Blu-ray Computer Playback -Dolby TruHD???

[s162216]

Hi,

I am thinking of getting a blu ray drive for my computer because I don't have a HDTV, but I do have a very nice Philips LCD monitor with a resolution of 1680 x 1050. If i do this, will I get the DTS HD or True HD soundtrack out of the SPDIF port or will it only output Dolby Digital or DTS? The motherboard that I am using has Nvidea Soundstrorm so it has an excellent, tested digital output and can encode everything to DD.

 

[GlocksRock]

With a SPDIF port you will only get standard dolby digital and dts. You will need HDMI to get any of the new audio codecs, since toslink and spdif don't have enough bandwidth.

 

[lsiberian]

Hi,

I am thinking of getting a blu ray drive for my computer because I don't have a HDTV, but I do have a very nice Philips LCD monitor with a resolution of 1680 x 1050. If i do this, will I get the DTS HD or True HD soundtrack out of the SPDIF port or will it only output Dolby Digital or DTS? The motherboard that I am using has Nvidea Soundstrorm so it has an excellent, tested digital output and can encode everything to DD.

Most new monitors accept hd input. If you have a DVI-D port all you need is this

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2218&seq=1&format=2

Check the back you should see a DVI-D label.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just bought a HP laptop w/ blu-ray & HDMI.

It is hooked to my Denon receiver via HDMI.

I will play a blu-ray movie tonight to see if it outputs DTS-HD MA, etc.

 

[GlocksRock]

I think your software will also have to support the new audio formats as well... I'm pretty sure the newer versions of Power DVD do.

 

[s162216]

True HD LPCM

If WinDVD decoded the truehd to LPCM and outputed it through the SPDIF port to my reciever would it still not work? This is my first HT so I just got a simple reciver that does DD, PLII and DTS and no component or HDMI, just composite, and SPDIF. It does not have any 5.1 analogue inputs either.

 

[jinjuku]

If WinDVD decoded the truehd to LPCM and outputed it through the SPDIF port to my reciever would it still not work? This is my first HT so I just got a simple reciver that does DD, PLII and DTS and no component or HDMI, just composite, and SPDIF. It does not have any 5.1 analogue inputs either.

Then you are not going to be able to do any of the HD audio formats...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Okay, I just tried out the HP DV7-1270US laptop blu-ray last night.

I think it sucks.

It doesn't seem to allow bitstreaming of Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA (the new Hi-def sound). My receiver read "Multi Channel Direct". I don't think I can even configure the laptop to output via bitstream, instead of PCM. For all I know, the sound may be plain Jane DD & DTS.

How does it sound? Not very good at all compared to my Denon BD player.

How does it look? I don't think it looks as good as my Denon BD player either.

It's not all updated either because it won't even play X-Files Fight the Future BD. It kept on saying that I had to update the player @ cyberlink.com. But when I go there to update, it said that the update is for the BD players only - as if the HP was not a BD player.

 

[GlocksRock]

If WinDVD decoded the truehd to LPCM and outputed it through the SPDIF port to my reciever would it still not work? This is my first HT so I just got a simple reciver that does DD, PLII and DTS and no component or HDMI, just composite, and SPDIF. It does not have any 5.1 analogue inputs either.

With spdif you will still only get the core dolby digital, even if all the disc has is truehd.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Update on Blu-ray via HP laptop w/ PowerDVD 8

Okay. I found out the problem. I was initially NOT using PowerDVD 8! It was the crapy software that came with the HP laptop - some HP Smartmedia player or something. I uninstalled that crap.

Next, I installed PowerDVD 8. On speaker configuration, I got a choice of "HDMI" or "5 speakers", "6 speakers", etc. I picked "HDMI".

On Audio output configuration, I got a choice of either "PCM" or "DD/DTS Passthru".

I don't know if PCM includes DTS-HD & TrueHD. I played with both options, but could not hear any differences. So I just went with the DD/DTS passthru. This way, I KNOW what I'm hearing because my Denon receiver says "Dolby Digital" or "DTS Surround".

So how does it sound NOW?

It sounds GREAT.

I really can't tell the difference between this sound versus the sound from my Denon blu-ray DTS-HD & TrueHD.

I saw "DOOM" BD on the laptop. Picture was great. Sound was awesome. Bass was INSANE!!! It literally rattled my bones.

 

[krzywica]

Okay. I found out the problem. I was initially NOT using PowerDVD 8! It was the crapy software that came with the HP laptop - some HP Smartmedia player or something. I uninstalled that crap.

