[CRyan]

OK. I almost feel like I should be posting the beginners area. Last receiver I purchased was an $1100 JVC that does 5.1 through optical.

Now what the hell do I need? I have so not kept up with audio over the past 5 years. But I see lossless tossed around, TrueHD, DTS-MA, PCM, LCPM.

I know I need a receiver that inputs HDMI. I have a PS3, but will also want something that can take multi-channel audio from a standalone HD player eventually.

Seriously, where is the decoding even taking place with these new formats? Does the receiver need to be able to decode this stuff?

Here is what I know....

Optical or coax will not support lossless for anything over 2 channels
HDMI is the now and the future of audio.


I am not opposed to going with separates here. Whatg are my options? What should I be looking for so I know what I am looking at will do what I need?


Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Steve Schaffer]

Currently there are no receivers capable of decoding the new lossless formats. Decode forthese formats is being done by the HD DVD or BD players, converted to multichannel (5.1 or 7.1) linear pcm, and sent to the receiver via HDMI or multichannel analog outs. In addition many BD discs have multichannel LPCM soundtracks that don't require decoding which are also output via HDMI and multichannel analog outs.

Not all players (i.e. PS3 and lower model 2nd gen Tosh HD DVD players) have multichannel analog outs, and those that do are often very limited as to speaker management (Samsung BDP-1000) in that they don't allow for delay settings or crossover settings.

There are some older receivers with analog multichannel input that allow for speaker management over these inputs. One of these in combination with a player with analog outs would be the bare minimum for playing the new formats.

For better results and future proofing it would be best to get a reciever that can accept and playback multichannel PCM via HDMI inputs. These are already in existence but the ability to handle PCM beyond 5.1 and the amount of processing they can do as far as speaker management and getting 7.1 sound from 5.1 PCM varies. Many "HDMI" receivers won't do anything at all with the audio carried over the HDMI connection and merely switch video, and a few won't handle 1080p via HDMI.

There's a very long thread over at another forum that has been pretty useful to me:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=738511

The gist is that the Denon AVR-2807/997 is apparently the most capable issue-free receiver currntly available for dealing with the new formats, with the Pioneer VSX-82TSX and VSX84TSXV
a very close second (firmware update needed for proper handling of LFE channel on multichannel LPCM sources) I have the VSX-82TSX, currently being updated for that glitch. I've confirmed it's ability to apply any of it's available processing (THX, DDPLIIx, etc) to any multichannel LPCM over HDMI, and have found it's advanced MCACC auto setup to be superior even to that of the HK AVR-635 it replaced, with excellent sound quality. It can upconvert all incoming video of any scanrate recieved via any connection method to 720p or 1080i and will output it via HDMI so one only needs to run one cable from the receiver to the set, and even the receiver's onscreen menu will appear via HDMI regardless of the scanrate of the video source being played. Has 3 HDMI inputs, 3 components, and a full complement of S and composite.

[CRyan]

Ok. Thank you very much for the time and information. I will read over all this crap and see what I understand. I will be back to this thread!

[Joe S.]

The upshot here man is that the HDMI interface is in use before the formats are really settled enough for the hardware to catch up. Likely any new receivers and/or pre/pros that arrive this year will have good HDMI and support all the new formats, existing ones are hit or miss.

If you want to move to separates, I would suggest tracking down what amp you want first and secure that piece. Good, clean power never changes, unlike the pre/pro electronics. Then come back in October or so (or lurk until then) and pick up a new receiver/preprocessor. Or if you need HDMI now, get a cheaper stop gap device and plan to have a more serious upgrade next year.

This is what I'm doing right now. I have an Outlaw 950 and am either going to move to a 990 for a year or two, or just wait until the fall and see what's available then. Right now we are unfortunately still in the 'early adopter' phase of HDMI audio.