Solved! Need thoughts on using new TV as both a monitor and TV

[luthierwnc]

Hi All,

I've just gotten a 32-inch 1080p TV to go in my home office. I plan to use it both as a TV and as a third monitor. The resolution is good enough for occasional use. I'm also replacing my stereo receiver with a 7.1 unit (will only use 5.1). That will drive two existing fronts and rears and a small sub. I'll add a center channel I have laying around. A better description of the gear is below.

The new receiver is still in the mail but I've had some successful visual tests. The PC has a GPU with HDMI, DVI and DisplayPorts. The first two drive existing monitors. I got a DP to HDMI converter and plugged it into the non-ARC port on the TV and it works great -- after I convinced the PC not to use the Samsung audio driver. I'm using a little DAC now but probably won't in the next iteration for lack of legacy inputs. Strangely, I could have used the motherboard HDMI port. In previous Window versions I had to disable that but in Win 10, it works fine.

It's the audio that confuses me. Most of the time I use this for old-fashioned stereo. I'm wondering if I should use the spare HDMI out directly to the receiver or if I can accomplish that with the cables I mentioned. Come to that, should one of HDMIs from the GPU go to the receiver and into the TV through the ARC port? The PC doesn't have a Toslink out but I can probably organize that pretty cheaply if HDMI isn't simple enough.

If you have any thoughts, I hope you'll share them. And thanks for looking, sh

Gear: i5 PC plenty of RAM and storage
Radeon HD 7750 with HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort
Working mobo HDMI port
Denon AVS-E400 receiver with HDMI, ARC, Audyssey -- but only 2 RCA ins
Samsung TV
(note; all three components are hardwired to the household LAN)
Plenty of speakers
boxes of spare cables, cords and gizmo's

 

[jay32267]

I have two systems set up with TVs as the main display. What I do is....I come out of the TV headphone jack and go to the amp. This way I can control the volume with the TV remote.

 

[americanaudiophile]

Unless you are playing video with lossless audio like Dolby TrueHD an optical or coax digital audio out from the PC will work as well as going to the receiver with HDMI. The analog audio out of the PC will not be as good sounding as the digital audio output even in stereo.
You could go from the PC HDMI into the receiver and then to the TV. Other external sources could be connected to the receiver.

 

[luthierwnc]

Thank you both. Jay32267, there isn't a headphone out on the TV. I don't think they come that way anymore. americanaudiophile; the PC doesn't have SPDIF out either. I used an SMSL USB DAC with RCA out to the stereo but that won't figure into this mix.

I've moved a little bit ahead in my confusion All of the video is working fine but sound is more complicated than I'd like. The GPU (HDMI, DVI, DP) goes to the two existing monitors and the non-ARC TV input. I have another HDMI from the motherboard going directly to the receiver.

As near as I can tell, the ARC port wants to be the boss. I can't get sound through the receiver unless the TV is on -- whether as a TV or as the third monitor. I have an HDMI extractor on order so I can run one of the spare PC HDMIs through a Toslink into the receiver hoping to cut that corner. That might approximate americanaudiophile's suggestion about optical.

Most of the time when I'm on the computer I don't use the third monitor and would rather not have it on.

I might be making more of this than needed but it would be good to know. Thanks again and if something comes to mind, I hope you'll share it. sh