TrueHD problem with PS3?

[j_garcia]

I have an odd problem, and I am not sure exactly what is going on. I have a PS3, but my receiver doesn't have HDMI so I am using optical. On a few movies I've noticed some problems with just one channel and only during loud scenes. At first it seemed random, but I never noticed it before at ANY sound level with SACD/DVD-A and I play those loud, so I started checking. It seems to be limited to Dolby TrueHD tracks only (so far), or perhaps only certain ones? Anyone else experience this?

 

[mike c]

what kind of problem?

(but you do need to get into the "90's" with your receiver )

 

[j_garcia]

My 8300 is from the "00s"

I get crackling only in the left surround, very noticeable, but odd that it is only that channel. I swapped the wire to my other surround and got the same thing on that speaker, then I swapped speakers and got the same thing, so I am going to next try a different wire just in case. The only two speakers the receiver is powering are the surrounds. I do have a spare amp so I may try running that surround off of it. It just seems really odd to me that, as far as I can tell, it is only TrueHD tracks on the PS3. I have disabled DRC on the PS3. I don't have any problems with DTS-HD MA, standard DD or DTS.

 

[mike c]

so the problem sure sounds like the channel on that receiver

good excuse to buy a new one

joking about the "90's" - was exaggerating to push you buy a new receiver

 

[allargon]

I have an odd problem, and I am not sure exactly what is going on. I have a PS3, but my receiver doesn't have HDMI so I am using optical. On a few movies I've noticed some problems with just one channel and only during loud scenes. At first it seemed random, but I never noticed it before at ANY sound level with SACD/DVD-A and I play those loud, so I started checking. It seems to be limited to Dolby TrueHD tracks only (so far), or perhaps only certain ones? Anyone else experience this?

Are you playing the hidden DD track on Dolby TrueHD discs or re-encoding the Dolby TrueHD track to DTS. I'm not completely familiar with how the PS3 handles high res codecs and Toslink.

 

[j_garcia]

Itsn't exactly a "hidden" track, but it is essentially downconverted when passed via optical - to the 5.1 "core" of the TrueHD track. DTS HD-MA is handled the same way but has not caused this issue. I am guessing it is something to do with that downconversion for TrueHD. There is ONE disc that does not do this though - the Nine Inch Nails BD is TrueHD and does not have this issue.

It isn't the channel on the receiver because it does not do it with other types of tracks or any of my other players. I was already planning on buying a new BD player (Oppo) just for movies anyway, so that should hopefully solve the problem.

 

[allargon]

Itsn't exactly a "hidden" track, but it is essentially downconverted when passed via optical - to the 5.1 "core" of the TrueHD track. DTS HD-MA is handled the same way but has not caused this issue. I am guessing it is something to do with that downconversion for TrueHD. There is ONE disc that does not do this though - the Nine Inch Nails BD is TrueHD and does not have this issue.

It isn't the channel on the receiver because it does not do it with other types of tracks or any of my other players. I was already planning on buying a new BD player (Oppo) just for movies anyway, so that should hopefully solve the problem.

TrueHD doesn't have a "core" like DTS-HD does. It can have a companion track that is hidden (Sony titles) or a separate DD track selectable from the menu like Warner titles .

So, the Nine Inch Nails BD is properly re-encoded? Does the PS3 re-encode to DTS (like the BH200 and the 2nd gen Toshiba HD DVD players) or just DD?

 

[goodman]

I have an odd problem, and I am not sure exactly what is going on. I have a PS3, but my receiver doesn't have HDMI so I am using optical. On a few movies I've noticed some problems with just one channel and only during loud scenes. At first it seemed random, but I never noticed it before at ANY sound level with SACD/DVD-A and I play those loud, so I started checking. It seems to be limited to Dolby TrueHD tracks only (so far), or perhaps only certain ones? Anyone else experience this?

I, too, transmit audio through the optical out of my PS3. I haven't noticed a problem such as the one you described since I bought the PS3 in January 2007. I was wondering how you obtain SACD through the optical out. Isn't SACD obtainable only through the HDMI output?

 

[Seth=L]

I too am using optical from the PS3 to the Sony STR-DA1000ES, no problems here either.

 

[j_garcia]

I, too, transmit audio through the optical out of my PS3. I haven't noticed a problem such as the one you described since I bought the PS3 in January 2007. I was wondering how you obtain SACD through the optical out. Isn't SACD obtainable only through the HDMI output?

You can't pass SACD via optical on any player. I have/had other players for SACD; not using the PS3 for that.

I select TrueHD on any discs that have it and I get sound, so if it is being re-encoded or not, it is working. It does not come up as dts, it comes up as DD.

 

[mnatiq]

How can u get HD audio by using optical, i was told by alot of people that u need 2 use hdmi, and if ur receiver does not have hdmi it does not have any hd audio formats.

 

[j_garcia]

Problem solved, and it is a little strange. I noticed that it mostly happened during scenes where there was a lot of bass activity. I checked my wiring and found all connections fine and then I thought about the wires themselves. My sub amp is in my rack, so I have a speaker wire running to the sub from the rack to carry the amplified signal. That wire happened to be very close to my right surround wire and that was causing the interference when there was a lot of current going to the sub, since as soon as I moved the sub wire away, the problem went away!

How can u get HD audio by using optical, i was told by alot of people that u need 2 use hdmi, and if ur receiver does not have hdmi it does not have any hd audio formats.

