Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Hardware › Hi-Def Source Hardware (Players, STB and Cable Boxes, Antennas etc) › When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

post #1 of 9
11/4/08 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 
When will A/V receivers and home theater processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats? Will the audio stream be able to be transfered via optical or coaxial cables or only via HDMI?

For Blu-ray players today, is there any difference in sound quality/loudness between sending the audio stream via HDMI or via analog outputs?
Reply
post #2 of 9
11/4/08 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

One more question! If I get a Blu-ray player, I'll have to hook up the audio via analog outputs since my A/V receiver doesn't support HDMI. Will there be any difference in the performance of standard Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS tracks via analog ouputs and via optical/coaxial outputs?
Reply
post #3 of 9
11/4/08 at 8:57pm

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Haris Ellahi
When will A/V receivers and home theater processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats? Will the audio stream be able to be transfered via optical or coaxial cables or only via HDMI?

I'm a little confused here.... These have existed for quite some time. There are some Bluray players like my Panasonic BD30 that only bitstream and the AVR has to decode. For this to happen, you must use HDMI.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Haris Ellahi
For Blu-ray players today, is there any difference in sound quality/loudness between sending the audio stream via HDMI or via analog outputs?

Maybe..... It depends on the player and the AVR. I'll defer to someone who has done this, but I believe the results should be excellent.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Haris Ellahi
One more question! If I get a Blu-ray player, I'll have to hook up the audio via analog outputs since my A/V receiver doesn't support HDMI. Will there be any difference in the performance of standard Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS tracks via analog ouputs and via optical/coaxial outputs?

There shouldn't be any difference. You can still use optical or digital coax.
Reply
post #4 of 9
11/5/08 at 9:35am

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

No difference, this has been available for quite some time. When was the last time you checked out Blu-Ray??????
Reply
post #5 of 9
11/5/08 at 9:58am

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Haris Ellahi
Will the audio stream be able to be transfered via optical or coaxial cables or only via HDMI?
Optical and coaxial do not have sufficient bandwidth to transfer such audio formats as Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA and PCM 5.1. HDMI is the only currently available option for transferring those formats digitally. And as noted, receivers and processors that handle those formats have been available for some time.
Reply
post #6 of 9
11/5/08 at 11:02am

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben
Optical and coaxial do not have sufficient bandwidth to transfer such audio formats as Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA and PCM 5.1. HDMI is the only currently available option for transferring those formats digitally. And as noted, receivers and processors that handle those formats have been available for some time.

To expand on Michael's point, you can still use the optical/coaxial digital inputs on your existing receiver with BluRay. However, you will just get lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 sound, as you do with standard DVD's -- not the newer high-resolution lossless audio formats. You can even connect the optical/coaxial outputs of the BluRay player to your receiver and still use HDMI for connectivity directly to your TV for video only.
Reply
post #7 of 9
11/5/08 at 11:26am

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

To expand further, and for all clarity: the 5.1 analog outputs (when your player decodes the new HD audio formats) are excellent. At least as good as when the stream is decoded elsewhere, e.g. inside an AV receiver.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that solution.


Cees
Reply
post #8 of 9
11/16/08 at 9:24pm

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

Have a question- looks like this is the thread to ask it: I understand the audio passed through the optical/coax outputs is lossy. I have an older receiver with no HDMI inputs that can decode DD EX and DTS 6.1. If the soundtrack is encoded for 6.1 (either discrete or martix), will that get passed on through the lossy bitstream? If not, I'll have to spring the extra money to get a BD player with 7.1 analog outputs.
Reply
post #9 of 9
11/17/08 at 3:03am

Re: When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grady Reid
Have a question- looks like this is the thread to ask it: I understand the audio passed through the optical/coax outputs is lossy. I have an older receiver with no HDMI inputs that can decode DD EX and DTS 6.1. If the soundtrack is encoded for 6.1 (either discrete or martix), will that get passed on through the lossy bitstream? If not, I'll have to spring the extra money to get a BD player with 7.1 analog outputs.
Yes, there is no issue with the regular DD & DTS bitstream being passed thru the optical/coaxial output. It's only the new HD audio formats, ie. DTS HD High Resolution Audio, DTS HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital + & Dolby Digital True-HD that cannot be passed thru via optical/co-axial outputs. Thus you would need to buy a BD player with 7.1/5.1 analog outs, only if you are interested in the HD audio options.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Hardware › Hi-Def Source Hardware (Players, STB and Cable Boxes, Antennas etc) › When will A/V receivers and processors be able to decode Blu-ray audio formats?