So I broke down and came to dark side. I am primarily planning on using the PS3 as a media streamer and blu-ray player, but I didnt really konw where else to post this question.

So I was using an old Xbox with XBMC to stream music from my computer, which it outputted via optical to the Onkyo AVR (which could then apply post processing such as Pro Logic II, Neo6 Music etc to get 5.1 sound). NOW, unless I am overlooking something, the PS3 is only pushing the music through HDMI as a LPCM (which the AVR cannot apply post processing to--so I am stuck with 2.1 music).

I did find that I could counter-act this by going into the HDMI audio settings and unchecking every single of the 20 or so LPCM compatibility boxes, but this takes 3-4 minutes and is not all convenient to do every time I want to swtich between listening to music or watching a movie.


Am I just retarded and overlooking something simple or is this really the only option this stream provides?

Thanks in advance!

Just to make sure, the PS3 right now is outputting 7.1 LPCM, but the center and surround channels are blank so you can't apply post-processing?

Doesn't the PS3 have a bitstream option with HDMI? I don't have an HDMI receiver so I'm not entirely sure how it works.

Just to make sure, the PS3 right now is outputting 7.1 LPCM, but the center and surround channels are blank so you can't apply post-processing?

This would be my guess. They are regular MP3s so encoded in two channel only. However, when my old XBMC streamed it, I suppose it was just bitstreaming it to the AVR,which could then post process w\ Pro Logic II out to 5 channels..

Doesn't the PS3 have a bitstream option with HDMI? I don't have an HDMI receiver so I'm not entirely sure how it works

It does have a bitstream, its under the BD\DVD options and so I guess it doesnt apply to streamed music...


I can't believe no one else has run across this...Thats what is making me wonder if I have setting wrong somewhere, becuase I would imagine I would have seen others complaining...

Anybody with a similar setup can do a quick test?

Plenty of people have run across it. It's been discussed to no end. The PS3 when set up in a 5.1 or 7.1 via HDMI sends EVERYTHING from the MP3's to game audio (few exceptions for games) as LPCM. If it's 2ch audio it still gets sent as 5.1 or 7.1 (whatever you have selected) but all the unused channels are muted. Your AVR still gets 5.1/7.1 input even though only 2 of the channels have info on them. And the AVR you have doesnt do post processing to an LPMC signal via HDMI. So you get 2ch music the way it was meant to be heard..in two channels.

You found the answer you do have to uncheck all the 5.1/7.1 to force the ps3 to send 2 channel audio so you can apply post processing (why you want to is a whole different topic) At any rate the reason you could do this via the Xbox was because you were using optical. Hook the PS3 up with optical and you'll have the same results as the trusty dusty Xbox. As optical can only support 2ch of uncompressed sound and HDMI does 8. The bitstream options you found for HDMI are for Movies only. Not games or XMB sounds.. DVD and BD movies only

Man I hope the PS team change this.

I remember the interview with the firmware team from mid last year where they mentioned the posibility of using CELL to add processing to MP3 and video, which would help negate our problem. I want to play my music in surround dammnit.

Man I hope the PS team change this.

I remember the interview with the firmware team from mid last year where they mentioned the posibility of using CELL to add processing to MP3 and video, which would help negate our problem. I want to play my music in surround dammnit.

This has absolutely nothing to do with processing power, or the Cell or anything other than the PS3 not recognizing the native format of the source (or failing to change to that format) Instead of seeing an MP3 and changing to 2ch audio it keeps the audio output at 5.1/7.1 This is all about audio output, and output selection via HDMI.

Now if you are talking about the PS3 doing matrix to 2ch audio, I dont think we'll ever see that happen. A: too many recievers out there that already do this B: it's such a small number of people who want to matrix 2ch audio in to "surround sound" It's not really surrround.. just more noise coming out all 5.1 or 7.1 speakers. Their time would be better spent on other areas of improvement.

I think it's clear sony has jumped ship on the audiofile mentality for the PS3. The fact that they dropped SACD from the 40gig is enough proof that they are more interested in cutting production cost, and catering to the gamers who play the PS3. Rightfully so IMO

This has absolutely nothing to do with processing power, or the Cell or anything other than the PS3 not recognizing the native format of the source (or failing to change to that format) Instead of seeing an MP3 and changing to 2ch audio it keeps the audio output at 5.1/7.1 This is all about audio output, and output selection via HDMI.

