Hi guys,

I just had a new receiver delivered today that can decode Dolby True HD and DTS-HDMA. If I want to have the receiver do the decoding, would I send it as uncompressed PCM or would I send bitstream?

Sorry, I'm not asking about which is better (which has been discussed). I'm just trying to figure out how to pass it through. I'm kind of a noob on this stuff and I'm not sure which one does what.

Hi guys,

I just had a new receiver delivered today that can decode Dolby True HD and DTS-HDMA. If I want to have the receiver do the decoding, would I send it as uncompressed PCM or would I send bitstream?

Set the PS3 to bitstream if you want the receiver to do the decoding. At this point the PS3 will decode Dolby True HD and send it as uncompressed LPCM out. It can't do DTS-HDMA yet.

Thanks for the quick response. Have the new avr set up, now I just need to wait for a BRD that can play one of those formats. Sadly, my 360 can't play them either.

If you want to hear TrueHD you need to set the PS3 to PCM mode so it decodes it. If you set bitstream mode you'll only hear the base DD track.

If you want to hear TrueHD you need to set the PS3 to PCM mode so it decodes it. If you set bitstream mode you'll only hear the base DD track.

Thats what I thought as well but since I dont have an AVR yet I didnt want to say anything. From what I understand TrueHD is an uncompressed PCM audio signal so if ur AVR can decode it, then theres no need to send a bitstream signal to ur AVR. BTW is there any game or blu-ray out there that uses this new format?

There's a bunch of Blu-Rays that have TrueHD. Right now no players can send the TrueHd bitstream to a receiver, you must set the player to decode it and output PCM to the receiver.

So is PCM or Bitstream uncompressed?

Which is better if you have a decoding HDMI reciever?

So is PCM or Bitstream uncompressed?

Which is better if you have a decoding HDMI reciever?

For the new HD formats you have no choice in this matter. You HAVE to set the PS3 to PCM. If you set it to bitstream you will NOT hear the HD audio track. It doesn't matter what kind of receiver you have. The limitation is in the Blu-Ray players themselves. Currently none of them can send a HD audio track via bitstream to a receiver. They can only send the older DD and DTS tracks via bitstream.

New players coming out in a couple of months will be able to output bitstream. But for the PS3 you will want to set it to PCM for Blu-Ray movies.

Edit: And no, there is currently no way to have the True HD, etc to light up on your receiver. It will display "Multi-Channel In".

Sorry to beat this dead horse, but I am about to buy my first Dolby TrueHD Blu-ray disc (TMNT) and I currently use the Bitstream setting on the PS3 so my Marantz receiver decodes all the audio via HDMI v 1.2x. I use this setting because the PS3 does not support several older formats (Dolby Surround, etc.). Plus Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 seem to sound a little better.

I know for a fact that the PS3 still pushes through LPCM uncompressed Blu-ray audio to my receiver using Bitstream when watching movies encoded with this audio format, but will the PS3 decode the TrueHD tracks and then push the audio through as LPCM when in Bitstream mode? Some people claim it will and some claim it will not.

Has anyone actually tested this??

I see no reason why the PS3 would not still decode the audio and then send it through as LPCM via HDMI considering that no player can currently send the undecoded audio through via HDMI unless maybe there is a future PS3 firmware update and you have a HDMI v 1.3x receiver than can decode the format.

Sorry to beat this dead horse, but I am about to buy my first Dolby TrueHD Blu-ray disc (TMNT) and I currently use the Bitstream setting on the PS3 so my Marantz receiver decodes all the audio via HDMI v 1.2x. I use this setting because the PS3 does not support several older formats (Dolby Surround, etc.). Plus Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 seem to sound a little better.

I know for a fact that the PS3 still pushes through LPCM uncompressed Blu-ray audio to my receiver using Bitstream when watching movies encoded with this audio format, but will the PS3 decode the TrueHD tracks and then push the audio through as LPCM when in Bitstream mode? Some people claim it will and some claim it will not.

Has anyone actually tested this??

I see no reason why the PS3 would not still decode the audio and then send it through as LPCM via HDMI considering that no player can currently send the undecoded audio through via HDMI unless maybe there is a future PS3 firmware update and you have a HDMI v 1.3x receiver than can decode the format.

I just popped in "300" to test this for you since it has DD, TrueHD and LPCM.

With the PS3 set to "Bitstream":

1. Dolby Digital
2. Dolby Digital
3. LPCM

With the PS3 set to "LPCM":

1. Dolby Digital
2. TrueHD
3. LPCM

Those are what shows up on the PS3 when you hit "Display". So in short, you will not get TrueHD with the PS3 set to "Bitstream" but you will get LPCM.

Thanks!

So can you switch it from Bitstream to PCM mode while in the movie?

I think you need to switch it before you start the movie in your ps3 settings.

Thanks!

So can you switch it from Bitstream to PCM mode while in the movie?

I think you can (from people's reports), but I can't test it yet because I haven't been able to find the new receiver that I want yet. It's so annoying to have decided to buy something but not be able to.

I think you can (from people's reports), but I can't test it yet because I haven't been able to find the new receiver that I want yet. It's so annoying to have decided to buy something but not be able to.

No you have to choose PCM or bitstream in the BD DVD audio options on the XMB. You can switch between U-PCM and Dolby Digital/DTS while watchin a movie. However BOTH of those are still being sent as a PCM signal to the AVR.

With the PS3 set to "Bitstream":
1. Dolby Digital
2. Dolby Digital
3. LPCM

With the PS3 set to "LPCM":

1. Dolby Digital
2. TrueHD
3. LPCM

Those are what shows up on the PS3 when you hit "Display". So in short, you will not get TrueHD with the PS3 set to "Bitstream" but you will get LPCM.

AH! Question is..with the PS3 set to bitstream what is the Bit rate of the audio track when you have it set for LPCM.. I bet it's 1.5 meg (core track)..which is a stereo (2 ch) PCM track

On the flip side with LPCM checked the LPCM track should be giving you a bitrate between 4-6meg. Big difference between the two..even though both are "LPCM"

AH! Question is..with the PS3 set to bitstream what is the Bit rate of the audio track when you have it set for LPCM.. I bet it's 1.5 meg (core track)..which is a stereo (2 ch) PCM track

On the flip side with LPCM checked the LPCM track should be giving you a bitrate between 4-6meg. Big difference between the two..even though both are "LPCM"

No... with Bitstream selected in the PS3 menu and then starting the movie and selecting the LPCM track you get 4.5m bit rate. It is the same exact bit rate as when you have "LPCM" selected in the in PS3 menu.

The only thing that I saw change between the two settings was the TrueHD track. With Bitstream selected it was a 640k DD track and with LPCM selected it was a varible TrueHD track.

Edit: So really the only thing you lose when going with "Bitstream" is TrueHD or any other of the newer HD tracks. The 4.5meg LPCM track will play just fine on either setting.

So when using HDMI....

Uncompressed LPCM --> use either PCM or Bitstream mode

Dolby TrueHD --> use PCM mode

DTS-HD Master Audio --> you are screwed ;)

So when using HDMI....

Uncompressed LPCM --> use either PCM or Bitstream mode

Dolby TrueHD --> use PCM mode

DTS-HD Master Audio --> you are screwed ;)

I would agree with this. For now you are screwed with DTS..but whats new. DTS was last to market with SD-DVD and last to market with HD-DVD's There are only a handful of players that can decode DTS-HD, and they are in the 1000 dollar plus range.

Yes but there are currently no players that can decode DTS-HD Master Audio.