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I've got a computer I use to play a lot of media. The computer has a DVI video output and a standard analog audio soundcard. I currently have an audio-only receiver so I set the receiver to use the computer audio (3.5mm headphone plug to RCA) and tune the TV to accept the computer video (DVI to HDMI adapter). For a variety of reasons, I would like to replace my current receiver with a new one and I'd like one that handles A/V switching and specifically this analog/digital pairing. Given this setup, I'm wondering a couple of things...

  1. Is there a name for this feature (assigning/pairing analog audio with HDMI/DVI video) that I can use as a search term?
  2. Can you provide a recommendation on either specific receiver models or manufacturers that would meet my needs?
  3. Is this the best way to go about this? If not, what should I be doing?

2 Answers 2

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To at least partially answer this question:

Is there a name for this feature (assigning/pairing analog audio with HDMI/DVI video) that I can use as a search term?

Most audio/video receivers produced now handle analog and digital audio and video. Even most of the least expensive receivers nowadays have HDMI in/out. There isn't really a term for it, per se, as it is more typical than you might think, and exactly what most modern receivers are designed to do.

Can you provide a recommendation on either specific receiver models or manufacturers that would meet my needs?
Is this the best way to go about this? If not, what should I be doing?

There is no better test of quality than your own ears as far as receivers go. That being said, I always give the following buying advice to people:

Given two or more receivers (or home stereo components of any sort, really) where all things are equal (e.g., price, power output/wattage, connections), ALWAYS choose the heaviest one. The logic here is simple: the majority of a component's weight comes from (a) the chassis and (b) the power supply (the transformer). The bigger the power supply, the better the sound quality at higher volumes and the better overall performance of the receiver when multiple sources and speakers are running through it.
That is the fundamental buying advice that you should carry with you for the rest of your days.
Tried and true.

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  • somewhere there's an executive saying "that 90 cents worth of lead per unit was the best money we ever spent"
    – horatio
    Mar 15, 2012 at 13:48
  • @soxman I realize essentially all modern receivers support analog and digital signals. I am (as I stated) looking for the means to combine an analog audio signal (from the line out on a computer's sound card) with a digital video signal (in this case, DVI) into a single signal (specifically HDMI). DVI is basically HDMI minus audio so I need a receiver that will turn an analog audio signal into a digital one and merge it with the existing digital video.
    – theraccoonbear
    Mar 15, 2012 at 14:47
  • sorry for not clarifying that. There are many that do this, and you want to look for an A/V receiver with "assignable audio and video inputs." On the back, you will see the typical array of ins and outs; however, you are unlikely to see them traditionally labelled (e.g., CD, DVD), as they will more likely be labelled as 'audio 1' and so forth. This will take care of what you are looking for.
    – soxman
    Mar 15, 2012 at 23:58
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I'm doing this now with a Sony STR-KS370, and it works great

The ideal way to handle this would probably be to get a graphics card with an HDMI output that includes audio, but your solution is the best way to handle this without purchasing a new graphics card.

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  • Is there a name for this audio/video assignment feature? I have no idea how to find a receiver that supports it without knowing what it's called. That's fundamentally what I'm after here.
    – theraccoonbear
    Nov 15, 2011 at 20:02

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