One-and-Only PS3 as Blu-Ray Player Thread - Page 408

As of firmware 1.80 or so, it does.

Brandon

The PS3 is powerful enough to run games at 1080p resolution (see Virtua Tennis 3, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, etc), but very few games render at that resolution because AA has to be reduced or frame rates tend to drop. Also most dual-platform releases are ported from their 360 counterparts...and the resolution of 1024x600 plays very well with the 360 hardware (COD4, for example).

However you'll notice that COD4 still looks excellent in the graphics department. Games being blurry probably has more to do with something other than the resolution as 720p can be just fine for most games.


720p isn't the best resolution, per se. It's more like it's the best compromise between high resolution and allowing the game to be played at an acceptable framerate. Especially if there are hardware limitations.

Brandon

In your last post and this one, what do you mean when you say you need to be qualified for an upgrade and you have to wait until they let you?

Good question! Who's they?

OK - I was misinformed. I thought one of the key advantages touted for SACD was backwards compatibility with CD's whereas the competing MCH format DVD-A was compatible with DVD. I see now that the hybrid format is only one of three. I guess another reason why SACD's and DVD-A didn't become successful - too much confusion for consumers.

From my experience games look fantastic at 720P. My TV does 1080i but with a native resolution of 1366x768 the PS3 sends out 720P. Ratchet and Crank and COD4 look really sharp in that resolution.

Hello guys, i am sure that this has been discussed but i tried skimming all 400 pages of this thread and couldnt really find it... also tried a search but couldnt find the exact answer !!! please do help me understand this next-gen audi format nonsense as its driving me crazy:

basically what ive read so far (amongst others)

hdtvmagazine.com/articles/2006/04/multi-channel_a.php
hdtvmagazine.com/articles/2006/08/hdmi_part_5_-_audio_in_hdmi_versions.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_TrueHD

(i have a PS3 and BD10 and a Denon 4308 for reference)


Basically the PS3 can output bitstream and PCM. I understand that BITSTREAM is processed audio while PCM is just the raw audio. Hence
if i send the audio via HDMI (denon 4308 with HDMI1.3) i should be setting it to PCM for the lossy next gen audio formats for better quaility right???????? Secondly i know that the PS3 can internally decode Dolby Digital PLUS (and convert it to bitstream or something to be send over HDMI... that bit i dont get ???) but can it output RAW PCM for the other LOSSLESS formats DTS Master HD, Dolby TRUE HD over hdmi 1.3 so that my denon can actually do something USEFUL?

ALSO how does the PS3 decode DD Plus when it has no 5.1 analog audio out ???


THANK YOU !!

p.s. just for reference . if you use Digital oprical out (toslink) you only get DD and DTS right.. in that case can you still leave the output to PCM (can toslink handle 5.1 channel DD/DTS) or must you set it to bitstream. What processing is done by the receiver in each case. If you output PCM then it does all the work to split it to 5.1 analog channels... But if it is in bitstream, it does exactly WHAT??

The PS3 or any other other device cannot output PCM 5.1 over Toslink - only 2.0. So for DTS or DD over Toslink it must be bitstream.

If you are outputting PCM 5.1 over HDMI the AVR just does Digital to Analogue conversion for eventual output to your speakers (via the amp stages of course and applying any equilization etc.)

If you send bitstream over Toslink (DD or DTS) the AVR has to decompress and decode the signals into PCM 5.1 before doing as above. The AVR might go directly from bitream to analogue - not sure.



It outputs DD+ over HDMI (as PCM I think) and DD regular over Toslink (set to bitstream)

that makes thinks ...clearer ! thanks mate
I found the following whitepaper which might also help some folks who are struggling over concepts. SPDIF/toslink really are only 2 channel PCM

http://www.dolby.com/assets/pdf/tech...whitepaper.pdf


now only to get an answer for the last part

I think it works this way

1. Over Toslink as you have seen. the PS3 can only output PCM 2.0 and DD or DTS 5.1. I have a slight issue in this area since my AVR only does Toslink and when playing a title that has DTS Master HD on it with no English DD 5.1 track (there are some like that) all I can receive it seems is PCM 2.0 - no discrete 5.1 sound

2. Over HDMI the PS3 decodes most of the advanced formats and sends them out via PCM. THis includes Dolby True HD so over PCM you get the full benefit of the lossless compression (as you would if the BD title had PCM 5.1 on it). You only need a HDMI 1.2 (could be 1.1) connection to do that. The PS3 doesn't decode DTS Master HD and only sends out the core DTS 1.5Mbs part of the audio.

There are a growing number of folks who are annoyed that the PS3 doesn't decode DTS Master HD and for them the holy grail is that the PS3 can extract (if that is the word) that audio track from the BR title and output it as bitstream over HDMI. Then their AVR's could do the decoding internally and apply whatever subsequent processing they want.

IMHO I can't see the difference between the PS3 processing DTS Master HD as it does Dolby TrueHD - that is decode, decompress and output at PCM. Anyway the jury is out on whether the PS3 could ever output DTS Master HD as bitstream because of a potential lacking in capability in the HDMI chipset they used.

Others see there is a difference.

You can judge for yourself I guess.

