DisplayPort to HDMI

Forums › Online streaming services › DisplayPort to HDMI - audio?

Kookoo

787 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#177704 11-Aug-2015 23:46

This is one I never thought I'd need to deal with until I got myself NEON subscription. Since NEON doesn't cast over Chromecast I need to hook up my PC to the TV with a cable.
I've got an ASUS Radeon HD7850 graphics card with 1 x HDMI port (that I used for the primary display) and 1 x DisplayPort that I want to use for the TV.
The TV only has HDMI inputs.

Constraint - I often use the primary display speakers, so the single HDMI port has to be used for the primary display.

Question - will a simple passive DisplayPort to HDMI adapter allow sound passthrough to my TV?

Hello, Ground!

richms

28168 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1363302 11-Aug-2015 23:50

Worked for me on my nvidia card. Shows as another sound device, but as neon cant choose one you have to set the default so you will get system sounds at loudest explosion in the movie volumes.

Richard rich.ms

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1363304 11-Aug-2015 23:56

Worked for me on my Surface 3 with a Display Port to HDMI adaptor. So much easier than messing around with a VGA cable and separate audio cables.

richms

28168 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1363305 11-Aug-2015 23:59

ewwww vga cables. Those are something that should be relegated to history quickly!

Richard rich.ms

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1363307 12-Aug-2015 00:06

richms: ewwww vga cables. Those are something that should be relegated to history quickly!

Yeah but most conference rooms are stuck with old projectors that only support VGA. So I also bought a Display Port to VGA adaptor for my Surface 3 and have all the bases covered.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#1363310 12-Aug-2015 00:59

Kookoo: This is one I never thought I'd need to deal with until I got myself NEON subscription. Since NEON doesn't cast over Chromecast I need to hook up my PC to the TV with a cable.
I've got an ASUS Radeon HD7850 graphics card with 1 x HDMI port (that I used for the primary display) and 1 x DisplayPort that I want to use for the TV.
The TV only has HDMI inputs.

Constraint - I often use the primary display speakers, so the single HDMI port has to be used for the primary display.

Question - will a simple passive DisplayPort to HDMI adapter allow sound passthrough to my TV?

It didn't pass audio on my PC, just graphics.

Kookoo

787 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1363313 12-Aug-2015 01:19

Hmm. Looks like it works for some, doesn't work for others. Perhaps a specific brand/spec of an adapter that I should go for?

Hello, Ground!

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1363409 12-Aug-2015 08:58

Kookoo: Hmm. Looks like it works for some, doesn't work for others. Perhaps a specific brand/spec of an adapter that I should go for?

I think it's more to do with your Video Card than with the adaptor used. If you don't see the second port as an audio device within control panel then it's not going to work. I'm guessing that only the primary HDMI port on your video card has sound enabled.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

trig42

5809 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1363414 12-Aug-2015 09:08

Another option would be an HDMI switch:
http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/tv-video/2-way-hdmi-switcher-w-remote-dsnz-la46801

Kookoo

787 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1363422 12-Aug-2015 09:17

trig42: Another option would be an HDMI switch:
http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/tv-video/2-way-hdmi-switcher-w-remote-dsnz-la46801

True, but it's not ideal. If I use a HDMI switcher on the PC side I lose the ability to extend my desktop onto the TV screen which is pretty convenient.

Hello, Ground!

trig42

5809 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1363425 12-Aug-2015 09:26

Yes true. In that case the DP to HDMI is your best bet.

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1363426 12-Aug-2015 09:27

Here's another way to tackle the problem:

Switch your TV to the primary port
Use a Display Port to HDMI adaptor for your monitor
Connect the speakers in your monitor via the 3.5mm audio input to the motherboard audio out jack

It means an extra audio cable but I can't see any other way around it short of upgrading your video card. I use an NVidia GTX650 which has no problems sending audio out of its secondary port.

Kookoo

787 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1363462 12-Aug-2015 09:46

grant_k: Here's another way to tackle the problem:

Switch your TV to the primary port

Use a Display Port to HDMI adaptor for your monitor

Connect the speakers in your monitor via the 3.5mm audio input to the motherboard audio out jack

It means an extra audio cable but I can't see any other way around it short of upgrading your video card. I use an NVidia GTX650 which has no problems sending audio out of its secondary port.

Yeah I've got a DVI to HDMI adapter and the graphics card has a couple of DVI ports, so I can hook it up that way without buying a new adapter. The downside is that I'm using the on board audio for the headphones which I don't want to stop doing.

I guess the choice I'm trying to make is this:
1) try a cheap DP to HDMI adapter for $7.50
2) If that doesn't work try a more expensive one for $25
3) if that doesn't work try an active one for $50

Or go directly for option 2 or 3

Or try option 1 and if it doesn't work assume that it's a graphics card limitation and just make do with a DVI connection to the primary monitor.

Hello, Ground!

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1363471 12-Aug-2015 09:56

Kookoo: Yeah I've got a DVI to HDMI adapter and the graphics card has a couple of DVI ports, so I can hook it up that way without buying a new adapter. The downside is that I'm using the on board audio for the headphones which I don't want to stop doing.

I guess the choice I'm trying to make is this:
1) try a cheap DP to HDMI adapter for $7.50
2) If that doesn't work try a more expensive one for $25
3) if that doesn't work try an active one for $50

Or go directly for option 2 or 3

Or try option 1 and if it doesn't work assume that it's a graphics card limitation and just make do with a DVI connection to the primary monitor.

TBH I don't expect you'll find any difference between the DP to HDMI adaptors so far as handling sound goes. They're pretty much a generic device and you're just paying extra for branding, packaging, gold-plating or maybe a fancy paint job.

I have the same situation with needing to drive TV / Speakers / Headphones from my PC. My solution to the headphones issue was to buy a small audio switch which is about the size of a pack of playing cards. Voila, 3 audio devices driven by 2 audio outputs.

Kookoo

787 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1366709 15-Aug-2015 01:36

SUCCESS! I decided to err on the side of caution and paid $15 for a converter that had audio listed in its spec.
Plugged it in, updated AMD drivers, and I can now have audio on both the primary monitor and the TV (but not at the same time, obviously).

Thanks for your help everyone.

Hello, Ground!