http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/ Engadget HD Comments for http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
SO ... In this brave new world of HD audio over HDMI ... How can one get BOTH the best audio AND the best calibrated picture???]]>Jan 24th 2008 7:51AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Hmm, how about running only the Blu-ray/HD DVD player through the AVR? Then you can calibrate just the one input.

Either that or you can use the discrete analog outputs on some of the players.

BTW, how do you calibrate for a Blu-ray player? Do you have a Blu-ray disc with patterns?]]>Jan 23rd 2008 4:20PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
and

http://www.videoessentials.com/DVE_HDBasics.php

those are a couple options for calibrating and benchmarking HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:58AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 30th 2008 2:47AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 30th 2008 9:29PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
What we figured out was that if he is watching a movie that includes either a TrueHD or LPCM sound track that he wants it set to PCM, but otherwise he wants it set to bitstream. Sucks to have to change it all the time. There might be a better way, but honestly I'm not sure. I do know that he had to tell the PS3 to send multi-channel PCM, I guess it's 2-channel by default. ]]>Jan 30th 2008 9:31PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 30th 2008 9:42PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Excellent Post and great discussions on Dolby True HD and DTS-HD. Your information as well as the numerous replies made for a very interesting read.

Your one comment grabbed my attention and I wondered if you could elaborate somewhat and how it may apply to my scenario?
You mention that "having an HD movie player that can decode internally is advantageous, as it will handle the latest codecs and allow your older amp to just take the signal and amplify it for your speakers".
I believe this is the scenario I am in.
We have a Sharp Aquos Blu-Ray player (BDHP20U - HDMI 1.3a), along with a Yamaha RXV-2700 (HDMI - 1.2a). All devices are input into the Yamaha receiver, which in turn sends the video signal via the HDMI monitor out to our Sharp LCD Televison (Sharp LC42D62U.
Will we be able to take advantage of the newer Dolby True HD and DTS with this scenario?
Again might you be able to elaborate?

Thanks,

CDN Mike]]>Feb 2nd 2008 7:41PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Glad you liked the post.

The problem is that not many Blu-ray players can internally decode TrueHD and DTS-HD, including your sharp. From the information I have available, your Sharp will support TrueHD in this manor, but not DTS-HD. To my knowledge no player currently supports internally decoding DTS-HD, but there are a few that should this summer.

]]>Feb 2nd 2008 5:38PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Thanks for the reply. I could not get this second page of comments to come up, so I had to click on my e-mail link, which in turn changed the time of my original to 7:23p, which now shows after your reply. Sorry.

Regarding your reply... The Sharp can handle True HD, but not DTS-HD as you mention. So with that said if I were to play a Blue Ray which had the True HD audio, and with it being sent from the Blue Ray player via the HDMI (1.3a) output to the Yamaha Receiver HDMI input(1.2a), how will the receiver handle this? Will we receive the True HD as it was intended, or do I have to upgrade the receiver to one with the HDMI (1.3a) input?
How will the receiver handle the new format (True HD)bearing in mind it has a HDMI (1.2a) input?

Appreciate your input,

CDN Mike]]>Feb 2nd 2008 7:46PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
For plastic media play back: Pioneer BDC-2202B for Blu-Ray and Micro$oft (Toshiba) Xbox360 HDDVD drive.

So far, all this works REALLY well and the reason for all this, is purely for running every format out there. I hate being limited and I hate having to keep upgrading. I try to stay ahead as much as possible when I purchase anything and the best way I see this being achieved for Home Cinema is via a computer of some kind.

Oh... I’ve tried a Mac, believe me, I tried, but they suck for anything new and innovative. I'm been a Film Editor for over 10 years and Mac's are good, but still... not that good! ...I miss my Amiga though!  Anywho, the PC works really well with all that I've thrown at it so far and of course, it's all software driven, dependant on hardware, such as the Pioneer and Toshiba drive.

