Isn't it fair and/or correct for the title to also read: "Bitstream is not always equal to LPCM"?

If the HDMI chip screws up a digital LPCM stream, wouldn't it screw up a bitstrream? If the analog circuitry in the player screws it up, isn't there just a good a chance the analog circuitry in the A/V gear would do the same?

I do agree with you 100% that the A/V gear may treat the two forms of data differently, but that doesn't say that when initially decoded the two aren't equal. That deals with how the receiver treats/processes post decoding, no in the "quality" of the signal.

Ben, I always really appreciate your sound analysis and business acumen, but in this case you don't really back up your statement with facts. My post isn't about bitstream vs LPCM, but rather about your normally rock solid posts. You only offer one statement to justify you side of the debate: "but that doesn't mean the player's analog circuitry or HDMI chip doesn't screw it up after the fact".

I think the root of this debate is a carry over from a generation ago where you always wanted to decode in your A/V receiver because that was the "expensive" piece of gear. Not only that, but more importantly, if you decoded in the player, you weren't sending it to your A/V receiver digitally because there wasn't bandwidth to send six channels in LPCM format. So for the cleanest signal transfer to the A/V gear, you had to decode in the receiver. I think we are technologicly past that.

I personally don't think there is much difference, if any at all, but the real issue is that I want the rock solid Ben back, not the one that throws out a couple of weak justifications in debate that is hard to prove. This is such a heated and on-going debate that I think if you are going to take a stand, it needs to be a strong one. Thanks for the great podcast and keep it up.

Jim

I wonder how much it cost Sony to win? With all the payoffs, I am sure it was almost as much.

I wonder if this will help Google stock, as it has taken a disproportionate hit this past month.

If the D* installers can't even install an HR-20 in a normal house without screwing it up, imagine how dorked up the spacestation will be after Mastec gets ahold of it!

Is it really up to the salesment to inform the consumers that just because they have bought a HDTV that the picture may not be in HD? While it would be nice if they did, where did personal responsiblity go? I agree not everybody understands HD, but I wouldn't put the responsibility on the sales guy.