I have been able to find this anywhere on the site.

There have been tons of post asking whether any graphics cards can pass HD audio (TrueHD, DD+ DTS-Master), those that can't be passed by S/PDIF.

They apparently had a booth at CES 2008.  So this is within a week or two old.
Here is their press release:
http://www.auzentech.com/site/company/press.php

And some more info:
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/audio/3992-auzen-hdmi-1-3-board-pics-info.html

Basically you connect your existing card to the HDMI-in.  It also has a HDMI-out.  I think you need to buy one of their sound cards too, but if you have an HDCP graphics card with DVI/HDMI you shoud be set.

They claim 2008 Q2 release. Who knows how much though.

I had a similar question, and quite by accident I discovered that my ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT combines the 1080/p video with HD digital sound for true HDMI output.  It uses otherwise unused pins on the DVI port, comes with a proprietary adaptor, and then a standard HDMI cable goes into a standard source.  Now the best sound and video are generated by my computer into my Sony Bravia HDTV. 

Before I figured this out I was having trouble with audio and was blaming the 2600 XT card, when in fact it was offering the perfect solution!  Apperantly it is HDCP compliant too, so the whole package all in one card.  For my purposes (only connecting to the big screen TV) I don't even need my SB Audigy card anymore! 

I'm pretty happy about it, let me know if you have any questions,

The ATI cards only have 5.1 audio out though, not the 7.1 that the card above can provide so it doesn't have the ability to provide the full experience of hi-def sound (but for me it's certainly good enough).

Nolancam:

I had a similar question, and quite by accident I discovered that my ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT combines the 1080/p video with HD digital sound for true HDMI output.  It uses otherwise unused pins on the DVI port, comes with a proprietary adaptor, and then a standard HDMI cable goes into a standard source.  Now the best sound and video are generated by my computer into my Sony Bravia HDTV. 

Before I figured this out I was having trouble with audio and was blaming the 2600 XT card, when in fact it was offering the perfect solution!  Apperantly it is HDCP compliant too, so the whole package all in one card.  For my purposes (only connecting to the big screen TV) I don't even need my SB Audigy card anymore! 

I'm pretty happy about it, let me know if you have any questions,

That's good to know, I have been enjoying my 2600XT card using their HDMI adapter straight to the HDTV and then using the HDTV optical output to go to my surround sound receiver.  This setup works great.  I just assumed that the 2600 XT card received the audio from my sound card and passed it along to the HDMI connector.  I didn't notice that it had its own sound card built into it.

randybreck:

That's good to know, I have been enjoying my 2600XT card using their HDMI adapter straight to the HDTV and then using the HDTV optical output to go to my surround sound receiver.  This setup works great.  I just assumed that the 2600 XT card received the audio from my sound card and passed it along to the HDMI connector.  I didn't notice that it had its own sound card built into it.

I tried that, but it turns out my TV downmixes to stereo when going from an HDMI input to the digital optical output (2006 model Panasonic Plasma).  I wasn't sure at first, but I checked the manual and sure enough, it does state that this is how it functions.  I wonder what percentage of TVs pass 5.1 to their digital audio output?

aeroguy:

I tried that, but it turns out my TV downmixes to stereo when going from an HDMI input to the digital optical output (2006 model Panasonic Plasma).  I wasn't sure at first, but I checked the manual and sure enough, it does state that this is how it functions.  I wonder what percentage of TVs pass 5.1 to their digital audio output?

I am using a Sharp Aquos LC-52D64U and it does pass the 5.1 audio to the receiver.  I tested it with a HDTV calibration DVD.  The only thing I fear is that I tried to get everything HDCP compliant, but I am not sure if my surround sound receiver is.  It works great in this setup, but I think it will probably fail when HDCP is in effect.  Does anyone know if HDCP needs compliant equipment for sound?

The card sounds cool but I have been hoping ATI or NVIDIA could could support HD audio types *and* video.  My HTPC is about out of slots, plenty toasty, hope someone is listening out there:)

---

AMD 6000 X2 HTPC- (Vista 64 bit, dual tuner Pioneer Blu Ray, Power DVD Ultra, (Vista weakness)
NVIDIA 8500
Yamaha RX-v1800
8 x def techs
Sharp Front proj

The Auzentech unit is the first announced part for your PC that supposedly will allow you to get high-def audio from your PC to your sound system.  It's true that it is an add-on board to one of their existing sound cards - either the X-Fi Prelude or the X-Meridian (note the X-Meridian is no longer in production).  You'll need to buy the ~$180 X-Fi Prelude sound card plus whatever the cost of the add-on board will be.  The add-on board has an HDMI in and HDMI out on it, so you'll hook your video card through your sound card to get the audio added to the video.  (I personally wonder how well this will work with HDCP handshake.)

The add-on board is slated for sometime in June 2008 currently.  Personally, I wouldn't jump out and buy one of the needed sound cards just yet as someone else may come out with a solution sooner and/or cheaper.  Or Auzentech may delay or even fail to deliver the add-on board.  At the same time, you may want to consider whether a $200+ sound setup is worth the cost to get high-def audio out of your PC.

The X-Fi Prelude is basically a beefed up Creative Labs card with better analog outputs.  I wish someone would come out with a purely digital sound card so I don't have to pay the cost for all of those analog outputs that I won't even use in my HDMI setup.  Better still, ATI/AMD or NVidia could come out with a video card that can output the HD audio directly.

Hold on to your hats... HD audio over HDMI (with video) is coming to a store near you in Jan 09... about time too! I am definately buying one of these!

Auzen X-Fi™ HomeTheater HD Soundcard Rescheduled for January 2009

Auzentech, Inc.(www.auzentech.com) has revised the release date for the Auzen X-Fi™ HomeTheater HD soundcard to the last week of January 2009. The Auzen X-Fi™ HomeTheater HD soundcard is the world's first native PCI Express® soundcard that is fully HDMI v1.3a Compliant, providing non-downsampled audio even during playback of 24p video.

Preview:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/11014-hwc-exclusive-auzentech-x-fi-home-theater-hd-7-1-specs-pics.html

wheeyaa - now we only need the native H264 (without hacks) and multizone support from Vista/VMC ;-)

/Jesper

---

VMC 1: AMD 2XCore 2,60, ATI 1700, FloppyDTV C/CI, 4 GB, 1,2 TB HDD, LG 1730SF, HP17", Sony HS60. Marantz SR6200, B&W M-1 + AS-2 SUB.
VMC 2: Intel Q6600, 2.40, GeForce 8600 GT, 3 GB, 250 GB HDD, HP w22.
NAS: Dlink DNS323, 500 GB Raid 1.
Linksys DMA2200.