I have a ton of experience with computer video and with home theater (imaging systems engineer and professional home theater gear reviewer with lab gear for measurements). But I have to say, I am BAFFLED by how inscrutable it is to resolve what SHOULD be a simple problem of getting video played on my computer using JRiver Media Center 33 (current version) or VLC Media Player.
The computer is a lower-end Acer gaming computer about 2 years old, Windows 11... 64-bit i5 13400F 10-core processor 2.5 GHz (faster processor than i7 10700 series processors), 16 GB RAM, and Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics (2 slot-wide board) that supports 4k and HDR and has 4 GB of video ram on the board. I am using a 28 inch Samsung 4K monitor that does not support HDR. I want to be able to play video content on the computer and have the video and audio sent via HDMI cable to my surround sound processor that will decode audio and put it into the 12-channel plus 2-subwoofer audio system while sending the video to an 85-inch Vizio 4K/HDR smart TV.
I cannot find any info on what HDR modes are supported (passed through without alteration) by GTX 1650 HDMI port... and by HDR modes I mean does it pass HDR, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision or are some of them never going to get to the TV? The TV does support all of those HDR modes and the surround sound processor supports all of those modes (by passing them to the TV without doing anything to the video signal). And the Samsung monitor supports NONE of them, no HDR support.
I was going to start with manually swapping the HDMI cable to the monitor for an HDMI cable to the surround processor when I want to use the computer to play video on the TV. Once this is working reliably, ideally I would like to get a box that will send a non-HDR signal to the Samsung Monitor while sending the full signal with HDR to the surround processor/TV, but if that's not possible (HDMI splitter boxes with 1 HDMI input and 2 HDMI outputs often output just 1 type of signal, so I realize I might have to use an HDMI switch box instead of a splitter box)
The video codecs installed in the computer are: (and I have NO idea if these include a codec that will successfully produce video on the Vizio TV)
\windows\system32\iyuv_32.dll
\WINDOWS\system32\IYUV_32.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\MSRLE32.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\MSVIDC32.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\MSYUV.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\TSBYUV.DLL
I do prefer to send YCbCR to the TV and I am sending YCbCr to the monitor with everything from the computer looking great on the monitor--sending RGB to the TV bypasses some of the video calibration capabilities the TV has... and the TV is calibrated (by me, using my equipment).
The problem I have is that if I disconnect the Samsung Monitor completely, and use a different HDMI cable long enough to reach the TV, I get nothing but a black screen on the TV. None of the TV's menus will appear while this is happening, so I can't get any info on the format of the video signal the TV is receiving... if I had that info, I'm pretty sure I could use the Nvidia settings to get the video to work, but with the TV screen being black, I can't display the computer desktop so I can't open the Nvidia settings app and try different settings until I get a good image on the TV... I have to connect the monitor again, change a setting, connect the TV again, see if there's anything but a black screen, and repeat ad infinitum. I have done some of that with the OBVIOUS settings (resolution (4K and 1080p tried) and refresh rate 23.9xx, 24, 30, 50, 60 Hz (all supported by the Vizio TV) without success. I have used several HDMI cables, all 15 feet long... passive, active (EQ circuitry in the destination-end of the cable that re-EQs the signal to account for losses in transmission, power comes from the HDMI port), and optical with external USB power on each end of the optical cable. I always get a black screen on the TV. I want the native frame rate to be passed to the TV... movies in 29.9xx Hz video/TV programs at 30 Hz (USA standards). I used this "direct to the TV" connection on purpose to make sure I can get the TV to work with the video from the computer
Do I need more codecs? Some specific setting in the GTX 1650 settings app?
And an esoteric question... can I use a DVI cable from the graphics board to the monitor at the same time I use an HDMI cable to the TV, and have the monitor and the TV both operate at the same time? Not sure if that's a normal/common supported feature on Video Boards or not.
Finally, if I'm trying to do something not so common for AnandTech users, is there some other forum where I might get info/help with this?
The computer is a lower-end Acer gaming computer about 2 years old, Windows 11... 64-bit i5 13400F 10-core processor 2.5 GHz (faster processor than i7 10700 series processors), 16 GB RAM, and Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics (2 slot-wide board) that supports 4k and HDR and has 4 GB of video ram on the board. I am using a 28 inch Samsung 4K monitor that does not support HDR. I want to be able to play video content on the computer and have the video and audio sent via HDMI cable to my surround sound processor that will decode audio and put it into the 12-channel plus 2-subwoofer audio system while sending the video to an 85-inch Vizio 4K/HDR smart TV.
I cannot find any info on what HDR modes are supported (passed through without alteration) by GTX 1650 HDMI port... and by HDR modes I mean does it pass HDR, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision or are some of them never going to get to the TV? The TV does support all of those HDR modes and the surround sound processor supports all of those modes (by passing them to the TV without doing anything to the video signal). And the Samsung monitor supports NONE of them, no HDR support.
I was going to start with manually swapping the HDMI cable to the monitor for an HDMI cable to the surround processor when I want to use the computer to play video on the TV. Once this is working reliably, ideally I would like to get a box that will send a non-HDR signal to the Samsung Monitor while sending the full signal with HDR to the surround processor/TV, but if that's not possible (HDMI splitter boxes with 1 HDMI input and 2 HDMI outputs often output just 1 type of signal, so I realize I might have to use an HDMI switch box instead of a splitter box)
The video codecs installed in the computer are: (and I have NO idea if these include a codec that will successfully produce video on the Vizio TV)
\windows\system32\iyuv_32.dll
\WINDOWS\system32\IYUV_32.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\MSRLE32.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\MSVIDC32.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\MSYUV.DLL
\WINDOWS\system32\TSBYUV.DLL
I do prefer to send YCbCR to the TV and I am sending YCbCr to the monitor with everything from the computer looking great on the monitor--sending RGB to the TV bypasses some of the video calibration capabilities the TV has... and the TV is calibrated (by me, using my equipment).
The problem I have is that if I disconnect the Samsung Monitor completely, and use a different HDMI cable long enough to reach the TV, I get nothing but a black screen on the TV. None of the TV's menus will appear while this is happening, so I can't get any info on the format of the video signal the TV is receiving... if I had that info, I'm pretty sure I could use the Nvidia settings to get the video to work, but with the TV screen being black, I can't display the computer desktop so I can't open the Nvidia settings app and try different settings until I get a good image on the TV... I have to connect the monitor again, change a setting, connect the TV again, see if there's anything but a black screen, and repeat ad infinitum. I have done some of that with the OBVIOUS settings (resolution (4K and 1080p tried) and refresh rate 23.9xx, 24, 30, 50, 60 Hz (all supported by the Vizio TV) without success. I have used several HDMI cables, all 15 feet long... passive, active (EQ circuitry in the destination-end of the cable that re-EQs the signal to account for losses in transmission, power comes from the HDMI port), and optical with external USB power on each end of the optical cable. I always get a black screen on the TV. I want the native frame rate to be passed to the TV... movies in 29.9xx Hz video/TV programs at 30 Hz (USA standards). I used this "direct to the TV" connection on purpose to make sure I can get the TV to work with the video from the computer
Do I need more codecs? Some specific setting in the GTX 1650 settings app?
And an esoteric question... can I use a DVI cable from the graphics board to the monitor at the same time I use an HDMI cable to the TV, and have the monitor and the TV both operate at the same time? Not sure if that's a normal/common supported feature on Video Boards or not.
Finally, if I'm trying to do something not so common for AnandTech users, is there some other forum where I might get info/help with this?