The only down side is, I'm using a dated (but still much loved) Denon AVC-10SE and hoping to get my hands on the AVC-A1HD. Been thinking of jumping ship to an Onkyo TX-NR905 but who knows?

I'm using SP-DiF to feed my audio, but of course as stated, this isn't really good enough to get this best of this kit. So what to do?
Are there any decent PCi Sound cards out there that will do the job better? SP-DiF isn’t that bad though... as also stated above, there isn’t a huge drop in sound compared to HDMi.

The key to a lot of this... K-lite, but what the hell Sound Card can I get over my SB Audigy2 and the in-built SP-DiF output on my Asus board? I’m using them, as that’s what I have, until I find the perfect Audio output... over to your lovely people! ]]>Feb 4th 2008 6:58AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/ optical does not have enough bandwidth to handle uncompressed audio codecs

False!

It is not a bandwidth issue at all as stated in this article. Licensing restrictions do not allow any disk player to output HQ multichannel digital bitstreams unencrypted (which means they can only output analog or bitstream via a connection that supports HDCP; optical and S/P-DIF are never encrypted)

The big pirates have ways around it, HDCP just hurts all of us little people; sucks that we all have to live with it now. :(


]]>Feb 17th 2008 1:46PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Part 1:

Bitstream is usually the safest bet. For an example, if you have a newer AV receiver w/ HDMI 1.3 that decodes TrueHD, DTS HD MA, etc..., then the Blu-Ray player's "lack of sending audio ability" is minimized due the the quality AVR (Auto-Video Receiver) doing most of the work. One exception is that the PS3 can't even send DTS HD MA, even bitstream. Yet. A future firmware update should fix this. Note: Ignore any above comment about old HDMI 1.3 PS3 chip... Thats dumb... Why would a 1.1 or 1.2 HDMI version be able to send DTS HD MA through bitstream for the AVR to decode but a PS3 1.3 version will not?... No one will ever be able to provide you with a shred of proof to that M$ fanboy rumor...

Part 2:

Select PCM if your player can internally decode the newer audio formats and then you could send them out via PCM because no compression/uncompression is needed... Or use PCM if you want to hear certain PCM authored menu/sound effects on some Blu-Ray movies discs, these sound effects do not affect the actual movie's audio... An example is 3:10 to Yuma... Bitstream still passes the 7.1 PCM movie audio signal but you can NOT hear the menu sound effects... PCM will pass the 7.1 movie audio, along with the menu PCM sound effects...

Part 3:

Make sure your AVR, TV, and Blu-Ray Player have been set with the proper audio settings, and/or calibration, for the best possible sound...

Scott Booth
sbooth44@yahoo.com]]>Mar 3rd 2008 5:32PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Apr 10th 2008 12:08PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 12:10PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 2:48PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 12:17PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 12:45PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/i feel this way about the ps3, as a BD player, the lack of internal decodeing support for dtsHD and the lack of bit streaming these codecs is the only knock against it. as an overall package the pros outweigh the cons IMO. and now that BD is the clear winner in the format war, i'm hoping dual format studios that once were focused on using dtsHD MA or trueHD due to hd-dvd limitations on disc size and bit rate will use the format in support of the hands down most prolific BD player on the planet.

i do love the 7.1 LPCM support that the ps3 does provide and its that, combined with the hope for a firmware update to fix this issue, that's motivating me to get the sony STR-DA3300ES over the STR-DG2100. otherwise without a firmware update i'll probably buy a BD player later on that can do it for me.
]]>Jan 22nd 2008 4:33PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/853]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:24PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
What is not accurate? I'd love to fix it thanks.

That article is about HDMI 1.3, this article is about taking advantage of next-gen codecs. While HMDI 1.3 is useful, it isn't quite the same thing. And if it wasn't such a great article, I'd delete your post for trying to drive traffic instead of adding to the conversation.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:28PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
I esspecially like the clarification about leaving the decoding to the player rather than the reciever since the reciever is just going to convert it to PCM anyway.

