Onkyo TX-SR805 Review Question

[DavidJ]

With DTHD and DTS MA capable receivers just coming to market, the configurations of currently available players assume no external decoding capability, so because of this I was unable to test DTHD directly.

What does this mean? I don't understand why DTHD couldn't be heard in Onkyo's latest receiver. I'm missing something - someone fill me in?

Also, can decoded DTHD be passed along a digital coaxial DVD output? I'm thinking of buying a Yamaha RX-V659 as a "doofer" receiver. If I want to upgrade to HD later, and haven't replaced it, must I look for an HDDVD with analogue outputs to get DTHD or DTS Master Audio?

It's all gettig a bit confusing, and I don't want to box myself in without knowing it!

Thanks

 

[MDS]

It means that current players will decode to multi-channel PCM because no receiver or pre-preprocessor had the ability to decode it itself. If you use an HDMI connection, the player will decode to multi-channel PCM and the receiver will just amplify the MPCM. Newer players will allow a bitstream output so that a receiver or other external device can do the decoding but really what is the difference? The result in both cases will be multi-channel PCM. Unless the receiver offers other post-processing that would require it to deal directly with the encoded bitstream, it does not matter which device does the decoding.

No you cannot use optical or coax digital connections to transmit any of the new HD audio formats because the bandwidth required exceeds the capabilities of the s/pdif interface.

 

[DavidJ]

Okay, so let me get this right:

1. MPCM can carry (or is) decoded DTHD or DTSMA
2. All HD-DVD players - HD anyway - can decode at least DTHD
3. So if David had an HD player with analogue outputs, he could have listened to DTHD?
4. If I had a Yamaha RX-V659, I could only listen to DTHD or DTSMA if I had an HD-DVD with analogue outputs , because the 659 has no HDMI?
5. If I bought a receiver with HDMI, but no DTHD or DTSMA decoding, I could still listen in these formats if my HD-DVD did the decoding, and sent the processed signal via HDMI?

I still don't understand why David couldn't have fed a player-decoded HD audio signal via HDMI to the Onkyo, though...

 

[GlocksRock]

If your receiver has built in TrueHD or DTS-HD MA decoders, they will only be used if the HD DVD or Blu-ray player can output the TrueHD or DTS-HD MA via bitstream, and most can not do that. Currently, all players that support those audio formats will internally decode the TrueHD or DTS-HD MA and output it via MPCM. If you have a receiver that can decode them, and a player that can output it via bitstream, I would go that route since it should sound a bit better, as the receiver generally does a better job of decoding that the players. So if a receiver doesn't have those decoders built in or have HDMI, one can still enjoy the hi resolution audio if their player has 5.1 or 7.1 analog outputs since the audio will be internally decoded in the player and output via analog outputs.

 

[DavidJ]

Thanks both for your replies. I'm a little clearer now.

Is bitstream something that is only available through a later version of HDMI, or does it depend more on the manufacturer just deciding to include it in the player?

If anyone wants to offer this newbie some more advice, see my post on Axiom speakers in the Loudspeaker section

Thanks again.

 

[adk highlander]

You can get bitsream output from both Blu-ray players and HD DVD players but you need to read the details to find out which ones will do it. The only HD DVD players that I know that do bitstream are the XA2 and the A35 (new Onkyo?). All of the Samsungs above the 1400 model do it, top end Sony model, I don't think the new Pioneer does and I am not sure about the Panny.

I have both an A2 and a 1400. The A2 cannot and will not be able to ouput bitream as it is only HDMI 1.2 and I have not read anything that states that these can be updated to do bitstream.

I have listened to TrueHD tracts on both players and I do feel that when my prepro does the processing it seems to sound better. I don't have the same movie on both Blu-ray and HD DVD so I cannot really compare.

 

[Thunder18]

The Panasoni DMP-BD30 will bitstream everything(or it will after it gets a firmware update for DTS-HD MA).
Bitstream is how most SD dvd-players send Dolby digital or DTS to receivers via s/pdif. The dvd player sends the raw digital data to the receiver where the receiver then decodes it(you know this because most receivers will tell you if they are getting a DTS or DD signal on the display). PCM is what the bitstream signal becomes after it's decoded. In this case you could have the decoding done by either the player or the receiver. The only problems is if the player does not have decent bass management or a speaker set-up routine you may get worse sound because most receivers won't make any adjustments to an analog sound stream(this is assuming you are using analog multi-channel outputs on the player into the multi-channel inputs on the receiver). The Panasonic I mention earlier has no internal decoding so like you typical SD-dvd player it sends out the bitstream signal to be decoded by a properly equipped receiver(such as the onkyo 805) that will then show Dolby THD or DTS HD on it's display as it decodes the signal.