HDMI(5.1) audio out on multi monitor setup

[Knyght]

So I've been looking into this problem and I wonder if anyone from the community has any experience. Given a GPU that supports 3 displays, could I use two outputs as video, and the HDMI output as only an audio out? Or is an HDMI out on a mobo a better route? I want to send an audio signal, seperately from video, to my reciever and get surround sound. HDMI is the only way to do this, except for using all the 3.5mm jacks, which my reciever does not support. I do not want to send video thru the reciever, there is some delay in the video.

[_I_]

if the mobo supports optical or spdif, that would be the best way
for the gpu to use hdmi audio i think it needs to see a monitor

[time goblin]

imo you should just buy a cheap sound card if your mobo doesnt support 5.1