HDMI? Never "heard" of it until now

[rocktivity]

Last edited Thu Dec 22, 2022, 11:17 PM - Edit history (8)

I grew up turning up the bass and turning down the treble on the stereo, which evolved into pushing up all the levers on the graphic equalizers on the stereo. As the home computer age favored digital over analog recording, I came to miss that warm, natural, 3-dimensional vinyl-y sound where you didn't have to increase volume to increase audio quality.

About five months ago I had to cough up twenty dollars for new computer speakers, and last week I had to replace my monitor. I had used a DVI-to-HDMI cable on my old monitor, while my new monitor has HDMI and VGA sockets. I decided to get a HDMI cable instead of a VGA-to-HDMI cable or VGA adapter simply because their prices was about the same, and besides, how much of a difference would it make? Such a difference, it turned out, I was compelled to do some research on the subject -- apparently, HDMI enhances the audio as well video signal!

While my new monitor's sky-high graphic and video resolution is indeed dazzling, it's no match for what I'm hearing: My natural 3-D analog vibe has returned, and my speakers now sound like they cost five times as much! No more "cranking it to crank it" -- so I get to appreciate the DU Music Appreciation Group all over again!


rocktivity

[Guppy]

1. if you really want to improve your sound

Get a pair of radio shack minimus 7's off of ebay. They cost around $50. Also get a cheap breeze amp $25.00 and use an old computer power supply. last get a piece of software by the name of fx sound. There is an audio version only for $25.00. The software uncompresses the signal.

I have the first level of HIFI in my regular system. I have 2 turntables both worth in excess of $500.00 cartridges worth $300-$500. Preamps and amplifiers worth a $1,000 and speakers worth $1500.

The radio shack speakers are surprisingly good. the cheap amp is fine and the fx sound is quite good.

[mr_lebowski]

2. I don't understand how having HDMI running to your monitor is affecting your ...

Sound from your computer speakers. Are the speakers not plugged in via a mini-jack to the sound-out on the back panel of your PC?

Or does your monitor have a mini-jack that's a sound-out that your speakers are plugged into?

Or are you just saying you have a couple extra speakers going now that are built into your monitor that you're powering via HDMI?

Nothing you listen to on your computer will ever truly be 'analog', btw

[rocktivity]

3. Your first guess, I guess: they're plugged into my computer's sound out/earphone jack and the wall

Last edited Thu Dec 22, 2022, 11:24 PM - Edit history (4)

so it's the audio capability of HDMI that must be what's giving my speakers a boost


rocktivity

[mr_lebowski]

5. U might just be hearing addt'l sound out of your monitor speakers in that case ;)

Those are the only speakers that are getting 'hdmi sound' in the setup you describe. Using DVI to HDMI won't transmit sound to one's monitor but as you say, straight HDMI does do so.

[rocktivity]

6. And to think that if I had ordered a HDMI to VGA cable or a VGA adapter instead

Last edited Sat Nov 19, 2022, 11:37 AM - Edit history (3)

(which I WOULD have if they had cost significantly less), I would have made the same mistake all over again...


rocktivity

[mr_lebowski]

7. You definitely never want to use VGA mate ...

That's 'analog' in a way you definitely wouldn't appreciate.

First choice should be DisplayPort if you have support for it on both ends, after that, HDMI, then DVI (same as hdmi but no sound and doesn't support as high a max resolution as the newest hdmi standard), and basically avoid VGA like the plague.

The sound over displayport and hdmi are the same though.

[rocktivity]

8. VGA is dead to me -- got it

Last edited Fri Sep 28, 2018, 11:04 PM - Edit history (1)

And without even trying, you've also managed to explain my new monitor's forty percent markdown! Thanks, all!


rocktivity

[better]

4. That's not all HDMI does...

Also supports xvYCC color (~30% increase in color spectrum, though this only works if the entire signal chain is compliant, and the source media has it), as well as supporting a number of other features, like CEC which every mfr calls something different like BraviaLink (Sony), and which allows things like powerering up your DVD player to turn on your television and switch to the correct input. And beyond that, modern generations of HDMI can also support ethernet.