What is bitstream PCM??? (1 Viewer)

[JayKellen]

I just bought my parents a Sony 575 Watt Surround Sound System model HT-DDW750, and i guess for one, is it any good, and two, my parents current dvd player has the dolby digital symbols on the front of the player, but i could not really find an input on the back of it for the optical cable??...it does have an input for bitstream PCM or something like that, so does the optical cable go there??.....basically, i want them to have dolby digital 5.1 and dts sound, and not just analog signals, and i also bought a GE digital optical cable ultra prograde, so how do i hook this up to the dvd player and receiver so they get the full surround sound experience??...yes, im kind of new to all of this and i did read the beginner FAQ, but your help would be so much more useful...thank you for any information you can give me

 

[Shaun Graham]

From Crutchfield, I find the following:

"PCM (Pulse Code Modulation)
The digital audio signal format used for Compact Discs. Digital outputs on DVD players are often labeled "Bitstream/PCM" because they can send the Dolby Digital or DTS bitstream from a DVD, or the PCM bitstream from a CD."

This indeed is your digital output, possibly your only one. You seem to really want to use that optical cable. If the jack on your DVD player labeled "bitstream PCM" looks like another standard RCA (red and white) jack, then it is a digital coaxial jack and you need a digital coaxial cable to connect this to the receiver.

I'm not familiar with the particular Sony HTiB model you mention, but from what I read on the specs at Amazon, your receiver has both optical and digital-coaxial cable inputs. Amazon also says your package came with a digital-coaxial cable. Look on the back of your DVD player and see if indeed you have a digital coaxial jack. Mine is color-coded orange. It should, and this is the jack you would use to connect the player to the reciever, presumably with the cable that came with your HTiB. You also might have to select which digital input (optical or coax) you want to use in the recevier setup.

 

[Bill_Wil]

The audio output on the DVD player thats labled "pcm bitstream" should also be labled "digital audio out". It should at least be labled "optical" or "coaxial". Is it a rectangular shape with a little swinging door type opening? Sorry, thats the best way I can describe it. Well thats for an optical connection. If its a regular RCA type plug type of connection and usually colored orange that would be for a coaxial digital connection.
Oh and if it's an optical connection there might be a black "plug" sticking in it for protection that would have to be removed first. Just pull that out.