Hey guys,
Can someone make a list of all the sound formats a digital optical cable can carry compared to HDMI v1.3?

Thanks

Digital optical cable can carry the same digital audio bitstream as the interconnecting wire in an HDMI, generation1 to 3. The only added benefit of HDMI is allowing HDCP, (copy right protected material) to transfer. There is info on this on the site www.hdmi.com All Dolby and DTS digital sound formats transfer on both optical and HDMI interconnects.

Digital optical cable can carry the same digital audio bitstream as the interconnecting wire in an HDMI, generation1 to 3. The only added benefit of HDMI is allowing HDCP, (copy right protected material) to transfer.
:confused:

SACD and DVD-A cannot be carried via a digital optical/coax connection. Nor can the new audio formats, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, be carried via a digital optical/coax connection.

HDMI 1.3 CAN carry each one of those.

Toslink optical can carry Dolby Digital (up to 5.1 channels), DTS (up to 6.1 channels) and 2-channel PCM (up to 96/24 resolution).

Sanjay

:confused:

HDMI 1.3 CAN carry each one of those.
Careful with that statement. :rolleyes:

With HDMI 1.3 or HDMI 1.3a - one chip is obsolete and one has Advanced audio capability.

Insider source: Link (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10679317&&#post10679317)



EDIT:
The Si9133 (Receiver chip) will only give you Deep color and is being replaced with the Si9135 (Receiver chip), which is High Bitrate Audio Capable.

Insider source: Link (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10684529&&#post10684529)

Also:
HDMI 1.3a is not specifically required for High Bitrate Audio. HDMI 1.3 will suffice.
Insider source: Link (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10684519&&#post10684519)


Paul

Not sure what your point is, Paul H


HDMI 1.0
Released December 2002

Single-cable digital audio/video connection with a maximum bitrate of 4.9 Gbit/s. Supports up to 165 Mpixel/s video (1080p60 Hz or UXGA) and 8-channel/192 kHz/24-bit audio.

HDMI 1.1
Released May 2004

Added support for DVD Audio.

HDMI 1.2
Released August 2005

Added support for One Bit Audio, used on Super Audio CDs, up to 8 channels.
Availability of HDMI Type A connector for PC sources.
Ability for PC sources to use native RGB color-space while retaining the option to support the YCbCr CE color space.
Requirement for HDMI 1.2 and later displays to support low-voltage sources.

HDMI 1.2a
Released December 2005

Fully specifies Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) features, command sets, and CEC compliance tests.

HDMI 1.3
Released 22 June 2006

Increases single-link bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbit/s)
Optionally supports 30-bit, 36-bit, and 48-bit xvYCC with Deep Color or over one billion colors, up from 24-bit sRGB or YCbCr in previous versions.
Incorporates automatic audio syncing (lip sync) capability.
Supports output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers. TrueHD and DTS-HD are lossless audio codec formats used on HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. If the disc player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, then HDMI 1.3 is not necessary, as all versions of HDMI can transport uncompressed audio.
Availability of a new mini connector for devices such as camcorders.

HDMI 1.3a
Released 10 November 2006.

Cable and Sink modifications for Type C
Source termination recommendation
Removed undershoot and maximum rise/fall time limits.
CEC capacitance limits changed
RGB video quantization range clarification
CEC commands for timer control brought back in an altered form, audio control commands added.
Concurrently released compliance test specification included.

HDMI 1.3b
Testing specification released 26 March 2007

Not sure what your point is, Paul H

My point was that a generalized statement that "HDMI 1.3 CAN carry each one of those" can be misunderstood, because not all HDMI 1.3 equipped systems Can carry/pass the new audio formats, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, even though HDMI 1.1 to 1.3 can pass the new audio formats decoded LPCM.

Refereing to this statements context:
:confused:

SACD and DVD-A cannot be carried via a digital optical/coax connection. Nor can the new audio formats, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, be carried via a digital optical/coax connection.

HDMI 1.3 CAN carry each one of those.

Paul

We're talking about the cable, not the implementation of specific systems.

HDMI 1.0 cables can carry more and higher resolution audio than optical TOSlink, including more channels of high resolution, uncompressed audio. The higher standards just add capabilities to the receivers, not necessarily to the cables (although 1.3 also improves the cables, if you get the right type).

Many enthusiasts feel HDMI has always been and still is just a marketing thing. What do you guys feel about that?

Many enthusiasts feel HDMI has always been and still is just a marketing thing. What do you guys feel about that?It seemed that way at first. The first "HDMI upscaling" SD DVD players had HDMI as a marketing ploy. If your HDTV could upscale any SD input, there was really no reason.

With the HDMI standard maturing, and more and more manufacturers actually following it, there are some real advantages when applied to HD source material:
- One cable instead of four or more.
- Digital all the way.
- Potentially better audio through HDMI.

Of course not all HDMI hookups are problem free. Not all HDMI devices process the audio from it. Not all video monitors can handle the best video signals that might come through it. Some HDMI devices just don't handshake well with other HDMI devices. I had a Cyberhome upscaling DVD player that would royally screw with my Sanyo CRT HDTV. Both devices work fine, but not with each other using HDMI connections.

Toslink optical can carry Dolby Digital (up to 5.1 channels), DTS (up to 6.1 channels) and 2-channel PCM (up to 96/24 resolution).

Sanjay

Okay, so straighten me out: does umcompressed PCM play in more than 2 channels?
If so what is the best way to achieve that? I know this is a real noob question.

I'll be using a SONY BDP-S300 BluRay player and a Yamaha RX-V1700 AVR.
As the receiver is not that good passing video signals (according to CNET) I will probably go HDMI from Sat receiver to plasma and HDMI from BluRay to Plasma.

SO, what are the best audio cable connections? Is it true PCM gives the best audio?
Thanks for your patience.

does umcompressed PCM play in more than 2 channels?Sure. PCM can be as many channels as you want (though HD DVD and Blu-ray are both limited to 8 audio channels). If so what is the best way to achieve that?Via HDMI, which has the capability to transmit multi-channel PCM.

Sanjay