Watching TV using the PC

OK lets clear-up a few things:

your first options sounds the best


your second option will not work cause your PC does not have an "hdmi input" those are outputs, your TV card will give you video/audio inputs, which is why you couldn't figure out where to go with the audio.

sound is a matter of perception, if you are big on sound then odds are you better go with a razor sound card. if sound is not that big of a deal to you, a good mombo has a 7.1 audio, so that should be great for you.

Its been a while since I got a TV card but this was true back then, not sure if it still stands:

if you plan to capture(record) anything you will be limited to a 720 resolution limit (again check and make sure this problem still exists) they use to have this for people who try to pirate shows (like myself )

ou can always use an remote rca system (cordless)from the box to your pc. $100.

they have a HD remote system also but it will cost you a good $700.

oh if he wants to go from the cable box to the monitor then he can,

you can get the sound to the monitor by a converter and a spliter

I use converters and have not found any problem with them.

the inputs audio/video for the pc are only in the tv card, all the other cards do output only.

are you talking about the mic line in?

hmm can't say I have seen the line in. perhaps your mombo does have one, if you have an input then ya you can use that.

http://www.techpowerup.com/img/08-10-06/asus_rampage_ii_extreme_07.jpg

@DST: Really?  You've never seen Line In before?  Here's an example.  It's the first input on that soundcard.  The red one right under Line Out is Mic In.


Edited by Axel Daemon - 06 Oct 2008 at 7:52pm

@DST: What about Mic In?  To answer your question from before "Are you talking about Mic Line In".  No I'm not. 

Line In/Digital In can be used so that if you have an external audio source that you want to hear through say your computer speakers/headphones.  You use that.  I'm surpirsed you haven't heard of Line In, even Xonar and Creative sound cards have this.  Oh and yes my motherboard has Line In, (not to mention Digital In and Out, RCA types though)

If you're saying that Mic In and Line In work and function the same way.  I could agree with that, I'll try using my Mic In on my computer to see if I get PS2 sounds out of my headphones...

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@DL13:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/videotron/Scientific%20Atlanta/Terminals/Back8300HD.jpg

http://www.timewarnercable.com/media/49/Content%20Management/Customer%20Service/images/equipment_images/sa_8300HDDVR_2_large.gif

Here's your cable box I presume.  HD8300.

Let's see....

You got HDMI, Component, Composite and S-Video for video ouputs... so yeah you're good to go for HDMI....

As for the Audio.... yeah you actually have two options for HD Audio.  Coaxial and Toslink Optical.  Coaxial is the one that says "Digital Audio Out"

Toslink Optical is the one that says "Optical Audio Out"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spdif  Here's a difference (in appearance) between S/pifs and Coaxials, there's actually no quality difference as both types are equivalent in performance.  At least that's what I was told ahaha.  It just simply gives you more options and flexibility.

As for 780i and 790i having Line In.  Yes they do.  And in terms of quality.  I have a prebuilt by HP, and it's like... almost three yrs old right now, whatever I hear is probably gonna sound alot better with what you're gonna use.  PS2 sounds glorious for me personally.  You're gonna have to modify the "Line In" volume level to match whatever your default Master Volume is gonna be, too loud and you're gonna end up hearing the feedback in the background during times when there's complete silence in console games/movies.  (Most likely with horror games lol)  Then again like I said my mobo is old, 780i and 790i "Line In" might not have that feedback issue at all.  Or if you're planning on using Digital In then feedback sound might not occur at all. (Never had a chance to try this yet... will be able to once I order my computer from DS ahaha)

Though if you do plan on going Digital In, the 780i/790i motherboards don't have Digital In.  (Sound Cards cover this issue though)

Just to cover several methods here (this is assuming you're gonna go with choice 2)

Scenario 1:  Using the RCA female outputs (the red and white audio outputs)  To transmit the signals to your computer You'd need something like this.  This is if you're just gonna go with standard stereo sound through two speakers/headphones more or less.

Scenario 2: For Digital Audio.... you're pretty much gonna need an Audio Card for that Digital Input (color coded black, and this isn't the 3.5 stereo output called "rear" I'm talking about here.)

If you do go with a Sound card such as Xonar D2X, or Creative's Fatal1ty for example.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132005&Tpk=Xonar%20D2x

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/29-132-005-08.jpg  Here's the accessories that come with Xonar D2X.  Though I think the adapters are currently connected on the "s/dpif optical adapter", cause I was confused about the package contents of the Xonar D2X that is shown on Newegg till I dled the manual online to checked.

"• S/PDIF TOSLINK optical adaptors x2
• S/PDIF TOSLINK optical cable x1"

So yeah, same with Fatal1tys packaging of accessories too.  For anyone who wondered what that funky Digital Out that PS2's and PS3's had, that's the kind of cable you're gonna use.


Edited by Axel Daemon - 06 Oct 2008 at 8:53pm

And people thought Video cables were a -beep-. 

Excellent info.  Thanks.

AD is correct line in is the one to use the mic in as AD says will kill sound quality.

on a different note, I used to have my tv hocked up to my pc, but then it got old real quick but I still wanted pc and tv.

so, I put a pc infront of my tv, lol so now I see both.

no wires or anything, the sound is great, the graphics are great, both can work at the same time

Edited by DST4ME - 06 Oct 2008 at 9:20pm