Multi-Channel Chain?

[sterling shoote]

I'd like a how-to-guide to downloading multi-channel audio to laptop and from there, getting the multi-channel downloads wirelessly and/or wired from laptop to pre/pro. My pre/pro does not have HDMI, just IEC 958 and Toslink. Who has downloads for sale? What player do I need to install to laptop? And what streamer? My laptop does have HDMI so I may be able to use some sort of wired converter if such a device exists?

 

[Bucknekked]

I'd like a how-to-guide to downloading multi-channel audio to laptop and from there, getting the multi-channel downloads wirelessly and/or wired from laptop to pre/pro. My pre/pro does not have HDMI, just IEC 958 and Toslink. Who has downloads for sale? What player do I need to install to laptop? And what streamer? My laptop does have HDMI so I may be able to use some sort of wired converter if such a device exists?

Sterling
I am going to assume when you say multi-channel downloads you are referring to something other than stereo (multi-channel) downloads. If that's correct, I don't know a good place that will have a selection of multi-channel stuff. HDtracks does DSD stuff occasionaly, but I don't believe has a wide catalog.

Not to despair. I did a lot of ripping on Blu-Rays when I was building my library of both movies and music.
Music you know all about. Movies however have multi-channel soundtracks. For Blu-rays that are concerts, they often have multi-channel soundtracks. I use a program called handbrake that will rip multichannel soundtracks from blu-rays. Handbrake is free. If you have any experience in the ripping world you've probably come across it. It also works on DVDs if you have multi-channel sound content.

I have included a screen shot that shows the encoder for 5.1channel sound on a sample movie. If this Blu-ray was zz Top, I would be able to take the sound and rip it in all its 5.1 channel glory. Then it just becomes a file to play like anything else you already know how to manipulate. I have done exactly that with a couple of my concert blu-rays. I will often keep sound and video together, but, on occasion I have just kept the audio.

hope this helps. Its an idea.

 

[Bucknekked]

Sterling
As an afterthought, here is a sample site that advertises multi-channel HD music.
When I went poking around inside, they did offer 5.1 channel sound on some selections.
Its like HDtracks, not everything is there and the paucity of 5.1 channel offerrings is breathtaking.
But, hey, its a place to start.

Itrax.com

 

[TLS Guy]

I'd like a how-to-guide to downloading multi-channel audio to laptop and from there, getting the multi-channel downloads wirelessly and/or wired from laptop to pre/pro. My pre/pro does not have HDMI, just IEC 958 and Toslink. Who has downloads for sale? What player do I need to install to laptop? And what streamer? My laptop does have HDMI so I may be able to use some sort of wired converter if such a device exists?

I don't think you will be able to do this because of DRM. Most movies are not available for download in 5.1 only streaming and most on Netflix. A download with AC3 MPEG 4 would still be 5 to 10 gig file for most movies. That is a big download so you would need a very high speed Internet connection otherwise it will take for ever and the chance of an error wrecking the download high.

Gigabit connections are just starting to get about. My ISP has a Gigazone, and I have it now, but here on the lake the fastest speed available to me is 250 Mbps and that is what I have up and down. That is pretty fast and what you would need. The other thing is that people starting to do this like to send it as an MKV file. So your computer would probably have to handle MKV files.

Your biggest problem by far is that your pre/pro does not have HDMI, so you do not have the required DRM. The converter you speak of is not legal. There used to be illegal ones around, but there has been a missive clamp down and you can't get them now.

It really is time you got a pre/pro with HDMI. My first Pre/Pro did not have HDMI, because none did then. It was a real PITA, so I got rid of it within 2 years. For what you want to do lack of HDMI will be terminally limiting.

 

[sterling shoote]

Sterling
As an afterthought, here is a sample site that advertises multi-channel HD music.
When I went poking around inside, they did offer 5.1 channel sound on some selections.
Its like HDtracks, not everything is there and the paucity of 5.1 channel offerrings is breathtaking.
But, hey, its a place to start.

Itrax.com

Looks like you and TLS Guy are on top of the technology; and, it appears the technology is really not there yet for me to download to iTunes and then wirelessly deliver content to pre/pro. For now, I guess I'll just continue to collect multi-channel SACD's and enjoy them from universal player.