WAF killing HDMI audio issue with GA-MA78GM-S2H

[dwebkombi]

8.9 drivers are working well for me . Previously I could only use 8.5

[StarTV]

Thanks dwebkombi, I might give the latest drivers a go. I'm getting video tearing when watching clips on youtube - hoping that will fix the problem.

[GazJ]

Hi guys,

I'm also experiencing a similar lack of audio after putting my Panasonic Plasma into standby, although my HDMI is via my graphics card. I've tried catalyst 8.5, 8.7 and 8.9 and none of them fixed the issue as mentioned below in this thread No sound with HDMI when TV wakes from standby?.

Originally Posted by GazJ

Is this still an issue for anyone else?

I tried installing Cataylst 8.5 (I have also tried 8.8 & 8.9) and when I suspended my Panasonic Plasma and turn it back on I loose audio via HDMI. I'm using a HD3450 video card (which has on board HDMI and audio).

So far I have tried:
- On the plasma forcing it to use digital audio over HDMI (opposed to using analogue or the tv automatically detecting)
- I've tried using both Vistas default and the ATI HDMI Audio driver (2.03).
- When I use the ATI audio driver vista tells me the audio device is unplugged when I turn the tv back on; when I use the vista driver it says it is plugged in and working (I just can't hear any sound).
- Restarting or login on/off fixes the problem.
- Unplugging the HDMI cable from the TV and replugging it in also fixes it.

If I can't fix this I might have to use analogue audio (but that defeats the aim of having a single cable connection!).

Thanks in advance,
Gareth.

Any other thoughts? I haven't tried HDMIon, but apparently that will work (but it isn't really a fix, more like a work around - definitely better than restarting). My other issue is that it doesn't happen every time I put my TV into standby - the last few times it hasn't happened at all (touchwood the problem is fixed).

Thanks Gareth

[dwebkombi]

Originally Posted by GazJ

Hi guys,

I'm also experiencing a similar lack of audio after putting my Panasonic Plasma into standby, although my HDMI is via my graphics card. I've tried catalyst 8.5, 8.7 and 8.9 and none of them fixed the issue as mentioned below in this thread

Thanks Gareth

Drivers are funny things ... If it plays up again try 8.6 or 8.8

[StarTV]

GazJ, I have read in another forum where people have programmed a button on their remote to start HDMIon.exe (I see you have a harmony 555 so you should be able to do this). Maybe that might be a solution for you whenever the sound is lost but I'd still persist in finding a driver that works.

BTW, how do you like the TV. I'm more than happy with mine. Got it for under $1200! Best electronic component I've bought in a long time. Bang for entertainment buck is fantastic!

I noticed that the graphics card you are using is something I may consider in the future. The on board GPU is fine but I still find the picture lacks a little depth and is some what softer when compared to the TV. That is when I switch from a FTA HD channel on the HTPC to the TV input I notice more detail in the picture. A review I read the other day compared the HD3200 to the HD3450 and it concluded that the later had better PQ.

[brd62]

It seems putting my HTPC to sleep via the MS remote power button, BEFORE turing off the AVR and TV, then reversing the order to turn back on, has cured my problem.
I had assumed leaving the HTPC on was the safest way- obviosly wrongly
Can't believe I didnt try that earlier
Interested to read the review comparing onboard 3200 graphics with dedicated 3450 card in PQ - can you post the link StarTV?

Cheers

[StarTV]

Glad you found a work around.

It is actually a review on the HD3450 with a quick comparison at the end with the on board HD3200. This link directs you to that part at the end of the review:

overclockersclub hd3450

[GazJ]

Thanks guys, StarTV I am currently investigating how to customise the Harmony 555 remote to activate HDMIon.. Any ideas? (I'm currently going through the forum for more info).

In regards to my tv - we are loving it. Got it just before the olympics games and it is great! The media centre (which I've only just finished) looks crystal clear on it running in 1920x1080 resolution via HDMI and it works well (apart from the occasional audio issue to be resolved). I did look at the TH-42PX70A series, but decided to go the full HD (for futureproof) and to get the latest/largest I could afford (mine cost around $2500).

I am very happy with the Powercolor HD3450 as my criteria for graphics card was on board HDMI, fanless and preferably only single slot (or at least not a full double slot) - which mine meets all. Best of all it was only $55 which was much less than I had budgeted for. I can't compare the PQ vs on board as my motherboard doesn't have a GPU (and likewise I'm relatively new to HTPC so I haven't compared many others), but I don't see any difference in PQ between the FTA HD via my HTPC compared to through the tuner in the Plasma. Orginally I was thinking of using a hybrid crossfire solution but didn't end up with one with my motherboard.

dwebkombi, thanks for the tip - again so far it seems to be working well - but if I have any more issues I'll try the remaining drivers and see if they help. At the moment I agree with brd62 as turning the tv on first before waking the media centre seems to work the best. If I program the logitect remote to do this and then assign a button to run HDMIon if this doesn't work then I think that will be an acceptible solution.

Thanks all,
Gareth.

[StarTV]

Originally Posted by GazJ

Thanks guys, StarTV I am currently investigating how to customise the Harmony 555 remote to activate HDMIon.. Any ideas? (I'm currently going through the forum for more info).

Sorry can't help you here but I think you will have to assign a short cut key to the exe and then mimick that on the remote. Maybe someone else could give advice on that one.

With regards to the graphics card I think I'll stick with the on board one for now. Maybe if I get bluray in the future I may consider it. The difference is only minimal and you can only really tell when you do a direct AB test and most would not see it, but I tend to get fussy about these things. Do you find that it takes up two slots with the heat sink? It may interfere with the tuner card.

BTW what settings have you set your card to? Mine is on 1920 x 1080 60Hz and most other things standard apart from a little upscaling. I'm new to this and don't really know if this is the best setting. I also have a lower setting for when I surf the net. To switch between the two I have assigned hot keys.

Also do you get any video tearing when you watch youtube clips?

If you had bought the TH-42PX70A you still would have been happy plus they're dirt cheap. The only draw back is fuzzy type when on the net but I simply change the res as explained above.

[GazJ]

Originally Posted by StarTV

Do you find that it takes up two slots with the heat sink? It may interfere with the tuner card.

It does take up more than 1 (just more than a single one), but that means if you are reliant on the adjacent slot the graphics card isn't suitable as the heatsink will get in the way (see picture).

Originally Posted by StarTV

BTW what settings have you set your card to? Mine is on 1920 x 1080 60Hz

I've also got mine set to 1920x1080 at 60 Hz, but that is the native resolution of my TV so it is very clear - I can surf the net from the couch and the text is perfectly clear. I haven't watched any youtube, but abcview looks quite good considering the bandwidth of the videos. I haven't experimented with the refresh rates to what is the best setting.

[StarTV]

For the record, I tried the latest 8.9 catalyst video driver and I still lost the sound over the HDMI cable after the TV had been switched off then on. Reinstalled ver 8.5 and all is fine.

How is it that a problem can be fixed in a driver update only to materialise in a later version?