pcm or bitstream

[aussiephil]

is bit-stream or pcm the better choice for my onkyo receiver "96kHz/24p" through optic? reason being they both work and i believe bit-stream is a lot better. Doesn't PCM down scale to 2 channel then my amp re code it back 5.1 where as bit stream is sent to my receive already in 5.1? why down scale just to upscale or am i just an idiot?


Thanks

phil

 

[jostenmeat]

If it's a PCM downmix, you may get only 2 channels.

Otherwise, everything will become PCM anyways. See, a bitstream is just the original packaging, but it MUST be unpacked for you to enjoy the goodies. Bitstream means that the player doesn't decode, and lets the receiver do it instead.

Just leave it as bitstream, assuming your player can send it that way.

I would keep your queries all on the same thread if I were you. It makes it easier for the rest of us to keep up with what's going on, and your chances of annoying us would be greatly diminished. You haven't annoyed me, don't get me wrong, but don't make a habit of starting many threads that are related to begin with would be my advice.

 

[yepimonfire]

If it's a PCM downmix, you may get only 2 channels.

Otherwise, everything will become PCM anyways. See, a bitstream is just the original packaging, but it MUST be unpacked for you to enjoy the goodies. Bitstream means that the player doesn't decode, and lets the receiver do it instead.

Just leave it as bitstream, assuming your player can send it that way.

I would keep your queries all on the same thread if I were you. It makes it easier for the rest of us to keep up with what's going on, and your chances of annoying us would be greatly diminished. You haven't annoyed me, don't get me wrong, but don't make a habit of starting many threads that are related to begin with would be my advice.

ahhhh beat me to it.

 

[yepimonfire]

is bit-stream or pcm the better choice for my onkyo receiver "96kHz/24p" through optic? reason being they both work and i believe bit-stream is a lot better. Doesn't PCM down scale to 2 channel then my amp re code it back 5.1 where as bit stream is sent to my receive already in 5.1? why down scale just to upscale or am i just an idiot?


Thanks

phil

it can be "recoded" to 5.1 using a matrix decoder, but it will not be the same as discrete 5.1, all a matrix decoder can do is try it's best to pull surround information out of a stereo track, it is never directionally accurate, say your watching gun fight, in discrete 5.1 you can hear guns coming from exact directions, in matrix decoded gunfights, you will hear them come from all sorts of directions as the matrix decoder sees fit, nothing is directionally accurate, sure its very impressive for nothing but a two channel mix, but discrete is better, and like josten said, its all going to end up being PCM anyways. the only way PCM would be better is if the audio was originally encoded in PCM, even then i highly doubt you would notice a difference.