Question Blu-ray DVD features vs. receiver features

[drick]

Hi,

I've been doing a bunch of reading this afternoon, and am still confused on whether to spend a bunch of money to upgrade my BR player from a PS3 to something else.

Current set-up -
Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR5
Denon 5308CI
Denon DVD-1930CI
Sony PS3 (80GB / old model)

What I'm looking for is some guidance on how much i need to spend on a new BR player and what features i need to pay for in the player vs. what the amp has already.

Reading through several strings it appears that the major things i need to look for are:
- True HD, DTS-HD, and Dolby Digital Plus
- Ethernet connection for upgrades over the wire
- HDMI v1.3 or 1.3a (pref)
- STD def DVD playback so i can retire the 1930 (i need the space for new unit)
- DVD+R/RW / DVD +R DL playback so i can play my own videos i burn
- Single disc unit

If this is answered somewhere else i missed, i apologize in advance for not looking hard enough.

TIA for any/all assistance.

 

[drick]

FYI,

Nice to haves include:

-Energy star compliant
-under $500

 

[Adam]

Hi. I don't recall the differences between the various PS3 models, but from what I've read here, the PS3 is a very good blu-ray player. I can't say if it has everything that you want, though.

As for getting a new player with the features that you mentioned, you don't need to spend a bunch of money. You can get them in the ~ $125 range. I have the Panasonic DMP-BD60 and am quite happy with it. There were some great sales going on last month, and there probably will be more this month. The technology just keeps getting better and cheaper.

 

[PENG]

Hi,

Reading through several strings it appears that the major things i need to look for are:
- True HD, DTS-HD, and Dolby Digital Plus
- Ethernet connection for upgrades over the wire
- HDMI v1.3 or 1.3a (pref)
- STD def DVD playback so i can retire the 1930 (i need the space for new unit)
- DVD+R/RW / DVD +R DL playback so i can play my own videos i burn
- Single disc unit

It seems to me your PS3 can do all the things you listed above. Since I acquired the PS3 slim I no longer use my other 2 BD players. The PS3 is easy to use and loads quickly.

Why not just use the PS3 to play BR and keep the 1930 for DVD?

 

[drick]

Hi. I don't recall the differences between the various PS3 models, but from what I've read here, the PS3 is a very good blu-ray player. I can't say if it has everything that you want, though.

As for getting a new player with the features that you mentioned, you don't need to spend a bunch of money. You can get them in the ~ $125 range. I have the Panasonic DMP-BD60 and am quite happy with it. There were some great sales going on last month, and there probably will be more this month. The technology just keeps getting better and cheaper.

that is good news, if i can get all that for under $200 i'm all in now. what other players did you look at before deciding on the panny?

 

[drick]

It seems to me your PS3 can do all the things you listed above. Since I acquired the PS3 slim I no longer use my other 2 BD players. The PS3 is easy to use and loads quickly.

Why not just use the PS3 to play BR and keep the 1930 for DVD?

i was under the impression that the audio side of the PS3 is lacking the new codecs and don't fully support them.

is that incorrect?

 

[Adam]

what other players did you look at before deciding on the panny?

I bought it back in July (maybe August) when it was $200...and I thought that was a good price. I had just purchased a Panasonic TV, and I had read good things about the BD60. I honestly can't remember which other ones that I looked at, but there's a number of new offerings since I bought mine. One thing that I'd like is Netflix, but I just hook my MacBook up to my TV for that (and get other streaming, as well).

 

[drick]

I bought it back in July (maybe August) when it was $200...and I thought that was a good price. I had just purchased a Panasonic TV, and I had read good things about the BD60. I honestly can't remember which other ones that I looked at, but there's a number of new offerings since I bought mine. One thing that I'd like is Netflix, but I just hook my MacBook up to my TV for that (and get other streaming, as well).

looks like i can get it from amazon for $130 with free shipping. for that price i'm willing to experiment. the upgrade BD80 is under $400 s that one would need to really jump out to double the price

 

[Adam]

Be sure to check out this thread on multiple deals on the BD60. I don't know if any of them are still good, though.

