Earlier this week I got a new computer with the latest offerings from Nvidia, the GTX 460. I had originally planned on getting one of the new Radeon 5000 cards based almost exclusively on one factor: putting out sound and video via the HDMI port on the card. The older Nvidias (according to the material I was reading) didn’t have the ability to do this like ATi’s cards did. Now, however, Nvidia has made sure that the new Fermi cards are capable of this and that makes the Nvidia lineup all that more appealing: cheaper, similar performance and now you can use the new Fermi cards to also set up a nice HTPC (as soon as Nvidia finishes filling out the range of cards with lower end models).
The only problem I have with the ASUS card that was shipped to me was that it did not have an HDMI port on the card. It has three ports: 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI. If you buy an EVGA card, though, this isn’t really that big of a deal at all. If you instead buy an ASUS card, this looks like something of an issue because now you would typically have to go out and buy a mini-HDMI to HDMI adapter from your local electronics store (provided that they even sell one). No worries, though, because ASUS and Nvidia have you covered. Just take the DVI to HDMI adapter that comes with your card, plug it into one of the DVI ports and hook up the GPU to your favorite HD TV and follow my instructions below:
First what you’ll want to do is go into your Control Panel. Ignore the German here, the icons are all the same regardless of what language your Windows is in. Click the icon that is highlighted in red in the screen shot.
Again, click the icon here that is highlighted in red.
Now click the icon that represents your TV in this box and then click the matching button at the bottom. Your TV should now be putting out sound for you and that little green check mark that denotes your primary sound output has moved to your TV.
Now go back to your Control Panel and find that icon right there. Click it.
Click that exact line that is highlighted in red.
Here your screen should look exactly like mine (minus, of course, the language). What you’ll want to do is click the drop-menu that I’ve highlighted here and select the option to duplicate or clone your display onto the secondary. Once you’ve done that, the icons representing the two should change into one that clearly shows them now being linked.
If you’ve successfully completed all six steps, you can now enjoy whatever media you have on your computer on your HD TV. Now grab yourself a bowl of popcorn, a couple of mates and enjoy a night at the movies!
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