what happened to hdmi video cards?

[pvrdude]

XFX GeForce 7600 GS 400MHZ PCI-E 256MB 128BIT 800MHZ DDR2 HDMI DVI-I HDTV Out Passive Video Card

and

Radeon X1650 Pro HD / 256MB GDDR2 / PCI Express / HDMI / DVI / VGA / HDTV / Video Card

Okay, I am not sure what I'll be doing whether I'll get a LCD TV (most have HDMI now and only a few have DVI). I'd need to use a HDMI to DVI cable (which I have) in order to hook up the tv and computer (to graphics card). But, then it gets complicated but it might be made easier if one obtains/buys a sound card with S/PDIF I/O so that you can hook up audio (to speakers/stereo tuner?).

But, then my digital set top box (I have cable) comes into play somewhere. On the back, I have an Audio Out (L & R) and Digital Audio Out (only one port).

I admit it, it is soooo very confusing to me as I'm not an audiophile or audio expert. I'm interested in music and might be buying a 'recording' sound card for my computer but that's another topic. For the meantime, I am hoping someone could explain to me what I need (or don't need). Currently, I use a ATI Sapphire Radeon X300SE video graphics card. It might be sufficient but I'd still like to learn more about this stuff.

Is the hdmi video card useful still? I'm wondering why they didn't catch on? DVI is not on TV sets that often anymore yet video graphics cards continue to be made with *DUAL* DVI. Am I missing something here?

If I continue to use my LCD monitor, this info is not needed but if I splurge on a LCD HDTV, I would like to understand this technology and related info so I would know what the options are.

I hope I don't sound too dumb or clueless. lol. I also hope this post is interesting to someone and that the answers might also be of interest to others (who read it).

Many thanks in advance to helpful replies!!!

[stustunz]

dvi hdmi are both digital signals
hdmi has both audio and video (basically replacing dvi from what i understand)
dvi is video only but the adapter matches the wires to hdmi
so it doesnt mater if you have a dvi plug or a hdmi plug you can convert it either way
then theres spdif (sony philips digital interface) digital audio
optical digital audio

what i am not sure of is the hdmi video card i dont think it outputs audio (someone may be able to confirm or tell me im wrong)

the hdmi plugs suck they fall out i prefer dvi

your options are analog or digital the plugs on the end of the cable are up to you
at the moment anyway

[sub]

HDMI video card are just starting to appear, like the new ATI HD 2400 and HD 2600 cards, which have HDMI with HDCP and also carry audio (most PC HDMI cards dont carry audio). These sounds like pretty sweet cards for HTPC setups.

[mvallevand]

what i am not sure of is the hdmi video card i dont think it outputs audio (someone may be able to confirm or tell me im wrong)

According to what I've been reading on AVSForum the ADD2 card that I'm planning to add to my system to give me HDMI out also adds an Intel HDMI audio device to my system. I assume something similar would be needed for all HDMI devices.

Martin

[Koenie]

When going for HDMI (or DVI) watch out for the native resolution of your LCD or plasma screen. Many LCD's like mine do not have the standard HD resolutions. I found out that my system did not want to send the non standard resolution to the TV using DVI but uses the next lower or higher res. When playing standard DVD or TV quality content this causes ugly "double scaling" artefacts (the PC scales them to the output resolution and the PC to the pannels native resolution).

I found that connecting my TV via VGA (my Samsung has VGA in) and driving it with its native resolution gave way beter picture quality.

[stustunz]

the nvidia cards you can set it to what you want with add custom resolution
cant you do that with ati cards (long time since i had an ati)

[pvrdude]

the nvidia cards you can set it to what you want with add custom resolution
cant you do that with ati cards (long time since i had an ati)

"Add custom resolution?" Please explain. ;-)

[Torque]

Not sure where it's at in the new driver interface (the Vista control panel looking one). But in the old driver interface, there's an option for advanced, timings... here, i found a screenshot:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/6438/nvidia1xv4.jpg

(might need to copy/paste that URL into your browser for it to work)

Click the Advanced Timing button to set the custom resolution.

[stustunz]

"Add custom resolution?" Please explain. ;-)

you can add custom resolutions in the "screen resolution & refresh rates"
click add and away you go
i normally add refresh rates to match to what ever i am out putting to
it doesnt always acept them but have a play if you have nvidia card that is