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Question: PS3 via Optical

post #1 of 11
2/10/09 at 6:30am
Thread Starter 
Didn't see an exact answer in any threads; so, thanks for any advice avs'ers.

My new setup...
- PS3 w/ all audio outputs checked in the menu.
- Denon 2800 AVR via Optical input. The Denon outputs DTS, Dolby, and Pro Logic.

Video looks great, but while watching "Night at the Museum" with audio output set to "DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio track", my reciever output it as PCM as Dolby ProLogic. Any thoughts on why the DTS HD didn't trigger the Denon to use DTS? Back in the day, my old school dvd player picked up the DTS track when the dvd had a DTS track? thank you.
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post #2 of 11
2/10/09 at 6:58am
DTS HD is a hirez track and can't travel over optical (as opposed to regular DTS on DVDs, which can go over optical.) The PS3 is probably defaulting to some other track and sending it as PCM, or downrezzing it to stereo (which is why ProLogic kicked in.) What other audio tracks are available on the disc?
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post #3 of 11
2/10/09 at 7:04am
Optical connection does not have the bandwidth to due PCM 5.1...it downgrades it to 2 channel PCM only. If you set your PS3 to bitstream, it'll do 5.1 dolby digital.

Plenty of topics on this, just search for bitstream vs pcm
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post #4 of 11
2/10/09 at 7:19am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ludawg23 View Post

Optical connection does not have the bandwidth to due PCM 5.1...it downgrades it to 2 channel PCM only. If you set your PS3 to bitstream, it'll do 5.1 dolby digital.

Plenty of topics on this, just search for bitstream vs pcm

Hmmm... that is interesting. I seem to remember the PS3 on-screen menu saying Bitstream or PCM, but (I think) Bitstream had a line of text under that selection saying some audio might not be heard with that selection.
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post #5 of 11
2/10/09 at 8:21am
Well, yeah, you won't get TrueHD or DTS-MA over bitstream (PS3 only sends those as PCM), but unless you're using HDMI to your receiver, it's a moot point, you can't get those with optical anyway. With optical, the best you'll get is DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1, same as DVDs, and that's if you bitstream.
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post #6 of 11
2/10/09 at 8:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dapdrums View Post

(I think) Bitstream had a line of text under that selection saying some audio might not be heard with that selection.

Yep. If you bitstream to a receiver that lacks the proper decoder, then you won't get audio. That used to be an issue when not all AVRs had DTS decoders. But, it's not a problem any more since pretty much all AVRs have DTS decoders these days. With HD codecs, the player will bitstream legacy DD and DTS that can be decoded by any AVR.
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post #7 of 11
2/10/09 at 8:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dapdrums View Post

Hmmm... that is interesting. I seem to remember the PS3 on-screen menu saying Bitstream or PCM, but (I think) Bitstream had a line of text under that selection saying some audio might not be heard with that selection.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander View Post

Yep. If you bitstream to a receiver that lacks the proper decoder, then you won't get audio. That used to be an issue when not all AVRs had DTS decoders. But, it's not a problem any more since pretty much all AVRs have DTS decoders these days. With HD codecs, the player will bitstream legacy DD and DTS that can be decoded by any AVR.

The text also refers to the fact that if you bitstream HD codecs (rather than decode them internally in the player--and this applies to all players, not just the PS3), you will not get the secondary audio that accompanies PiP extras.
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post #8 of 11
2/10/09 at 8:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander View Post

Yep. If you bitstream to a receiver that lacks the proper decoder, then you won't get audio. That used to be an issue when not all AVRs had DTS decoders. But, it's not a problem any more since pretty much all AVRs have DTS decoders these days. With HD codecs, the player will bitstream legacy DD and DTS that can be decoded by any AVR.

As I know my Denon AVR 2800 played DTS fine, I guess setting my PS3 to bitstream will ensure that I get at least Dolby Digital or DTS quality, right? The ProLogic just did not cut it. It think it would have sounded better with just my Samsung 530 speakers producing the audio (via the HDMI cable direct to the tv).
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post #9 of 11
2/10/09 at 9:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dapdrums View Post

As I know my Denon AVR 2800 played DTS fine, I guess setting my PS3 to bitstream will ensure that I get at least Dolby Digital or DTS quality, right? The ProLogic just did not cut it. It think it would have sounded better with just my Samsung 530 speakers producing the audio (via the HDMI cable direct to the tv).

I use the optical output of my PS3 to my receiver and it sounds great. There is a DTS 1.5 mbps "core" embedded in the HD codec and that is what you get with optical. Dolby TrueHD will play back as a 640 kbps DD track (and that also sounds great). As long as your receiver decodes DTS, you should have no worries. Set the PS3 to bitstream and enjoy.
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post #10 of 11
2/10/09 at 10:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ovation View Post

I use the optical output of my PS3 to my receiver and it sounds great. There is a DTS 1.5 mbps "core" embedded in the HD codec and that is what you get with optical. Dolby TrueHD will play back as a 640 kbps DD track (and that also sounds great). As long as your receiver decodes DTS, you should have no worries. Set the PS3 to bitstream and enjoy.

thank you. I will try it tonight, with "Traitor".
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post #11 of 11
2/13/09 at 7:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dapdrums View Post

thank you. I will try it tonight, with "Traitor".

Thank you to all. Bitstream worked great. BTW, I really enjoyed Traitor. It was a lot like Showtimes' Sleeper Cell, which I'd also recommend.
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