Audio Output downgrade due to standards? And BD player for little money.

[MarieonCape]

My concern is that I read a review about a player that mentioned how the audio quality for non-HDMI output has been dumbed down for the Blu Ray / DVD players built after a certain date (begining of 2011?). But I can't find the review or even remember enough of the specifics to do a decent search on the subject and have come up empty on it. Does anyone know of this and the effect on my system and my ability to get Dolby Digital output from a new player to my Denon AVR3805? I remember reading the review thinking that I'd be basically out of luck until I can afford a new receiver with HDMI inputs.

My interest in this topic was revived when I saw the Samsung BD-D6500 for only $120 at Best Buy and thought that such a low price it wouldn't matter a lot if it had features I don't really need like WiFi (close enough for a ethernet cable connection) or 3D (TV is not 3D) in order to get the connectivity features I think I need like component out and optical link output (for the AVR).

I bought a new Samsung 1080p LCD TV last summer I have been looking for a Blu Ray player. I looked Samsung for direct manufacturer compatibility features even though some reviews at Amazon.com haven't been kind on the reliability (but ditto for Sony, LG, Panasonic as well in the class of player).

My problem is that my once state-of-the-art-praised-in-this-forum Denon AVR3805 (and I still love it!) lacks HDMI inputs (of course). I currently connect my Denon DVD2200 universal to my AVR via component out (video) and optical link (audio) for most stuff and the 7.1 output for the SACD and DVD Audio connected to the external 7.1 external input on the AVR. My TV is connected via HDMI to my DirecTV HD receiver, the AVR to the DirecTV receiver via the optical link for the audio.

Since my AVR is sans HDMI I think I am looking for a Blu Ray with the optical link. And I'd like component out to hook up to the AVR (even though I will run HDMI directly to the TV from the player). Optical link and component outs are getting harder to find and you have buy the better players to get these features - Even at Denon you have to spend $2000 to get the optical link, any less and you get only the digital coax output. (Tell me if I am wrong that the digital coax connection isn't as good as the optical link.) But to be honest right now I can barely afford 10% of $2000 so even the Oppo is out for me at this time.

However I am not sure if the audio out put downgrade I remember reading about renders all this moot and I might as well use RCA right and left output or if I am over worrying. Which I do a lot. I can't afford more Denon or Oppo at this time, but I'd like to tryout BD on my 1080p TV! And get decent sound quality to go with it. Is that too much to ask?

BTW - the TV has 4 HDMI inputs and an optical link output (the optical out is linked to the AVR so I can hear DD 5.1 from off the air broadcasts).

 

[Hocky]

Optical out doesn't have enough bandwidth to support the high resolution multichannel audio formats of bluray, so you will get downgraded audio. That doesn't mean that it will sound bad, though.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Optical out doesn't have enough bandwidth to support the high resolution multichannel audio formats of bluray, so you will get downgraded audio. That doesn't mean that it will sound bad, though.

To be really techie, but this is not exactly true. Toslink could support HD audio formats - it's now developed to have sufficient bandwidth, however on studios request HD audio formats support has been stripped from spd/if due to not enough drm
TOSLINK - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ps: This is not the change you are talking about, this always has been the case.
The big change is new BR players no longer have multichannel analog audio outputs

 

[markw]

FWIW, my new Sony 580 Blu-ray still sends out some pretty fine DTS sound (when available) via digital coax and I'll assume toslink will do the same. If that's a deal-breaker, well, that'sup to you but to my ears it still sounds fine.

I'd be more concerned about analog sunset, or no more hi-def through component cables.

 

[Lordhumungus]

What about getting a PS3 to use as a blu-ray player?

 

[MarieonCape]

Thank you

Re: "The big change is new BR players no longer have multichannel analog audio outputs"

I think that is what what I was looking for - and explains why I couldn't find it. And I think the other half of what I was looking for was "no more hi-def through component cables" beacuse while I can hook a Blu Ray to the TV via HDMI and the audio to the receiver I also wanted to hook the component cables to the AVR for those times when want to change the source just by turning the know on the AVR. So, the Samsung BD-D6500 still has component video connectors. Does mean it is pre-sunset or does that just mean it has the component connections, but is is no longer Hd?

So in regards to the reply from BoredSysAdmin and "I'd be more concerned about analog sunset, or no more hi-def through component cables." Based on what I see here about the optical link it sounds like for someone like me without HDMI connections to their receiver that the best audio may have been from pre-sunset Blu Ray player with the component 5.1/7.1 output (I have 7.1 with my AVR3805)?

No, I didn't expect to get the HD audio with the optical or digital coax, but I was actually afraid I wouldn't even get DD 5.1 or get a signal the AVR3805 can use for DD EX or DTS ES from the digital output of a Blu Ray player.

Re: "What about getting a PS3 to use as a blu-ray player?" I hadn't thought of that because I don't care much about gaming and figured it had to cost more than a plain player would.

 

[lsiberian]

Why not comb the used market?

You might also consider a receiver upgrade.

 

[TLS Guy]

Why not comb the used market?

You might also consider a receiver upgrade.

That is his best bet. The time has already passed were picture quality can be downgraded to 480i at the component outs with discs with the flags that tell the player to do so

As stated the loss less codecs are now stripped from the optical and SPDIF coax outputs.

We are now at the point were HDMI connections are pretty much mandatory, because of DRM/piracy issues. Problem is the pirates can defeat it all.

Now the tossers in the studios, want to water mark the audio with notches. That will downgrade everyone's audio.

Someone needs to go down to Hollywood with a bunch of HDMI cables, wrap them round the studio bosses necks, tie knots and pull hard.

This is a really bad deal for individuals with legacy equipment and limited funds.

 

[lsiberian]

That is his best bet. The time has already passed were picture quality can be downgraded to 480i at the component outs with discs with the flags that tell the player to do so

As stated the loss less codecs are now stripped from the optical and SPDIF coax outputs.

We are now at the point were HDMI connections are pretty much mandatory, because of DRM/piracy issues. Problem is the pirates can defeat it all.

Now the tossers in the studios, want to water mark the audio with notches. That will downgrade everyone's audio.

Someone needs to go down to Hollywood with a bunch of HDMI cables, wrap them round the studio bosses necks, tie knots and pull hard.

This is a really bad deal for individuals with legacy equipment and limited funds.

Most of the quality audio doesn't come from the Studios anymore.

 

[TLS Guy]

Most of the quality audio doesn't come from the Studios anymore.

No but it is Hollywood studios driving the ineffective over the top DRM regs!

 

[BMXTRIX]

If the 3805 has 5.1 analog audio inputs, then to get the best audio you should be looking for a BD player with 5.1 analog outputs.

The Panasonic DMP-BDT300 for example has this type of connectivity for you:
Amazon.com: Panasonic DMP-BDT300 Full HD 3D Blu-ray Disc™ Player: Electronics

About $150 and you get solid performance.

I would NEVER buy or recommend a Samsung BD player due to very poor Samsung engineering in their player design. Panasonic is a solid way to go. Oppo would be best, and will cost a fair penny more, but has the analog connectivity available as well.