I just called Asus and the first tech guy told me your HDMI port has no audio stream just video stream and then he transfered me to more a senior tech and now they said your on board HDMI does have audio stream like SPDIF 5.1 out. Well I don't trust them and if you can confirm with us or at least to me that your on-board HDMI has audio stream and whether carry 7.1 LPCM audio, it will be great. Thanks!
Yes, I realized that it is the same audio as my 3650. The reason I bought is when the time I need to route my HDMI back to the X-tension for video only, I can use this HDMI out without the adapter and I never need 2 DVI out and I prefer to have more choice, HDMI, DVI and VGA out in this card.
Yeah, I would have chosen that card for that too, I actually did choose an MSI nVidia 8600GTS just for that feature alone (though you'd need a S/PDIF 2-pin out from your mobo or sound card for that one). Just wanted to make sure you were not one of those being virtually conned by ATI into their "HDMI audio" marketing. As long as you know what you're getting, that card looks great. I even felt tempted to return my recently-bought 3450 that I got for a disappointing slimline (that one is going back!), so I don't need slim profile anymore. But alas, I already sent the rebate.
About the Asus board, I will be getting it later in the week. But like I said, I don't have a receiver right now, and I don't really need it. I don't even have a big-screen TV, just my 26" NEC monitor. A plasma would be in order before a receiver I think. And before that, I would probably have to move. In any case, the G35 chipset and the ASUS board are being touted, and confirmed by some users at avsforum, to do 8-channel uncompressed LPCM. I think that's the main advantage over G33, and G45 will bring H.264 and VC-1 acceleration as well as HDMI 1.3, but I don't need those.
If anyone is using the Asus P5E-VM HDMI, please let us know their experience?