.
I have been using on-board audio for everything I've been watching, .flv's, Netflix, etc. However, I have an HDMI switch and want to bring an Xbox360 into the mix. As I think through the connections, I'm not sure how I'll get and sound from the console. Any creative ideas or simple things I'm missing?
Depends on your budget...you could wire a couple of cheap speakers to the stereo outputs for both, or you could get a HDMI compatible audio receiver, and use that to do the switching as well as powering a 7.1 speaker system...or anywhere in between.
