Is there any point in having hdmi?

[poutanen]

At this point in time HDMI is a necessary evil. It's the only high def game in town.

Pardon??? *cough* component *cough*

I'm not buying into the "one cable makes it easier" thing either. Probably great for the average person. One cable to each component...

I'm quite happy with component vid and optical audio. I realize it's the older tech, but I'm not so sure it's days are numbered quite yet.

 

[zumbo]

Pardon??? *cough* component *cough*

I'm not buying into the "one cable makes it easier" thing either. Probably great for the average person. One cable to each component...

I'm quite happy with component vid and optical audio. I realize it's the older tech, but I'm not so sure it's days are numbered quite yet.

Well, D TrueHD and DTSMA will be automatically changed to DD and DTS when using the optical connection in a BR player.

I can attest to the fact that the D TrueHD output by 5.1 analog on my player is much cleaner than it is converted to DD, and output digital.

However, I can't comment on HDMI audio compared to optical/digital. Anyone done this?

 

[allargon]

Pardon??? *cough* component *cough*

I'm not buying into the "one cable makes it easier" thing either. Probably great for the average person. One cable to each component...

I'm quite happy with component vid and optical audio. I realize it's the older tech, but I'm not so sure it's days are numbered quite yet.

I'll pass on the optical audio (Two channel PCM? Are you an audiohpile or something? ), but I also prefer component for video. Component sound(ly) (need to separate adjectives from adverbs ) trumps HDMI when going more than 30 ft. Too bad the powers that be have already decided to cut component off at the knees slowly but surely--first high def optical media, then multichannel PPV, then high def multichannel (but not broadcast) TV altogether in 5 years or so.

The good thing about HDMI is that cheap HDMI cables work just as well (or as poorly) as expensive ones. That is debatable for component and analog audio cables. Plus, for 7.1 lossless audio and high definition video we're looking at 11 cables (seriously) vs. 1.

 

[zumbo]

I'll pass on the optical audio (Two channel PCM? Are you an audiohpile or something? ), but I also prefer component for video. Component sound trumps HDMI when going more than 30 ft.

Component is video. Video connection has nothing to do with audio.

Optical will output surround.

 

[poutanen]

Well, D TrueHD and DTSMA will be automatically changed to DD and DTS when using the optical connection in a BR player.

I can attest to the fact that the D TrueHD output by 5.1 analog on my player is much cleaner than it is converted to DD, and output digital.

However, I can't comment on HDMI audio compared to optical/digital. Anyone done this?

I thought the PS3 could convert TrueHD and DTS-MA into LPCM which would be passed to the AVR (giving you 7.1?).

The multi-ch out/in are certainly the ****!

 

[zumbo]

I thought the PS3 could convert TrueHD and DTS-MA into LPCM which would be passed to the AVR (giving you 7.1?).

But my question is, how does this converted audio compare to a HDMI connection with TrueHD and DTSMA?

The multi-ch out/in are certainly the ****!

It is, compared to the converted digital (optical/coax) connection with TrueHD.

NOTE: I am using a Marantz BD8002.

 

[poutanen]

But my question is, how does this converted audio compare to a HDMI connection with TrueHD and DTSMA?

Depends on how the player transcodes into LPCM... theoretically there could be some loss. Either way it's got to be converted to analog at some point.

I would think the longer it stays digital the better, so I can see how HDMI is better than either SPDIF or multi-ch analog. Unless of course the DACs in the player are better than the DACs in the receiver, in which case it'd be better to get the signals into analogue right away.

For my own setup, where I'm only using 5.1 audio channels (and all Blu-Rays still come with AC3 main tracks) the SPDIF is as good as any other format.

 

[zumbo]

Well, I am going to limp along until I get some more cash for the Marantz pre-pro. From what I can tell from my experiments with my equipments available features, HDMI is needed on all equipment to get the best of the best. It looks to be undisputed for the best BR audio performance with TrueHD and DTSMA.

I have not determined the video performance between component and HDMI, and don't plan to do any experiments with that.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Depends on how the player transcodes into LPCM... theoretically there could be some loss. Either way it's got to be converted to analog at some point.

I would think the longer it stays digital the better, so I can see how HDMI is better than either SPDIF or multi-ch analog. Unless of course the DACs in the player are better than the DACs in the receiver, in which case it'd be better to get the signals into analogue right away.

For my own setup, where I'm only using 5.1 audio channels (and all Blu-Rays still come with AC3 main tracks) the SPDIF is as good as any other format.

I think the only difference with HDMI TrueHD/DTS-MA vs Analog TrueHD/DTS-MA may be the sound level, not quality. If we level match them, I don't think we will be able to tell the difference regardless of DACs.

 

[zumbo]

I think the only difference with HDMI TrueHD/DTS-MA vs Analog TrueHD/DTS-MA may be the sound level, not quality. If we level match them, I don't think we will be able to tell the difference regardless of DACs.

So, if someone were to toggle between m/c analog TrueHD/DTSMA, and HDMI TrueHD/DTSMA, there is a level difference?

 

[zumbo]

I don't think any of us are immune to bias due to sound level differences. I recently thought that the DD of Transformers BD was better than the TrueHD. But then when I increased the volume of the TrueHD, it sounded a lot better.

This is how I feel about mine as well. This is with the TrueHD via m/c analog vs DD via digital coax.

So, in your above statement, it was TrueHD via HDMI vs DD via optical?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

This is how I feel about mine as well. This is with the TrueHD via m/c analog vs DD via digital coax.

So, in your above statement, it was TrueHD via HDMI vs DD via optical?

No, the TrueHD is via 5.1 Analog (PMA-2000IVR), and the DD is via Coaxial Digital (AVP-8000). Right now, I don't have HDMI audio at all - just Video.

 

[zumbo]

No, the TrueHD is via 5.1 Analog (PMA-2000IVR), and the DD is via Coaxial Digital (AVP-8000). Right now, I don't have HDMI audio at all - just Video.

Same as me. Dang, I thought I got my answer.