Auzentech Home Theater HD 7.1 Coming in July

[ROBSCIX]

06.26.09
Auzentech Anncounced the release of the Auzen Home theater HD 7.1. The official information states the card will be coming out in July for those interested in this card. Here is the offical press release: Auzen HTHD

[NapalmV5]

what took so long ?

[Godofwar424]

Probably some sort of legal requirements they had to aquire before they could finish production.

Most likely software royalties or possibly something to do with unavailable hardware.

It could be anything but nobody will know unless you work for Auzentech and are reasonably high up.

Its finally coming though.

[pingpong1455]

is it better than the forte ???
if so ill wait for this over the forte

[Jamesrt2004]

is it better than the forte ???
if so ill wait for this over the forte

yes,


and same

[Godofwar424]

yes,


and same

It is NOT better then the Forte.

The Auzentech HTHD is just a Forte with 2 HDMI ports added and the software rights to decode the new Blu-Ray formats. It is made for a different type of user. The Forte is cheaper and will be a better choice for someone who uses a PC for games and music.

The HTHD will be better for somebody who has an OLD amplifier with no HDMI passthrough. The HTHD will allow them to use the soundcard to process the sounds.

So this is not better than the Forte. It is made for a different market.

Its similar to the difference between FireGL and the RADEON brand.

[DeathTyrant]

I want this card badly. I am also aiming to get a proper AV receiver and 5.1 speaker system to go with it all.

[Godofwar424]

I want this card badly. I am also aiming to get a proper AV receiver and 5.1 speaker system to go with it all.

If your going to get an AV reciever why would you buy this card.

You will be much smarter buying an X-Fi Forte and then making sure your AV reciever has HDMI passthrough and can decode the new HD formats.

This card is for people whose AV Reciever can't decode HD audio formats because they lack the HDMI passthrough or for people who are using PC or self powered speakers without an AV.

[DeathTyrant]

If your going to get an AV reciever why would you buy this card.
You will be much smarter buying an X-Fi Forte and then making sure your AV reciever has HDMI passthrough and can decode the new HD formats.

The X-Fi Forte doesn't have HDMI output on it, so I assume you mean that I would have to connect the card via SP/DIF to my video card and out through a DVI-HDMI adaptor cable?

If so, I won't be getting lossless audio, SP/DIF and optical don't have the bandwidth.

[Godofwar424]

The X-Fi Forte doesn't have HDMI output on it, so I assume you mean that I would have to connect the card via SP/DIF to my video card and out through a DVI-HDMI adaptor cable?

If so, I won't be getting lossless audio, SP/DIF and optical don't have the bandwidth.

The only thing I am not sure about is: Can the HTHD output video without an Input source?

If the HTHD can't output Video unless having an Input source via the Input HDMI then the following suggestions will work with an X-Fi Forte.

Ok. Are you using an external Blu Ray player?

Here are the two suggestions I am making:

1. Internal Blu Ray player(Blu Ray drive on your PC with a BluRay supprting Video Player)
Seeing how almost every high end card nowadays has 5.1 support im pretty sure that you could use dvi to HDMI adaptor and then when you play a Blu Ray film the soundcard will pass the 5.1 lossless signal through the HDMI cable.
Then I am suggesting that you plug that HDMI cable from your PC into your AV Reciever and then your AV Reciever will decode the TrueHD Format.

2. External Blu Ray Player
If you have an external Blu Ray player then you would simply plug HDMI from your bluray player into your AV Reciever.

You would just have to make sure that the AV Reciever you buy has HDMI passthrough and can decode HD formats.

p.s. Just so you know I am only trying to see if you can save a bit of money which you can spend on a better AV Reciever or your 5.1 Speakers.

[DeathTyrant]

1. Internal Blu Ray player(Blu Ray drive on your PC with a BluRay supprting Video Player)
Seeing how almost every high end card nowadays has 5.1 support im pretty sure that you could use dvi to HDMI adaptor and then when you play a Blu Ray film the soundcard will pass the 5.1 lossless signal through the HDMI cable.
Then I am suggesting that you plug that HDMI cable from your PC into your AV Reciever and then your AV Reciever will decode the TrueHD Format.

I have an internal Blu-Ray drive, and am using an Asus Xonar Essence STX, which is a stereo card.

