The HDMI port on the GTX295 video card is on the secondary GPU.  This means you will not be able to view the display until the drivers are loaded in Windows. You will not be able to access the system BIOS or other features before Windows is loaded. The HDMI port is better used for a secondary display.  A DVI to HDMI adapter will need to be used in order to get full functionality with an HDMI display on the GTX295. There is no loss of quality going DVI to HDMI and the card still retains its SPDIF audio feature.  DVI to HDMI kits are available from EVGA directly as well:

https://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=203-EV-1130-01&family=Accessories%20-%20Hardware