It doesn't give me the "real" HD version, the receiver decodes what it can at a lower resolution than the full format.

 

[jostenmeat]

j, that's really great you found the culprit. Just a couple of days ago, I noticed the right side surround making a buzz. Pretty subtle I suppose. I can hear it from some distance, perhaps 5 ft with everything else off, and with the PJ on, I can hear it about 2-3 ft away. Of course I checked wiring, and it seems fine, with no strays. I am going to check again. During movie playback, I can't notice anything, but I just don't want anything to become damaged. Is the tweeter damaged? Hm. I do play it loud a lot.

I've had previous issues before. Once the right front was a bit buzzy, and I found an interconnect that was loosening up. A different time, I had no signal to right front + right surround, and that was when I tried to matrix a 2-ch source on my previous NAD pre. (My brother brought over his xbox). Well, that pre was traded towards some new mains, anyhow.

I've also noticed that when the BDP is starting to load, with PJ on, I get these two horizontal static-y bars pop just for the briefest moment. A split sec. I never noticed that before, and this also started about two days ago. Don't know if that is occuring in the player, receiver, or PJ. I suppose these two things could be possibly related? (the buzz + momentary static).

If I don't narrow it down to an interference issue, I don't know if the buzz could be player, receiver (pre/pro), or my amp, either. Hmmm.

I wonder if I should have my player hooked up to a UPS. I think I better make sure to fire up receiver + amp before everything else, so that the immediate draw at turn on doesn't hurt other components.

Wow, I just blabbered a lot.

 

[j_garcia]

Well, unfortunately that doesn't seem to have solved it 100%. I tried out some additional tracks and Cloverfield's TrueHD track still caused the problem. Iron Man seemed OK. I tried Master and Commander and Sin City BDs (both DTS-HD MA) and I have to say even at EXTREME levels, there wasn't even a hint of this issue.

 

[gimpgutter]

I have had the same problem with my PS3 and my Marantz SR8001. I noticed the crackle a while ago, and so far have experienced it in about every movie with TrueHD audio on Blu-ray. I initially thought it was my center speaker, so I swapped that out with no improvement. I then swapped cables, and still no luck. I tested all possible audio outputs on the PS3 and all matrix methods on my receiver. I went as far as putting my Marantz MM-9000 for my amp and bypassing the SR8001's internal amp. Same crackle sound. I tried on my friend's PS3 in my stereo and still it crackled.

That pretty much leaves only the processor and source. However, my receiver plays music beautifully and I never noticed a problem on DTS-MA discs.


J Garcia: Check the beginning of track 14 on Iron Man and tell me if you notice the crackle.

After a lot of research, it seems it might be the source itself. However, quite a few posts online are popping up with this issue, so it is possible that Sony has messed something up with one of their newer firmware upgrades.

In summary: no one freakin' knows and more and more people are getting annoyed by it

 

[allargon]

You can't pass SACD via optical on any player. I have/had other players for SACD; not using the PS3 for that.

I select TrueHD on any discs that have it and I get sound, so if it is being re-encoded or not, it is working. It does not come up as dts, it comes up as DD.

Okay, so it's either playing the hidden companion track or re-encoding DTHD to DD. What do you get when you play a multichannel PCM movie like 3:10 to Yuma? Does your receiver say DTS or DD?

 

[j_garcia]

I have had the same problem with my PS3 and my Marantz SR8001. I noticed the crackle a while ago, and so far have experienced it in about every movie with TrueHD audio on Blu-ray. I initially thought it was my center speaker, so I swapped that out with no improvement. I then swapped cables, and still no luck. I tested all possible audio outputs on the PS3 and all matrix methods on my receiver. I went as far as putting my Marantz MM-9000 for my amp and bypassing the SR8001's internal amp. Same crackle sound. I tried on my friend's PS3 in my stereo and still it crackled.

That pretty much leaves only the processor and source. However, my receiver plays music beautifully and I never noticed a problem on DTS-MA discs.


J Garcia: Check the beginning of track 14 on Iron Man and tell me if you notice the crackle.

After a lot of research, it seems it might be the source itself. However, quite a few posts online are popping up with this issue, so it is possible that Sony has messed something up with one of their newer firmware upgrades.

In summary: no one freakin' knows and more and more people are getting annoyed by it

I will check that scene today and let you know. The odd thing is, I was watching Kung Fu Panda last night and it didn't do it at all (TrueHD). Then I rewatched a particular scene and it did it. I skipped back and played it a third time and it didn't do it. It does seem like it is something with the PS3's handling of the track, and it is somewhat random.

Okay, so it's either playing the hidden companion track or re-encoding DTHD to DD. What do you get when you play a multichannel PCM movie like 3:10 to Yuma? Does your receiver say DTS or DD?

If I play PCM, it says PCM but it is 2ch only.

 

[j_garcia]

I still have this problem. I have tried a number of things and every setting possible on the PS3 to no avail. Interesting thing is, if I pause the PS3 a few times while it is doing this, it will go away. That would seem to suggest that it is not a decoding problem, but why then does it only occur on TrueHD tracks?

 

[Jack Hammer]

I've been listening but haven't noticed anything similar on any tracks while playing movies via my PS3. Is it possible it has something to do with your reciever and not the PS3?

Jack

 

[j_garcia]

It is possible that it is the receiver not handling the PS3, at least in terms of how the receiver is handling the signal. However, I would think then that it would do it for other things coming from the PS3 and nothing else has this issue.