I don't understand the part about the soundcard passing the 5.1 lossless signal through the HDMI cable. I was under the impression that connecting a sound card to the vido card and sending out audio (using NVidia cards) meant that you are using S/PDIF (co-axial or optical).

S/PDIF doesn't support DTS HD Master Audio or DTS HD High Resolution Audio, but it does support the 1.5 Mbps core, or up to 1.5 Mbps DTS Encore.

DTS-HD Audio Formats

p.s. Just so you know I am only trying to see if you can save a bit of money which you can spend on a better AV Reciever or your 5.1 Speakers.

Yeah I understand and appreciate that, I'm not trying to be a Negative Nancy, just want to figure out what is what really.

[Godofwar424]

I have an internal Blu-Ray drive, and am using an Asus Xonar Essence STX, which is a stereo card.

I don't understand the part about the soundcard passing the 5.1 lossless signal through the HDMI cable. I was under the impression that connecting a sound card to the vido card and sending out audio (using NVidia cards) meant that you are using S/PDIF (co-axial or optical).

S/PDIF doesn't support DTS HD Master Audio or DTS HD High Resolution Audio, but it does support the 1.5 Mbps core, or up to 1.5 Mbps DTS Encore.

DTS-HD Audio Formats

Yeah I understand and appreciate that, I'm not trying to be a Negative Nancy, just want to figure out what is what really.

You would only be using S/PDIF if you have connected the S/PDIF jumper on your nVidia card to your soundcard.

[DeathTyrant]

Oh, so the sound card sends audio data through the mobo, to the video card which is streamed out with the video signal by way of DVI-HDMI?

I wasn't aware that I could do that with Nvidia. I know ATI cards have LPCM capability.

[Godofwar424]

Oh, so the sound card sends audio data through the mobo, to the video card which is streamed out with the video signal by way of DVI-HDMI?

I wasn't aware that I could do that with Nvidia. I know ATI cards have LPCM capability.

I am NOT entirely sure on this!!

Hopefully an enthusiast with nVidia will be able to clarify this.

Possibly start a thread in the Video Card section about the whether the nVidia cards can do this.

In the end all this faffing will be worth it coz at least you will know that you got the best value for money and youll have better speakers or a better amp.

[Donnie27]

There's another use. Music and Games being sent to a Dolby True HD type receiver completely un-compressed. Just see it as sending an Full complete uncompressed Analog signal via HDMI. DDL is not a good as DTS and both are blown away by MLP. So now you have MLP, DTHD, DTSHD and etc.. via HDMI. So yes, superior sounding games via HDMI in original form/format with ZERO compression. I don't mean sound quality as in higher fidelity but truer reproduction of said game sounds and effects. Then Hi-Fi for music.

With that said, without HDCD, DVD-Audio, SACD and etc.., much of this stuff is pretty over rated. I cringe hearing some wanna-be Audiophile talking about Hi-Fi and plain Jane CD audio

[Godofwar424]

this wouldnt make a difference!

If you use HDMI sound output then its going to be the thing the HDMi plugs into that processes sound. If you had a Forte then for music and games would sound better because the soundcard was processing.(assuming you would use Analog on the Forte)

During general output ie Music and Games you would not use HDMi form HTHD to an AMP. You would use Analog from Soundcard to AMP.

[Donnie27]

this wouldnt make a difference!

If you use HDMI sound output then its going to be the thing the HDMi plugs into that processes sound. If you had a Forte then for music and games would sound better because the soundcard was processing.(assuming you would use Analog on the Forte)

During general output ie Music and Games you would not use HDMi form HTHD to an AMP. You would use Analog from Soundcard to AMP.

But, you still get full EAX support during the game and it is then sent out via HDMI! The EMU chip does a great job processing sound for playback and especially recording. It is NOT the same as the Mobo or Asus's stuff.

[Godofwar424]

But, you still get full EAX support during the game and it is then sent out via HDMI! The EMU chip does a great job processing sound for playback and especially recording. It is NOT the same as the Mobo or Asus's stuff.

HDMI is digital!

It is just a digital bitstream though another connection. HDMI allows for a much larger bandwidth compared to Optical or S/PDIF in order to accomodate for the HD soundtracks!

Even with a HTHD you would be better off using analog connections for games and music!

[Donnie27]

HDMI is digital!