 

[PENG]

i was under the impression that the audio side of the PS3 is lacking the new codecs and don't fully support them.

is that incorrect?

It can output them (DTHD, DTS-HD, DTS-HD MA, DD+) in LPCM to your receiver. The slim model can also bitstream those codecs but there is really no advantage doing it in bitstream. I have tried both using the PS3 slim's internal decoder and output in LPCM vs bistream and let the receiver do the decoding. To me either way sounds equally good. The 5308 has the Reon realta video processor chip so it should be able to do an excellent job upscaling whatever it gets from the 1930. No doubt the Panasonic is a great buy at $130 but I suspect you will end up sticking to the PS3 just like I do, after playing with the new one for a while. Obviously it is nice to have two players but don't do it thinking that the PS3 is lacking.

 

[drick]

It can output them (DTHD, DTS-HD, DTS-HD MA, DD+) in LPCM to your receiver. The slim model can also bitstream those codecs but there is really no advantage doing it in bitstream. I have tried both using the PS3 slim's internal decoder and output in LPCM vs bistream and let the receiver do the decoding. To me either way sounds equally good. The 5308 has the Reon realta video processor chip so it should be able to do an excellent job upscaling whatever it gets from the 1930. No doubt the Panasonic is a great buy at $130 but I suspect you will end up sticking to the PS3 just like I do, after playing with the new one for a while. Obviously it is nice to have two players but don't do it thinking that the PS3 is lacking.

can you tell me how you have your ps3 setup for audio and video so i can make sure mine is set up right?

frankly, the sound quality for any hd source has been disappointing to the point where my wife has asked me why dts-hd sounds worse than DD (standard)

 

[PENG]

can you tell me how you have your ps3 setup for audio and video so i can make sure mine is set up right?

frankly, the sound quality for any hd source has been disappointing to the point where my wife has asked me why dts-hd sounds worse than DD (standard)

To get enjoy 'HD sounds" using your PS3 you need the following:

1. BD that offers either Dolby Tru HD, DTS-HD or DTS-HD MA.
2. Use HDMI connection instead of the optical digital out.
3. Make sure your firmware is resonably up to date otherwise it may not be able to decode DTS-HD MA.
4a. In the Cross media bar, go to settings and select video settings.
4b. In video settings, select BD/DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI), select Linear PCM, DO NOT select Bitstream because only the PS3 slim model can bitstream HD codecs. The older model such as yours must decode them internally and then output the HD signal in LPCM to the receiver.

If you have done everything right, when playing a BD that offers say Dolby TruHD 7.1 if you press the select button on your remote controller you will see the display on the upper right corner that shows your are in fact listening in Dolby TruHD 7.1 Ch.

There are quite a few PS3 users around here so if you need more help just let us know. You can also try reading the manual, may be ask your wife to read it if she can't stand the non HD sound. Actually I find even the non HD sound very good so I wonder if you might have messed up some of the settings in your receiver, or may be you need to upgrade your speakers. The Klipsch speakers you have are not bad but the 5308 is a very high quality receiver so I think it deserves better speakers.

 

[drick]

To get enjoy 'HD sounds" using your PS3 you need the following:

1. BD that offers either Dolby Tru HD, DTS-HD or DTS-HD MA.
2. Use HDMI connection instead of the optical digital out.
3. Make sure your firmware is resonably up to date otherwise it may not be able to decode DTS-HD MA.
4a. In the Cross media bar, go to settings and select video settings.
4b. In video settings, select BD/DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI), select Linear PCM, DO NOT select Bitstream because only the PS3 slim model can bitstream HD codecs. The older model such as yours must decode them internally and then output the HD signal in LPCM to the receiver.

If you have done everything right, when playing a BD that offers say Dolby TruHD 7.1 if you press the select button on your remote controller you will see the display on the upper right corner that shows your are in fact listening in Dolby TruHD 7.1 Ch.

