DVI/S-PDIF to HDMI Converter/Cable

[Casper]

Maybe I'm thinking pie-in-the-sky here, but does anyone out there make a cable/converter box/magic device that can take a DVI signal, mix it up with a S-PDIF signal (likely from co-ax) and spit it all out in a HDMI cable? I have been kicking around the idea of a HTPC and taking the DVI out of the video card and the S-PDIF out of the sound card to feed my HDMI would be an interesting avenue. Is it possible?

If anyone makes this, can you please provide a link? If not, and you start a company that does, please kick back some royalties :D

[Ratman]

Sounds like a good idea if you're running from the HTPC to an A/V reciever (with video switching).

The caveat to this is that if the intent is to have a single connection from the HTPC directly to the TV for digital audio (DD5.1/DTS), the obstacle would be that most all TV's do not 'pass-thru' digital audio from the TV to an A/V receiver. Therefore... you'd still need to run a dedicated digital audio cable to the A/V receiver.

Anyway... I'm not aware of anyone that provides this type of cable. Why not contact a manufacturer and pose the question? Who knows, with the right business persuasion, they may pay you for your idea. ;)

[Casper]

Thanks Ratman... I'll be sure to put you as a witness to the idea on the patent application.

[mjones73]

Don't see this happening cheaply if at all, you'd need a device fast enough to capture and process protected uncompressed digital data then reformat it to include the audio data. It would be cheaper to just run a seperate DVI and coaxial digital audio cable.