[schugh]

I can't seem to find an answer for this anywhere clearly so I thought I would try asking.

First, I just finally picked up a PS3 (only for playing movies as I am not a gamer) last night (came with Spidey 3) and am quite happy with it.


I finally started to understand some things about dts-ma and dolby truehd decoding etc and was very happy to realize that I don't really need to upgrade my Denon 2807.


Now my question. Previously with SD as on my Sony 999ES DVD/SACD player, when I connect the receiver with the 6 rca cables for playback of SACD, there are options in the player for bass management and speaker distance settings etc. I believe I can also do this for DVDs as well when I want the Sony to decode the standard DD or DTS streams. I just have to put the receiver into the "external channel in" mode.


However, it seems with LPCM over HDMI, I don't need to worry about bass management, crossovers, speaker distances etc in the player? With this setup, all of the settings in the receiver still apply and the receiver still takes care of all of that?


I think I know the answer is "yes" but it's bugging me and I just wanted to get some confirmation.


What this means off course is that all this time I have been a fool by not paying attention as apparently my Toshiba A30 also decodes Dolby TrueHD and sends it as LPCM over HDMI and I haven't been using that.


Thanks,


-- Sanjay

 

[Bob Pariseau]

Having the receiver do the bass management for all the digital input types is actually preferable.


MOST receivers that can accept high bandwidth, multi-channel LPCM input over the HDMI connection will "do the right thing" with it. That includes implementing the 10dB boost on the incoming LFE channel (which should be ON by default) and also providing speaker volume trim control, speaker time alignment (speaker distances), and bass management processing (steering bass from the main channel speakers to the subwoofer to be mixed with the LFE input channel). These are the basics. If your receiver can't do that for HDMI LPCM input then you will need a better receiver.


Check the manual for your receiver to make sure such controls apply to HDMI LPCM input. If you are not sure after reading the manual, you can do a simple test such as temporarily lowering the speaker volume trim setting for some speaker and seeing if it makes a difference, or changing your main speakers between small and large temporarily and then playing stereo content to see if you get bass steered to the subwoofer when the main speakers are set to small (and don't get it when they are set to large).


Presuming your receiver does this basic stuff for HDMI LPCM input, then you are good to go. You don't need anything fancy in the player.


-------------------------


Some receivers will go beyond this and offer surround sound processing -- e.g., the ability to raise stereo input to 5.1 or 7.1 speaker output or to raise 5.1 input to 7.1 speaker output. Receivers may also offer various types of audio post-processing such as the features usually called "THX".


However, the receiver may limit such extra processing so that you can't use it with HDMI LPCM input. Check that too. This is separate from the basic stuff mentioned above. If your receiver won't offer that stuff for high bandwidth, multi-channel HDMI LPCM input then you may want to consider a better receiver. But in reality, this extra processing is not essential, whereas the basic stuff above IS essential.

--Bob