There are quite a few PS3 users around here so if you need more help just let us know. You can also try reading the manual, may be ask your wife to read it if she can't stand the non HD sound. Actually I find even the non HD sound very good so I wonder if you might have messed up some of the settings in your receiver, or may be you need to upgrade your speakers. The Klipsch speakers you have are not bad but the 5308 is a very high quality receiver so I think it deserves better speakers.

i highly doubt the speakers are the problem, i'm running Klipsch 2xRF-7's/RC-7/2xRB-75's/2xRS-7's/RSW-15. the amp is much more likely


1. BD that offers either Dolby Tru HD, DTS-HD or DTS-HD MA
check i have several of those

2. Use HDMI connection instead of the optical digital out.
check, and i'm using good cables

3. Make sure your firmware is resonably up to date otherwise it may not be able to decode DTS-HD MA.
check on all fronts, they are all current

4a. In the Cross media bar, go to settings and select video settings.
4b. In video settings, select BD/DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI), select Linear PCM, DO NOT select Bitstream because only the PS3 slim model can bitstream HD codecs. The older model such as yours must decode them internally and then output the HD signal in LPCM to the receiver.

this was set to bitstream, but that is because of this:

http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/bdsettings.html#1470

BD / DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI)

Set the audio output format to use when playing a BD or DVD containing audio recorded in Dolby Digital or DTS format. This setting is used when an audio output device is connected to the system via an HDMI cable.
Bitstream Set to output audio with the original digital signal prioritized.
Linear PCM Set to output audio by converting the digital signal to Linear PCM format.

i was thinkig that original signal was good

 

[PENG]

i highly doubt the speakers are the problem, i'm running Klipsch 2xRF-7's/RC-7/2xRB-75's/2xRS-7's/RSW-15. the amp is much more likely

In a nice system such as yours, the final quality of sound (in terms of accuracy and 'live' music like) depends mostly on the speakers and room acoustics. The source, the player, and the amps are important too but relatively speaking not as critical as the speakers and the room. You are not using a low quality player, it is a PS3, one that originally (the first generation one) was designed and made to play even SACD!! Your amp, in this case the Denon AVR-5308 could probably rival separates when driving speakers as sensitive as the RF-7 and RC-7 (102 and 98 dB/2.83V/M). Even if they had (not sure) low impedance dips down to 2 to 4 ohms at large phase angles they still would not be any more difficult to drive than 8 ohm speakers with sensitivities in the 88 to 90 dB/2.83V/M range.

In the end it is what you hear that counts so if you like the sound of the RF-7 then we need to focus on why they don't sound good enough for you when the PS3 is the source player. The 5308 is a complicated piece of equipment and Denon is not known for publishing easy to follow instructions so you may want to check all the settings. You could also try playing some of your CD's that you know are of high quality and set the Denon to 'Pure Direct' mode in order to bypass any sound processing.

Back to the PS3 settings:

4b. In video settings, select BD/DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI), select Linear PCM, DO NOT select Bitstream because only the PS3 slim model can bitstream HD codecs. The older model such as yours must decode them internally and then output the HD signal in LPCM to the receiver.

this was set to bitstream, but that is because of this:

http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/bdsettings.html#1470

BD / DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI)

Set the audio output format to use when playing a BD or DVD containing audio recorded in Dolby Digital or DTS format. This setting is used when an audio output device is connected to the system via an HDMI cable.
Bitstream Set to output audio with the original digital signal prioritized.
Linear PCM Set to output audio by converting the digital signal to Linear PCM format.

i was thinkig that original signal was good

Perhaps the manual could have been clearer, but your PS3 will decode HD codecs and output them in LPCM only. When they say original signal they probably mean DD, DTS etc. that are typically available on BD's along with the HD codecs. Only the slim version can bitstream HD codecs. Give it a try and see if it makes a difference for you. Regardless of whether you end up acquiring a stand alone player or not, it is good to have the PS3 capable of playing HD sound for you as well.

 

[sholling]

I agree with the others the PS3 is a good BD player. Just make sure that it's connected to the Internet so that it has all the latest upgrades. A PS3 is a computer and can do pretty much anything Sony wants it to do for you. With 2.5" discs as cheap as they are now I've swapped in something a tad roomier (500GB) but it isn't necessary.