]]>Jan 22nd 2008 4:33PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/

You don't mention the Xbox 360 as an HD DVD option, which can decode Dolby TrueHD but only output 5.1 1.5Mbps DTS, 640kbps Dolby Digital, WMA Pro, or stereo (2 channels) of PCM

Denon AVR (2308CI and up) will do all codecs up to 7.1]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:36PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
As for the 360, I have no idea what the new HDMI enabled one can do. Like I said, the list is not comprehensive.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:42PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
BTW the difference between @540 kb/s and 1.5 is actually much larger in terms of audio quality than 1.5 to lossless.

]]>Mar 13th 2008 1:04PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 12:37PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
The PS3 can't output bitstream of TrueHD or DTS-HD which is why it isn't listed in the "decoding in the AVR" section.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:41PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 12:42PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Hmm, not sure how to reply to that... thanks?

Seriously, I'm glad you found it interesting.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:43PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 12:51PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Made sense to me. HD-A35, Panny 30, Onkyo 605 and 7.1 running rampid here.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:55PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/


]]>Jan 22nd 2008 12:58PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 1:30PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Great article that I'm sure clears some of the muddy waters that exist when choosing audio components or just trying to the most out of the gear they own.

An important thing to remember as long as your AVR / processor / integrated amp has HDMI it is far more important what it does after decoding that having the fancy new decoder built in.

You can't make a silk purse out of sows ear now matter what decoders are in the box.
]]>Jan 22nd 2008 1:25PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Funny image choice for the article, since at the moment it doesn't work with advanced audio codecs. :¬P]]>Jan 22nd 2008 1:50PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 1:50PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 1:30PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
AVR-2808CI
AVR-3808CI
AVR-4308CI
AVR-5308CI
]]>Jan 22nd 2008 1:38PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 1:57PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Optical handles the older codecs just fine.

But, afaik, simply put, if you want the new codecs, you need hdmi. ]]>Jan 22nd 2008 2:01PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 2:03PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 1:51PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Of course, I just got it, and haven't tried a Blu-ray disc yet - only games. Is this a problem only with Blu-Ray movies?]]>Jan 22nd 2008 2:07PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 2:06PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
Ben - Logic would say that the receiver would peel off the audio, since the receiver is where it is supposed to go anyway.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 2:15PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Your AVR might have a setting in it to "pass HDMI audio". If so, disable it. What it basically means is that your receiver is asking the TV what audio it supports, which is none. Your AVR in turn tells the BDP that it doesn't support audio. If you don't pass HDMI Audio, the AVR won't ask the BDP and you should get full audio through HDMI to your AVR. That is the way it is with my Onkyo 705 anyways.]]>Jan 24th 2008 11:27AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
So, I have a PS3 and plan on getting a new receiver, something like the new Denon 4308, which apparently has support for the new codecs. BTW, its a bit annoying that I have to get a new receiver anyway, as I am otherwise quite happy with the one I have.

Apparently, the PS3 does not support DTS-MA?

So does that mean I won't get all the various audio codecs if I connect the PS3 to the receiver via HDMI?

My understanding is/was that connecting via HDMI to a receiver with codec support would be enough. Or is this article suggesting that I can get say, TrueHD sound because the PS3 supports it even though my current receiver does not??

]]>Jan 22nd 2008 2:00PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 2:05PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/
As for your current receiver, if it has HDMI in or an external multi-channel analog in, you can get Dolby TrueHD sound without a new receiver. The PS3 would decode the TrueHD soundtrack into 8 (7+1) channels, and pass those in a standard format (PCM over HDMI or just over analog cables) to your older receiver.]]>Jan 22nd 2008 2:08PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/http://hd.engadget.com/2008/01/22/how-to-actually-use-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd/Jan 22nd 2008 2:11PM