It is just a digital bitstream though another connection. HDMI allows for a much larger bandwidth compared to Optical or S/PDIF in order to accomodate for the HD soundtracks!

Even with a HTHD you would be better off using analog connections for games and music!

I know, let me try again. Yes it digital but the sounds for games have to be fully processed by the X-Fi processor then sent via digital. With the HTHD you get Fully Processed game sounds sent uncompressed to your Home Theater system.

Also the Movie or 5.1 or DTS Music Discs can be sent fully uncompressed over HDMI. As we tested and proved with Half Life 2, the X-Fi also did a better job with NONE EAX GAMES than the Asus cards. Critical Music can still be sent out Analog while games, movies and etc...... can be sent uncompressed to a receiver or etc.... I'm sorry I didn't say pre and post processing or Front or Back end, it tends to confuse folks.

[lowfat]

Remember, this is first and foremost a home theatre card, not a gaming card. Another thing is the people are going to buy a card like this for their HTPC are going to be using HDMI, and chances are have a mid to high end receiver to go with it. So I don't think analog is going to be used all that much, if analog is what you are looking for both the Forte and the Prelude are better cards anyways. Personally I would of rather seen Auzentech release a card like the Xonar HDAV Slim. A no-bull HDMI card.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...c,2349-10.html

[Godofwar424]

I know, let me try again. Yes it digital but the sounds for games have to be fully processed by the X-Fi processor then sent via digital. With the HTHD you get Fully Processed game sounds sent uncompressed to your Home Theater system.

Also the Movie or 5.1 or DTS Music Discs can be sent fully uncompressed over HDMI. As we tested and proved with Half Life 2, the X-Fi also did a better job with NONE EAX GAMES than the Asus cards. Critical Music can still be sent out Analog while games, movies and etc...... can be sent uncompressed to a receiver or etc.... I'm sorry I didn't say pre and post processing or Front or Back end, it tends to confuse folks.

Ahh ok. It makes more sense now

[Zaskar]

Wonder how the shielding is, it is my ONLY complaint with the Forte, if you have a Monster Video card like the 295 GTX, when you put the card under graphic load you can hear the cards chokes vibrating (due to Nvidia's high quality lowest bidder method of choosing reference parts), and that very light hum ramps up with the more load you put on the video card.
You can hear that same sort of buzzing through the headphones (its very slight, might not be able to make it out with speakers) that ramps up at the exact same rate/time as the vid cards slight noise, and it is coming through the sound cards jack. Shielding would stop video cards like that from creating slight background noise like that.

[ROBSCIX]

You can make sheilds pretty easy using commercially avialable products or some DIY know how.

In many cases when you have trouble with noise it is because input circuit s are left enabled and floating..making the entire circuit microphonic.

[Donnie27]

Remember, this is first and foremost a home theatre card, not a gaming card. Another thing is the people are going to buy a card like this for their HTPC are going to be using HDMI, and chances are have a mid to high end receiver to go with it. So I don't think analog is going to be used all that much, if analog is what you are looking for both the Forte and the Prelude are better cards anyways. Personally I would of rather seen Auzentech release a card like the Xonar HDAV Slim. A no-bull HDMI card.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...c,2349-10.html

Not just Games though, that's DTS and DVD Audio, DVD Video-Audio and etc. can be processed by the card and then sent to the Receiver faster and more efficiently. Most of these cards have better DACs than the receivers and the less conversion the better. I will keep on of the 4 Computers in my home running WinXP just because DRM screws up Analog recording after that last few DRM improvements anyway.

I've been running Win-7 and like everything but the DRM.

[lowfat]

Not just Games though, that's DTS and DVD Audio, DVD Video-Audio and etc. can be processed by the card and then sent to the Receiver faster and more efficiently. Most of these cards have better DACs than the receivers and the less conversion the better. I will keep on of the 4 Computers in my home running WinXP just because DRM screws up Analog recording after that last few DRM improvements anyway.

I've been running Win-7 and like everything but the DRM.

But there is no need to buy this card for DVDs,nor for analog. The Forte, Prelude, Xonar D2X and even the DX have better DAC's than it. But for HDMI, it doesn't matter on bit what DAC or op amps it uses. I don't know what the Auzentech Home Theater is going to sell for but I can imagine it will be for way more than its worth.