sound card or hdmi cable for 5.1 audio

[elitejp]

Ok heres my problem, i just bought a audio receiver/amp so that I could get 5.1 audio (it can still be returned). It has the 5.1 av outlets and a ac-3 dts outlet that looks like a mouse or keyboard outlet on the computer.(its a midi in connection) what i want to do is run 5.1 audio from my computer to the amp. The computer only has one hdmi cable which is connected to the tv and just the basic microphone connectors. Which would only be able to give 2.1 sound. Now i was thinking I could exchange the amp for one that had an hdmi connection. The computer would run an hdmi cable to the tv and the tv would then run another hdmi cable to the amp. Hopefully this would provide 5.1 sound to the amp and then to my speakers. Or I would need to buy a sound card to connect av outlets to the av outlets on the computer.

Im quite confused on what is the best way to do this or if I gave the relavant information for anyone to help, in anycase, please help the best you can.

ps. I rarely use my dvd player so not having 5.1 audio on the dvd player is just fine by me.

 

[diduknowthat]

Are you sure your motherboard can output 5.1 sound through HDMI along with the graphics card? I'm not positive but I thought only select motherboard and graphic cards can do that. I think the easiest way would be to get a sound card with either digital coaxial out or optical out and run a line through that to the amp.

 

[elitejp]

thats a whole other issue that i havent thought about. But without even looking im pretty sure i doesnt if only a select few can. This mobo is a bit old and on the cheap side