multi channel sound: Oppo 981-HD?

[Funkmonkey]

just picked one up, and it's picture is awesome. My question is about 5.1 audio vs. 7.1 audio. Can the 981 pass 7.1 audio through HDMI or optical to be decoded by a receiver/processor, or am I SOL for 7.1 sound with this player. If this is the case I should I swap it out for a Oppo 980 (which does have the 7.1 capability over analog, but inferior video processing)? Forgive me if this is a noob question...
Any expertise would be helpful.
thanks.

edit: should I even use the video upscaling in the Oppo if I run it through a receiver like the Onkyo 875?

[j_garcia]

the 7.1 is in the encoding, no different than 5.1, and should be able to be passed by any digital format.

[supervij]

Forgive what might be a foolish question, but when is your 981 (or even a 980) ever going to have a 7.1 source? I thought 7.1 exists only on the new high def media formats. The most I've ever seen on a DVD is 6.1, and the digital connection (HDMI) can handle that. I wouldn't even worry about it.

As to using your Oppo's or your receiver's scaling abilities, try both and use whichever you like best. Odds are it'll be your Oppo, so set the receiver to pass-through or whatever the term is. But still, try both.

cheers,
supervij

[Funkmonkey]

Forgive what might be a foolish question, but when is your 981 (or even a 980) ever going to have a 7.1 source? I thought 7.1 exists only on the new high def media formats. The most I've ever seen on a DVD is 6.1, and the digital connection (HDMI) can handle that. I wouldn't even worry about it.

cheers,
supervij

I know, just trying to cover the bases, and educate myself a bit. I do know that the 980 is capable of 7.1 sound through analog, that must be for SACD or something. Cheers, thanks for the help

[Funkmonkey]

the 7.1 is in the encoding, no different than 5.1, and should be able to be passed by any digital format.

so only an HDMI connection should provide enough signal to reproduce 7.1 sound, in a capable receiver, right? or failing that a optical connection would have the same effect.

[j_garcia]

6.1 is the best you can get from a SD DVD right now, and you can pass that via optical or HDMI. The 7.1 processing occurs in the receiver for this type of source.

[tcm5]

I have an Oppo 981 and pass multi channel music (DVD-A and SACD) via HDMI. This source material is 5.1 and can be decoded to 6.1 or 7.1, depending on your set-up, using DPLIIx movie or music or another DSP such as Dolby EX or Neo 6.

[petro55]

I believe you can only listen to true DVD-Audio discs by using RCA plugs to send the 5.1 sound signal to your procesor. A optical connection actually passes only 2 signals and then your reciever converts that into Dolby digital or DTS.

[j_garcia]

I have an Oppo 981 and pass multi channel music (DVD-A and SACD) via HDMI. This source material is 5.1 and can be decoded to 6.1 or 7.1, depending on your set-up, using DPLIIx movie or music or another DSP such as Dolby EX or Neo 6.

The 981 passes SACD as PCM via HDMI; only the 980 can pass the DSD stream via HDMI for SACD (one of the few players that can).

[treejohnny]

I was under the understanding that the oppo 981 passed dvd-a thru the hdmi , of course your receiver has to the right hdmi capabilities (thinking 1.2 ?)

[avaserfi]

I was under the understanding that the oppo 981 passed dvd-a thru the hdmi , of course your receiver has to the right hdmi capabilities (thinking 1.2 ?)

HDMI 1.1 will do DVD-A while HDMI 1.2 is required for SACD - more confusion in the realm of HDMI. Otherwise you are right the 981 will do DVD-A via HDMI :).

[jliedeka]

The Oppo 981 only has 5.1 analog outs. I use them for everything until I get an HDMI capable receiver. Maybe even then.

Jim