Larry

I just signed up for a sonystyle card to get the $100 off a ps3. After I was approved, a window popped up with my account number and some three digit code. Long story short I closed the window without getting my account number. Now I can't buy the ps3 until my card comes in the mail. I tried calling but its sunday and they're closed. I also tried going into my account but my number wasn't there either. Is there any way to get my account number before the card comes in the mail? I need to make the purchase soon its a b-day present.

Thanks rdclark

The card is issued by Chase (www.chase.com). Maybe you can call them.

I nearly did the same thing. I copied and pasted the account number etc., but missed copying the 3-digit security code. Went to complete my PS3 order and didn't have the number. Luckily, I found it stuck in my head.

I just ordered a ps3 and you have me worried: wouldn't the ps3 in this case output the 1.5mbps core dts track over toslink? why would you be forced to get 2.0 only? My receiver has bass management issues with hdmi (pana xr57) so I was planning to connect the ps3 over toslink and just get 640kbps dd and 1.5mbps dts but now you have me worried...

It should work fine if TOSLINK can handle that much data. Although I have never had mine connected with anything other than HDMI.

Just one last question Larry. If the signal is decoded doesnt it automatically become Bitstream , or does the PS3 do some kind of PCM > PCM decoding? in that case what is the point ... the AVR still has to do the same work

UPDATE
Problem found and corrected.All it took was a trip to BB and get a replacement remote.Followed the normal recognize BD remote feature on the PS3 and works like a charm....errr....remote once again.While I was there I price matched the PS3 from Walmart(less price) and the BD remote from CC(on sale).Make a trip and save some money too.

If the signal is decoded it's not longer bitstream but usually PCM. Bitstream means the original stream of bits in the source (in this case the disc). So that could be DD, DD+, DTS, DTS Master HD, Dolby True HD.

Of the various bitstream formats on a disc, the PS3 can only send out over Toslink DD and DTS because of limitations (possibly technical, also licensing). OTOH over HDMI it can send both bitstream and PCM. So you choose bitstream if you want your AVR to decode the audio and PCM if you want the PS3 to decode.

Does that make sense?

Larry

All you new PS3 owners might want to check out the Folding@Home project. Donate some CPU time to science and medicine.

There's a thread in the Playstation area.

Note the AVS Forum team number in my sig. We're 124th in the world standings.

Reading all about the Blue tooth remote, I am assuming the wireless game controllers are blue tooth as well.

What kind of range can one expect for the game controllers?

Thinking about building an equipment room separate from the theater and curious what that will do to me.

Just a quick analogy to hopefully make Bitstream vs PCM a bit easier to understand...

There are various video codecs DVDs and HD media can be encoded in: Mpeg2, VC-1, AVC, etc. Players decode the video and output the video to the TV. This is like decoding DD, DTS, Dolby TrueHD, etc. and outputting PCM.

However, if the player were to send the Mpeg2, VC-1, etc. encoded file to the TV as-is, and let the TV decode it, that would be like Bitstream - sending original bits to be decoded on the other end.


Although there are no displays that I know of that decode actual video, either way the results would theoretically be the same, assuming that the devices on both ends were equally capable of producing the same quality picture.

every so often dish net runs upgrade specials if you re-comit to the service on these new recievers.

these upgrades usualy include free instal.

the last upgrade allowed me up to 1 hd dvr and 1 hd reciever each i would trade in my 510 sd dvr and 49 dollars got me the upgrade with a 18 month comitment. this was far better when compared to the 900 dollar price to buy the unit. plus if it breaks under my plan they send me a new one.

Well, I got my PS3 today.

I set it all up, got the wireless running, got the latest update, a bowl of popcorn, and popped in the Spiderman 3 DVD that came with it.

The picture seemed very nice, but dark scenes seemed a little bit grainy on my 4671. I did not notice this problem with the couple of HD-DVDs that I watched on my Toshiba, and I don't notice it with any HD feeds through Dish.

Is this normal? Is there anything that I can set to make it better?

I got myself a PS3 40GB as a BD player for my RS1 and I love it! Upscaling is also excellent, pretty much at par with my Samsung BD-P1200 (which sucks as a BD player).

I am not a gamer, but as I now I have a PS3 I would like to try that too. Can anyone recommend a flight game (like MS Flight Simulator) for the PS3?

I think there's an Ace Combat 6 demo on the PSN Store - account and download are free. Not quite "flight sim," but I don't think there are any actual flight sims for consoles. It might be a different game, actually, maybe the one from Ubisoft. I know there's at least one, because I still have it in my games list and I haven't played it yet.

Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII

Ahh, I think that's the one I'm thinking of, from Ubisoft. Come to think of it, Ace Combat 6 was a 360-exclusive, and a gorgeous-looking one at that.

Wow, that kinda sucks. I like Comcast better, if I want an HD box (or multiple boxes, including DVRs) I get one for a couple bucks a month, no commitments.

So what do most PS3 games output for audio? Default formats and channels? I'm wondering because I'm price hunting for a 40GB PS3 right now, and I want to know if I should be considering 2 extra speakers to add to my 5.1, making a full 7.1 theater. I'm hoping games support DD TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, or LPCM in 5.1 by default.

Just got a new PS3 yesterday and I have one quick question. Which unit would be better for upscaling my standard DVD collection: the PS3 or my Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player? I've been very happy with the A1, but I was just wondering if the PS3 is even better. Any responses would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!