Next, I installed PowerDVD 8. On speaker configuration, I got a choice of "HDMI" or "5 speakers", "6 speakers", etc. I picked "HDMI".

On Audio output configuration, I got a choice of either "PCM" or "DD/DTS Passthru".

I don't know if PCM includes DTS-HD & TrueHD. I played with both options, but could not hear any differences. So I just went with the DD/DTS passthru. This way, I KNOW what I'm hearing because my Denon receiver says "Dolby Digital" or "DTS Surround".

So how does it sound NOW?

It sounds GREAT.

I really can't tell the difference between this sound versus the sound from my Denon blu-ray DTS-HD & TrueHD.

I saw "DOOM" BD on the laptop. Picture was great. Sound was awesome. Bass was INSANE!!! It literally rattled my bones.

Software setup is one of the more painstaking things for a HTPC. Especially if you start getting into encoding your bluray's to a single container and playing them back that way.

To my knowledge there is not a PC card out yet that will output TrueHD and DTS-HD. I know Asus was working on one later last year but I don't think it has hit the market yet.

Most of the newer ATI video cards have a sound board built into the VGA card so they can output through HDMI natively.

 

[strube]

Software setup is one of the more painstaking things for a HTPC. Especially if you start getting into encoding your bluray's to a single container and playing them back that way.

To my knowledge there is not a PC card out yet that will output TrueHD and DTS-HD. I know Asus was working on one later last year but I don't think it has hit the market yet.

I would agree with your first statement for sure!

However, the ASUS HDAV1.3 card has been out for a while (since about June 2008) and its software sucks apparently, but they have gotten it fixed to the point that it will output TrueHD and DTS-HD and 1080p video (there were major issues with 24p but I think they have since gotten that fixed too). Auzentech is working on a similar card and was supposed to release it last September, but still doesn't have it out.

It is not worth it to me. I just run DD or DTS sound for the HTPC from the motherboard sound since I have a dedicated BD player now that will do its thing.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

But will it BITSTREAM Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD MA or just supposedly send TrueHD & DTS-HD via "PCM".

I hate it when they send via PCM because (for all we know) it may just be DD/DTS.

But if it could bitstream, then we would know for sure.

 

[strube]

But will it BITSTREAM Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD MA or just supposedly send TrueHD & DTS-HD via "PCM".

I hate it when they send via PCM because (for all we know) it may just be DD/DTS.

But if it could bitstream, then we would know for sure.

It actually does bitstream. Or so they claim .

http://usa.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=14102
See the title: "ASUS Reveals Xonar HDAV1.3 Series Sound Cards with World's First Dolby TrueHD Bit-Stream Feature for the New Blu-ray Era"

EDIT: They released the card quite a while ago, but I'm guessing they didn't make an announcement about bitstreaming until they had the drivers figured out because they didn't make the linked announcement until December 31, 2008 .

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It actually does bitstream. Or so they claim .

http://usa.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=14102
See the title: "ASUS Reveals Xonar HDAV1.3 Series Sound Cards with World's First Dolby TrueHD Bit-Stream Feature for the New Blu-ray Era"

EDIT: They released the card quite a while ago, but I'm guessing they didn't make an announcement about bitstreaming until they had the drivers figured out because they didn't make the linked announcement until December 31, 2008 .

Nice.

Now all we need is a blu-ray backup (ripping) software that does TrueHD/DTS-MA!

 

[GlocksRock]

Nice.

Now all we need is a blu-ray backup (ripping) software that does TrueHD/DTS-MA!

Yeah, shoot me a PM if you ever find software that does that.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, shoot me a PM if you ever find software that does that.

So Asus has a soundcard that can bitstream all the audio codec.

Now not only do we need a ripping software that does TrueHD/DTS-MA (anyDVD HD cannot), we also need a playback software that can bitstream it.

I know Power DVD 8 Ultra cannot bitstream TrueHD/DTS-MA on my PC.

 

[GlocksRock]

Will Power DVD 8 Ultra convert the new codecs to PCM like the PS3 does?

 

[strube]

So Asus has a soundcard that can bitstream all the audio codec.

Now not only do we need a ripping software that does TrueHD/DTS-MA (anyDVD HD cannot), we also need a playback software that can bitstream it.

I know Power DVD 8 Ultra cannot bitstream TrueHD/DTS-MA on my PC.

I think there might be a special version of PDVD 8 that comes with the ASUS card to allow this, though I may be mistaken.

 

[Djizasse]

Now not only do we need a ripping software that does TrueHD/DTS-MA (anyDVD HD cannot), we also need a playback software that can bitstream it.

I haven't tried this, but could you take a look?
http://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?t=16922