RX-V1600 and 7.1 PCM

[GlocksRock]

I got my PS3 all setup and started downloading game demos, and on the first game I got, I went to the options and noticed different surround sound options. When I changed between them I could see my receiver adjust it's display depending on the output, it went from PLIIx to DTS to MPCM then when I selected 7.1 PCM from the options list, my receiver went back to PLIIx. This leads me to believe that my receiver isn't capable of receiving a 7.1 PCM signal. Why would this be? It has 8 ch. analog inputs, and is HDMI 1.1 and can accept the 5.1 PCM, so why not 7.1 PCM? Is this an HDMI spec thing, can only HDMI 1.2 and up handle 7.1 PCM?

Another thing that confirms it's not accepting 7.1 is because when I'm in the audio setup menu in the PS3 when I select automatic, I don't see any of the 7.1 PCM formats listed. If I got the new RX-V1800 do you think it would accept a 7.1 PCM signal over HDMI?

 

[ahamay]

The RX-V1600 will not do 7.1 PCM, the RX-V1800 will do up to 8 channel PCM.

 

[GlocksRock]

Do you know why that is? Is it because the 1600 is HDMI 1.1 and the 1800 is HDMI 1.3?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Do you know why that is? Is it because the 1600 is HDMI 1.1 and the 1800 is HDMI 1.3?

I thought HDMI 1.3 was mainly for picture benefits. I see no reasons why HDMI1.1 can't handle 7.1 PCM.

When I had the HK247 (HDMI1.1) + PS3, I had no problem whatsoever with 7.1PCM. When I played movies in DTS6.1 via PCM, I was able to hear from all surround speakers. The PS3 was able to send 6.1PCM. I see no reason why it can't send 7.1PCM.

 

[garbage pale kid]

cant you just put it on 7ch stereo

lalalalalalalalalala

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Do you know why that is? Is it because the 1600 is HDMI 1.1 and the 1800 is HDMI 1.3?

http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/understanding-hdmi-ver-1.3/?searchterm=hdmi

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Yamaha-1600 should be able to accept 7.1PCM via HDMI1.1.

 

[avaserfi]

The ability for a receiver to decode 7 channel PCM signals is a software design issue as far as I know and not a limitation in any HDMI format. I do know that there are a handful of receivers that have HDMI and are unable to handle anything more than 5 channel PCM. This link is a primer and explanation of the situation I hope it helps.

 

[GlocksRock]

http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/understanding-hdmi-ver-1.3/?searchterm=hdmi

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Yamaha-1600 should be able to accept 7.1PCM via HDMI1.1.

I hope so, maybe it's the game demo I was playing and not the receiver. If the stupid PS3 were able to decode DTS-HD MA I would just rent a movie that had a true 7.1 track on it and see, but as far as I know there aren't any bluray or HD DVD discs that have a 7.1 PCM track on it, and if there are, please let me know, I'll rent it.

Maybe it's just an issue with my PS3 and not the receiver, I'll try to contact Yamaha and see what they have to say.

That article also states that the extra bandwidth of HDMI 1.3a requires a specific HDMI cable designed to handle the higher bandwidths, how can I tell what cables can handle this extra bandwidth, and which ones can not? Is there a way to tell just by looking at them?

 

[GlocksRock]

I got a reply from Yamaha, and it's official... the RX-V1600 does not support 7.1 PCM over HDMI. So between that, and the fact that it doesn't pass 1080p, I have some good reasons to upgrade.

 

[wrager]

That's why I went to the 1700...but now if I want True HD I have to go to the 1800. Never stops....

 

[GlocksRock]

Yeah, but the player will decode the TrueHD to PCM so in reality you don't need to upgrade. Besides, I don't know of many, if any at all players that output the bitstream so the receiver can do the decoding.