wjb510

5.1-Channel/multi-Channel output

I recently got a Panasonic DMP-BD30K Blu-ray player and have a Yamaha HTR-5760 receiver. I’ve always used optical cables for the audio in my home theater, but now I’m faced with a problem. With the optical cable I’m not able to take advantage of Uncompressed PCM 5.1 audio. I am not able to use HDMI for my audio (my Yamaha receiver does not have HDMI inputs/outputs) so that leaves me looking at 5.1-Channel/multi-Channel cables.

I’ve never used this type of connection, what are the pros and cons with 5.1-Channel/multi-Channel connections vs. optical?

Jack Gilvey

Re: 5.1-Channel/multi-Channel output

No real downside to the analogs, aside from more cabling. Surprisingly, that player apparently lacks any kind of onboard decoding for the advanced formats, so neither TrueHD nor DTS-HD MA would be available at the MC analog outs (or as PCM via HDMI).
Assuming it passes the uncompressed PCM tacks from BD over analog (didn't see anything in the manual), it'd be the only way you'd hear them. You'd be relying on the player's own bass-management and processing, of course.

Jeff Gatie

Re: 5.1-Channel/multi-Channel output

Unfortunately (as Jack said) the BD30K is one of the least capable units for your situation. The BD30K was tailor made for the new HDMI 1.3 capable receivers that include decoding of HD audio formats, but since the player does not decode any of these formats itself, you cannot access them via the analog outs. You are limited to the legacy formats (DD/DTS) either directly or from the 'core' elements of the HD audio, or you have to choose the LPCM track (if it exists). Luckily, many Blu-ray disks do include uncompressed PCM tracks. But for those that only include compressed TrueHD, DD+ or DTS-HD/MA, you are limited to standard DD or DTS only.

My advice, decide soon whether you want to upgrade your receiver, and if not, return the BD30K if you can. There are other players that will give you better options from your analog outs (such as the Panasonic BD10K, which includes decoders for TrueHD and DD+).

gene c

Re: 5.1-Channel/multi-Channel output

One of the issues I almost never hear about with 6/8 channel analog inputs is with most receivers it bypasses any processing. This means no bass/treble controls and no auto eq such as Audyssey, EZSet-EQ, YAPO and MCACC. But I'm pretty sure Onkyo allows bass and treble. My 702 did anyway. Otherwise you get channel trim and master volume and that's about it. Most everything else is bypassed. At least it is with DVD-A/SACD. Don't know if this would be a problem for anyone else but I like to do a little tweaking once in a while. I'm not sure how audio thru HDMI is handled by various receiver brands but I would like to know.

LanceJ

Re: 5.1-Channel/multi-Channel output

And more important, IMO anyway, is the fact that the receiver's bass management & distance compensation systems are also bypassed. Us people who adopted multichannel dvd-a/sacd back when they first debuted are all too familiar with that issue.

And while distance compensation seems to take a back seat to b.m., not having each speaker's output reach your ears at the same time can really disturb the surround soundfield, preventing it from becoming a seemless "bubble" of sound, something that is needed to help create the suspension-of-disbelief mental state.