New to Blu? Buy a PS3: the most featured BD hardware available... - Page 6

Craig_Ehr · 01-27-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleddyn Williams

I know this was written a while ago, but a follow-up question...

My PS3 is currently set to output bitsteam to my non-HDMI amp. When I get an HDMI amp, am I still going to want it set to output bitstream, EXCEPT for PCM, and converted-to-PCM TrueHD (and hopefully, DTS MA)? Or when I go to HDMI, does PCM become the default for output?

Okay, fine...I'll bite.

While using HDMI for your audio connection, the only time the "PCM" setting is currently necessary (at least that I can think of off hand) is for Dolby TrueHD tracks. If you selected "bitstream" in this instance you would only get a DD 5.1 lossy track, so therefore you would want to choose "PCM". Later, when presumably there is a firmware update to decode DTS-HD MA onboard the PS3 you would also want to select "PCM" output, otherwise you would only get the lossy DTS core at 1.5mbps (i.e. hardware limitations are pretty much confirmed to deny output of the new hi-rez codecs via "bitstream".)

Really, it doesn't matter whether you use the "bitstream" or "PCM" setting for LPCM tracks because LPCM is the same either way - there is no decoding on the player side nor on the receiver side.

For lossy tracks like DD EX and DTS ES (including DTS-HD & DTS-HD MA for the time being - see above) I would stick with "bitstream" because you won't get the rear channel decoded unless your receiver can process PlxII on a 5.1 LPCM feed, which is what the PS3 converts these tracks into while "PCM" is selected (e.g. although my Onkyo TX-SR605 has advanced features such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA decoding via HDMI v. 1.3 it still will not do this).

Hope this helps.

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Ron-P · 01-27-2008, 10:30 PM

I just bought the 40gig a couple of days ago. It's going to replace that craptastic Samsung BD-P1000 machine in the theater. I pulled the Sammy today and wired it up in the living room with a new Insignia 32" LCD TV I hung today.

Sam Posten · 01-28-2008, 12:16 AM

Congrats, now you've got a spare you can use for a bedroom or office, thats my plan for the free BD deck I got, and wont care about interactivity on that one....

Dale MA · 01-28-2008, 01:41 AM

Thank-you for the responses.

Ted Kontos · 01-28-2008, 06:08 AM

I just wanted to verify that if I watch a 4:3 movie on the PS3, it will be pillarboxed with black bars, not gray. I don't remember seeing anything on this in any discussions.

Thanks.

Jari K · 01-28-2008, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanjay Gupta

The PS3 is as good as it's gonna get for the foreseeable future. The only things missing fromt he PS3 for now are Profile 2.0 and passing of the audio bitstream. Sony has already promised a firmware update for Profile 2.0 and even the 'bitstream' issue is rumored to be tackled in a future update. Thus you will only be missing out on enjoying BD the longer you wait.

PS3 doesn´t have analog-out. Just wanted to add that in all fairness. And new 40gb models doesn´t support PS2-games (the earlier models do support also PS2 games).

Still, it´s pretty much "future proof".

Eric Meske · 01-28-2008, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Kontos

I just wanted to verify that if I watch a 4:3 movie on the PS3, it will be pillarboxed with black bars, not gray. I don't remember seeing anything on this in any discussions.

Thanks.

That is correct. Black bars.

Ted Kontos · 01-28-2008, 08:10 AM

Thanks!

Bleddyn Williams · 01-28-2008, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Kontos

I just wanted to verify that if I watch a 4:3 movie on the PS3, it will be pillarboxed with black bars, not gray. I don't remember seeing anything on this in any discussions.

Thanks.

I'm presuming you're talking about HDMI - as my PS3 is on component, and it stretched 4:3 to fill the 16:9 frame. Unless I've made a mistake in my settings, I have to tell the TV to go into 4:3 mode for correct display.

Ted Kontos · 01-28-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleddyn Williams

I'm presuming you're talking about HDMI - as my PS3 is on component, and it stretched 4:3 to fill the 16:9 frame. Unless I've made a mistake in my settings, I have to tell the TV to go into 4:3 mode for correct display.

Yes, I would be using HDMI and would not want stretching of any kind.

Bleddyn Williams · 01-28-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig_Ehr

Okay, fine...I'll bite.

While using HDMI for your audio connection, the only time the "PCM" setting is currently necessary (at least that I can think of off hand) is for Dolby TrueHD tracks. If you selected "bitstream" in this instance you would only get a DD 5.1 lossy track, so therefore you would want to choose "PCM". Later, when presumably there is a firmware update to decode DTS-HD MA onboard the PS3 you would also want to select "PCM" output, otherwise you would only get the lossy DTS core at 1.5mbps (i.e. hardware limitations are pretty much confirmed to deny output of the new hi-rez codecs via "bitstream".)

Really, it doesn't matter whether you use the "bitstream" or "PCM" setting for LPCM tracks because LPCM is the same either way - there is no decoding on the player side nor on the receiver side.

For lossy tracks like DD EX and DTS ES (including DTS-HD & DTS-HD MA for the time being - see above) I would stick with "bitstream" because you won't get the rear channel decoded unless your receiver can process PlxII on a 5.1 LPCM feed, which is what the PS3 converts these tracks into while "PCM" is selected (e.g. although my Onkyo TX-SR605 has advanced features such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA decoding via HDMI v. 1.3 it still will not do this).

Hope this helps.

Good man, Craig! Thanks for answering.

I too am thinking of getting an Onkyo hopefully not too far down the road. Right now I am doing a lot of wire swapping and can't wait!

Cheers!

bw