I am aware of this. I was suggesting that based on the mentioned possibility that CELL processing could be applied to MP3 and video, its seems that there is a greater likelihood of this happening than say bitstreaming the audio in the first place. It's taken them well over a year and a half and its still not here, so to be honest I doubt at this stage it will be done at all. Still, never say never.

Now if you are talking about the PS3 doing matrix to 2ch audio,

Yes, I was.

I dont think we'll ever see that happen. A: too many recievers out there that already do this B: it's such a small number of people who want to matrix 2ch audio in to "surround sound" It's not really surrround.. just more noise coming out all 5.1 or 7.1 speakers.

Pro-logic/ Pro-logic II = surround sound

Their time would be better spent on other areas of improvement.

Wonder what they could have done instead of making, what is to me, the useless newsbar scroller?

Now if you are talking about the PS3 doing matrix to 2ch audio, I dont think we'll ever see that happen. A: too many recievers out there that already do this


Yeah, that's true, my AVR has a ton of post-processing options. Unfortunatly, in their infinite wisdom, Sony mandated that I can't use ANY of them simply becuase the PS3 has to push it as LPCM. Xbox 360 does not have this problem, i can't see it as nothing but pure laziness on the part of the coders. The ps3 just needs to see "Hey, I'm reading an mp3 or other audio file, maybe I should bitstream my output so I give consumers the choice if they want to listen in stereo or not"

Sorry to be a rude, but...your receiver is the one at fault here. There are tons of receivers that apply PLIIx, etc to a LPCM source. Do you blame the PS3 for not having DTS-MA and Dolby HD in bitsteam too?

Sorry to be a rude, but...your receiver is the one at fault here. There are tons of receivers that apply PLIIx, etc to a LPCM source. Do you blame the PS3 for not having DTS-MA and Dolby HD in PCM in bitsteam too?

Before you reply with an attitude, you need to check your facts tommy. The AVR is NOT at fault. What is happening is the PS3 is outputting a stereo mp3 as a full 5 or 7 channel lpcm stream, just with every other channel except the stereo pair MUTED. Therefore, the AVR is seeing "hey, I'm getting all the channels here, no need to apply post processing". If Sony would just allow the PS3 stream just the two stereo channels, the AVR would then apply post processing. No receiver will apply post processing to a properly tagged and FULL LPCM stream (which the PS3 is doing, but with all the "extra" channels muted).

Sorry, didn't mean to come off as attitude, just frustration. Does the AVR not have a 5 or 7 channel stereo function? Does that not work on any source, including LPCM? If you're going to be doing a lot of 2-channel streaming, why not change the PS3 output gettings to only allow 2 channel LPCM temporarily? I know for a fact that that works, however inconvenient.

Does the AVR not have a 5 or 7 channel stereo function? Does that not work on any source, including LPCM? If you're going to be doing a lot of 2-channel streaming, why not change the PS3 output gettings to only allow 2 channel LPCM temporarily? I know for a fact that that works, however inconvenient.


Yeah the AVR can do 5 channel stereo, but not really advisable unless you have identical speakers all the way around--that's why Pro L IIx was so nice. And I did find the LPCM workaround originally, and it does work--once the AVR realizes its only getting two channels, it can apply PLIIX, but that is ALOT of little check boxes you have to go through and click every time you listen to music, and the check them again for a movie.

Terribly inconvenient to say the least, I was just hopeing that someone more experienced than I would chime in a say "Why, good sir, you forgot the select the option for 'only stream two channel for music mode'". No such luck though :D

*I guess the answer is upgrading my stereo pair so something REALLY nice so I wont be bummed out about only hearing them!!!

You know what else sucks for some people? When the DTS-MA or Dolby THD movies have only a 5.1 channel track (and you have a 7.1 setup), and your receiver won't apply PLIIx matrixing to LPCM sources, so your surround speakers go unused. There's no workaround on that. At least yours is solvable!

