[bmbriefs]

Hi folks-

I've got a pretty tight budget and am looking to get the most bang for my buck with a receiver.


I only am intending to have a 5.1 speaker set, and there is a 5.1 receiver I'm interested in that can draw HDMI audio but doesn't process TrueHD audio. There is an option for $100 more that is 7.1 and processes True HD. Does this matter, or is TrueHD give benefits only applicable to 7.1 set-ups?


Information about my set-up....

My source is a PS3 and the low cost receiver option is the pioneer VSX-918 and the "high cost" receiver option is the Onkyo 606.

 

[Tulpa]

The majority of movies in TrueHD are still 5.1. In fact, very few are discrete 7.1. Just because TrueHD supports 7.1 doesn't mean they'll mix it that way.


The main advantage of TrueHD is the lossless audio support, but I've seen debates on just how much that helps sonically.

 

[BIslander]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bmbriefs /forum/post/15439319


I only am intending to have a 5.1 speaker set, and there is a 5.1 receiver I'm interested in that can draw HDMI audio but doesn't process TrueHD audio. There is an option for $100 more that is 7.1 and processes True HD. Does this matter, or is TrueHD give benefits only applicable to 7.1 set-ups?

HD audio is about the quality of the channels, not the number of channels. Most movies are mixed in 5.1 for theatrical release and are not remixed to 7.1 for home release. So, the PS3 will pair of up well with a receiver that processes audio over HDMI. Your receiver doesn't need HD decoders.

 

[funkymunky123]

the ps3 processes the truehd internally then sends it out. so you dont need a receiver that does it-just a receiver that outputs pcm. your receiver will show multichannel pcm on the display but it will be lossless & truehd sound. just make sure in your ps3 settings that it is set to output pcm instead of bitstream. the ps3 will do the rest.


there is a difference in sound quality when listening to a bluray with truehd compared to a dvd with DD5.1.

 

[bmbriefs]

Great! Thanks for your help, that'll save me $100.

 

[funkymunky123]

just make sure that you use HDMI from the ps3 to receiver as optical doesnt pass TrueHD.

 

[bmbriefs]

Does it matter what version of HDMI it has? I've read that anything above HDMI 1.1 will pass TrueHD, but wikipedia claims it requires 1.3 (not that I trust wiki very much).

 

[funkymunky123]

any hdmi cable will work. check out monoprice.com for good quality affordable hdmi cables. no need for 1.3 cables.

 

[funkymunky123]

This is what i copied off wikipedia-


Connecting a Dolby TrueHD source to a receiver requires a digital link capable of transporting either the encoded bitstream or the unpacked linear-PCM audio data (18 Mbit/s max for a Blu-ray source). HDMI 1.0 (and higher) can transport multichannel PCM-audio, and therefore can transport an unpacked TrueHD audiotrack. An HDMI 1.3 (or higher) link is required to transport Dolby TrueHD in bitstream form.


So if this is correct then you'll be ok with any cable because the ps3 is unpacking it & sending it pcm.

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bmbriefs /forum/post/15439319


Does this matter, or is TrueHD give benefits only applicable to 7.1 set-ups?

TrueHD is lossless data packing (like zipping a computer file) and has nothing to do with the number of channels in the soundtrack (the filmmakers decide that).

Quote:
Does it matter what version of HDMI it has? I've read that anything above HDMI 1.1 will pass TrueHD, but wikipedia claims it requires 1.3 (not that I trust wiki very much).

Wikipedia is correct in this case: in order to transmit TrueHD in its native bitstream, you need HDMI 1.3. But you won't be transmitting TrueHD in bitstream form, since your PS3 will decode it internally to PCM digital audio. Any version of HDMI (1.0 and above) can transmit 8 channels of PCM, so you're all set with your current player and receiver.


Sanjay