[epicbloodline]



 

[sb1]

PCM is uncompressed (lossless). Bitstream is compressed (lossy). There are a couple of threads going on the difference between the two. PCM requires HDMI or analog in/outs, bitstream can be had over optical or coaxial. Great sound can be had from both, though most prefer PCM.

 

[cokecan]

PCM isn't neccessarily uncompressed (techinically the signal is), but you could still have your player decode DD or DTS and ship it to your receiver via PCM over HDMI and it would most certainly not be lossless(the transmission would be, but the source material wouldn't).


The best way I've found to look at it is PCM means it is up to your player to decode the audio and then send it uncompressed to the receiver. If the audio is already uncompressed then it just sends it over..


Bitstream over HDMI or optical means your receiver will handle the decoding.


Bitstream will also be lossless in the future with codecs like DTSMA. This is a lossless compression codec that can be sent bitstream to your receiver via HDMI (optical doesn't have enough bandwidth) and decoded there. There are just no receivers that can handle this at this time (that are readily available)..


Some would argue the shift is towards the players doing the decoding, which are easily upgraded via firmware to support new codecs and then sending PCM to your receiver. I tend to agree that this makes a lot of sense since you don't have to buy a new receiver everytime a new codec comes out..


Cheers,

Brian

 

[epicbloodline]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cokecan /forum/post/0


PCM isn't neccessarily uncompressed (techinically the signal is), but you could still have your player decode DD or DTS and ship it to your receiver via PCM over HDMI and it would most certainly not be lossless(the transmission would be, but the source material wouldn't).


The best way I've found to look at it is PCM means it is up to your player to decode the audio and then send it uncompressed to the receiver. If the audio is already uncompressed then it just sends it over..


Bitstream over HDMI or optical means your receiver will handle the decoding.


Bitstream will also be lossless in the future with codecs like DTSMA. This is a lossless compression codec that can be sent bitstream to your receiver via HDMI (optical doesn't have enough bandwidth) and decoded there. There are just no receivers that can handle this at this time (that are readily available)..


Some would argue the shift is towards the players doing the decoding, which are easily upgraded via firmware to support new codecs and then sending PCM to your receiver. I tend to agree that this makes a lot of sense since you don't have to buy a new receiver everytime a new codec comes out..


Cheers,

Brian

so in a nut shell:


if my ps3 has it's hdmi running to the TV and my reciever has the optical cable coming from it, my settings should be bitstream not PCM

 

[sb1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by epicbloodline /forum/post/0


so in a nut shell:


if my ps3 has it's hdmi running to the TV and my reciever has the optical cable coming from it, my settings should be bitstream not PCM

Correct.

 

[Frank Stein]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cokecan /forum/post/0


Some would argue the shift is towards the players doing the decoding, which are easily upgraded via firmware to support new codecs and then sending PCM to your receiver. I tend to agree that this makes a lot of sense since you don't have to buy a new receiver everytime a new codec comes out..


Cheers,

Brian

Agreed. This is how it should be done and hopefully will continue to be done.

 

[epicbloodline]

dvd wide display:

pan and scan or letterbox

 

[sb1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by epicbloodline /forum/post/0


dvd wide display:

pan and scan or letterbox

I think I know what you're asking, but could you be more specific? Pan and scan is a bad phrase around here, by the way

.