Possible HDMI solution for the SM?

[atrocity]

I received an email from HiFiBerry announcing a new set of 8-channel input and output HATs for the Raspberry Pi 5:

"Please note that this add-on is only compatible with the DAC8x and can't be used as a standalone audio card" makes me wonder if that means it can't be used to convert analog to HDMI. Or if they're simply addressing normal people who would have no use for such a conversion.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Are you referring to this: -

https://www.hackster.io/news/hifibe...d-60w-of-amp-power-to-all-models-b66baaa6e312

 

[atrocity]

Are you referring to this: -

https://www.hackster.io/news/hifibe...d-60w-of-amp-power-to-all-models-b66baaa6e312

Looks like the one(s)!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

I received an email from HiFiBerry announcing a new set of 8-channel input and output HATs for the Raspberry Pi 5:
View attachment 114798
"Please note that this add-on is only compatible with the DAC8x and can't be used as a standalone audio card" makes me wonder if that means it can't be used to convert analog to HDMI. Or if they're simply addressing normal people who would have no use for such a conversion.

If I read this right the DAC8X offers up to 8 chs analog audio out when mated with a Raspberry Pi5. The SM already has 6 chs analog output. I'm not sure what you think this is solution to....

What is needed is a MCH analog input with HDMI output. So the SM can be hooked up to mainstream AVR's.

 

[atrocity]

If I read this right the DAC8X offers up to 8 chs analog audio out when mated with a Raspberry Pi5.

Yes...but there's also a companion add-on 8-channel ADC for input. In the image I posted, it's third under "We offer the following 8-channel sound cards." HiFiBerry says it won't work as a standalone sound card, but I'm not sure if that's because they assume anyone wanting an analog sound card would be as or more interested in output than input.

In a perfect world, it would be possible to just buy the input card and convert whatever it receives to HDMI. In a less perfect world, you'd have to buy both cards even you didn't need the analog output. Worst case, neither would be of any use because there isn't a way to convert analog in to HDMI out. My assumption is that the conversion is technically possible and probably not even especially difficult, but may be something no one has ever had a reason to code.

I've asked the relevant question in the HiFiBerry forum, hopefully in a way that makes sense: https://support.hifiberry.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/25840358314269-ADC-addon-for-DAC8x-HDMI.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Yes...but there's also a companion add-on 8-channel ADC for input. In the image I posted, it's third under "We offer the following 8-channel sound cards." HiFiBerry says it won't work as a standalone sound card, but I'm not sure if that's because they assume anyone wanting an analog sound card would be as or more interested in output than input.

In a perfect world, it would be possible to just buy the input card and convert whatever it receives to HDMI. In a less perfect world, you'd have to buy both cards even you didn't need the analog output. Worst case, neither would be of any use because there isn't a way to convert analog in to HDMI out. My assumption is that the conversion is technically possible and probably not even especially difficult, but may be something no one has ever had a reason to code.

I've asked the relevant question in the HiFiBerry forum, hopefully in a way that makes sense: https://support.hifiberry.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/25840358314269-ADC-addon-for-DAC8x-HDMI.

Looking forward to the replies on the hifiberry forum to your post.

 

[armyjazzer]

The only real solution is an HDMI out on the Surroundmaster. This way you have one AD conversion from the analog input, then processing and output all remain digital and is fed to the HDMI input on your surround equipment. No luck so far on this happening.

 

[ar surround]

What is needed is a MCH analog input with HDMI output. So the SM can be hooked up to mainstream AVR's.

Amen to that. The 7.1 analog inputs on my Marantz AVR have proven most useless as they do not allow for any signal processing whatsoever, such as tone controls. I find that most material processed through the SM needs a bass boost. I found a workaround, but it involves a Parasound P7 preamp.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

What is needed is a MCH analog input with HDMI output. So the SM can be hooked up to mainstream AVR's.

I'd quite like a device that can do both. ie: transcode multi-channel phono/rca analogue to HDMI or transcode HDMI to multi-channel phono/rca analogue.

 

[barfle]

Looks interesting. I’ve wanted to fiddle with Pis for ages, but I’ve always had way too many other projects to actually dig into them.

Someday, I hope.

 

[atrocity]

HiFiBerry responded:

In general this should be doable. You could use something like Pipewire to route between the analog inputs and HDMI output. We don't have a specific setup guide for this; therefore, I recommend to check out the Pipewire documentation.