You know what else sucks for some people? When the DTS-MA or Dolby THD movies have only a 5.1 channel track (and you have a 7.1 setup), and your receiver won't apply PLIIx matrixing to LPCM sources, so your surround speakers go unused. There's no workaround on that. At least yours is solvable!

Yep, same issue, it all arises from the coding decision to mute unused channels instead of just not including them in the LPCM stream. Its retarded, but hopefully I think it could remedied by a FW release if sony got their act together.

Pro-logic/ Pro-logic II = surround sound



Just because you get sound out of 5 speakers does not make it surround sound. A 2 ch original recording Matrixed to 5.1 maybe surround sound to you, but if you compare that 2ch matrixed vs a true 5.1 surround (SACD 5.1) You'll see that 2ch PLII is truely a joke when it comes to music. Movies sound tracks are a different thing, which is what PL, and PLII were really created for.

Just because you get sound out of 5 speakers does not make it surround sound. A 2 ch original recording Matrixed to 5.1 maybe surround sound to you, but if you compare that 2ch matrixed vs a true 5.1 surround (SACD 5.1) You'll see that 2ch PLII is truely a joke when it comes to music. Movies sound tracks are a different thing, which is what PL, and PLII were really created for.


Clearly, DTS, DVD-A and 5.1 CDs are amazing for sure, but sometimes I like PLIIx for just regular music. Some may prefer their music in stereo as it was intended--Often I do not. All I wished is that sony gave consumers a choice to use their equipment to suit their liking.

Clearly, DTS, DVD-A and 5.1 CDs are amazing for sure, but sometimes I like PLIIx for just regular music. Some may prefer their music in stereo as it was intended--Often I do not. All I wished is that sony gave consumers a choice to use their equipment to suit their liking.

I completely understand your point,and agree that people should have the choice. Im one of the folks who cant stand to hear a 2ch recording matrixed in 5.1 (espically with the collection of SACD's I have) It makes the whole audio track sound hollow, and unbalanced. So the fact that the PS3 does this with MP3s and the fact that my Onkyo 804 doesnt post process LPCM via HDMI doesnt bother me none the least. LOL I would however like to apply THX to a 5.1 LPCM signal..but thats the fault of my 804, not the PS3. :D

has anybody written sony about the problem, I did twice and got a generic "we don't have any information"response. Maybe if enough people complain they will do something about it. I email them monthly hoping they keep tabs and finally get sick of my emails and fix the problem.
As far as matrixing 2 channel to 5.1 certain music sounds really good matrixed if you have your system set up properly and adjust the pro logic music settings (center width and I can't remember the other setting at the moment)also the speaker levels play an important role. I use a spl meter to make sure all the speaker level are the same it makes a huge difference and comes out a lot different then doing it by ear. And I have a lot of sacds and dvd-a so I know what a discrete mix is supposed to sound like.

So we can confirm that this is not a setting anywhere. It is, for lack of a better word, a bug. If you want to listen to music matrixed to 5\7.1 you MUST go through and uncheck all those damn LPCM boxes and then REcheck them every time you want to listen to a movie?


This is mind boggling for something that is trying to becoming a "Media center". If it wants to become more than a Blu-ray player, or game console, it has to be able to handle other tasks at least as well as other media centers....


I think the EASIEST way to do it is to allow the user to select LPCM for blu-rays, and bitstreamed everything else. That way we would still get to apply post processing to all our music and television shows.




OR.....Sony could just bistream the HD audio codec! TA DA! hahaha

I think the proper way to do it is to allow the user to select bit stream or lpcm for each format this way the user has full control of what gets sent to the receiver and you only set it once. I would set it up like this

PCM- Gets sent as pcm (2 channel gets sent as two channel and multi gets sent as multi )
DTS- Bit streamed
Ac3(Dolby Digital)- Bit streamed
Dolby True hd- Lpcm
DTS MA hd- Lpcm
mp3 and other compressed formats -get sent as pcm(again 2 channel )
dsd(SACD) - Gets sent as lpcm (yet again 2 channel as two channel and multi gets sent as multi


If we were living in a perfect world thats how it would be. Any way that's my two cents. And yes it would be very nice to have dts-hd and true hd bitstreamed but let them fix these problems first.

Agreed.