Can I split the video card signal coming out the HDMI port to the Vive and my "monitor"

[jrfk2]

So before I got the Vive, I had the video card HDMI going directly into my large screen tv / sound bar.

I hooked up the Vive, but it needs the video HDMI port, so for now I got a DVI to HDMI adapter to hook up from the video card dvi port to the TV when using the Vive. So the TV shows the PC desktop, with the steam VR screen of the action going on in the Vive, but without any sound.

 

But then I got to wondering, can I split the signal coming out of the HDMI port, and send one to the Vive and the other to the TV so that the TV has sound again for those watching the action. I googled HDMI splitter and they are out there .. but will it degregate the signal or cause problems for the Vive...?

[jrfk2]

Bump .. no input on this ..?

[HackPerception]

Hi ,

In most cases HDCP will prevent this from working unfortunately and it will disable the HMD from working in direct mode. Depending on your GPU/Adapter, most newer cards will actually transmit audio over DVI. Does your soundbar have a 3.5mm input? You could use the headphone/3.5mm jack and mirror the audio the soundbar that way. If you're not using your sync cable, you could possibly use that as an extra long audio cable to accomplish this. You could also use bluetooth depending on the soundbar. If your GPU has displayport output you could use a male displayport -> male minidisplayport cable to connect your GPU to the linkbox and free the HDMI lead for your TV. 

[jrfk2]

Thnaks for the reply, folks on Steam also suggested the displayport->mini DP, so going to give that a try ..