TX-SR606 and a ps3 listening modes and hdtv input?

R

ranthore

Audioholic Intern
hi there, i got my home theatre setup done, and it sounds great but theres a few things im confused about .

first off i have a onkyo TX-SR606 4 polk audio r50 and a polk audio subwoofer, im very happy with the sound, im connecting and playing my music through the ps3, i have all mp3 files at 320 quality, now i notice theres several music listening modes.

of all the listening modes the only one with the dts light on is the neo6 music, is that then the best mode?

also using the ps3, which is btw connected by hdmi, for my blueray / dvd playing also the neo6 is the only movie listening mode that lights up the dts light, now my ears arent very atuned so i really cant tell the best sound by listening, but certainly somone who knows what all these listening modes are would be able to know which is better quality.

now i know that sony ps3 does dts and the blue ray cases say dts on them, i noticed that when i first hooked up the system, the neo 5 listening mode with dts wasnt a option, untill i went in into the ps3 audio options and disabled everything but dts 5.1 , then the dts option would go on, so im wondering why when all ps3 audio options are enabled would it select somthing other then dts unless theres somthing better?


Question two.

i want to watch hi def tv , aka cable and broadcast tv, and hear the sound through my reciver, now my tv doesnt have a hdmi out, so i cant hook it up to my reciver with hdmi, it has optical out, and component out, (red yllow, white) which would be better to use, again this will be just for tv channels and cable channels.


thanks in advance for al your help, you are a great bunch of guys!
 
phlakvest

phlakvest

Audioholic
You mentioned 4 r50's Do you have a center channel?

The PS3 decodes the DTS or dolby digital HD in the blueray and sends PCM to the reciever. So I would leave it in Direct mode.

For music, I like listening to the direct stereo. But if you prefer it surround then use the listening mode you think sounds the best.
 
R

ranthore

Audioholic Intern
for music, if i use direct, it only comes out of the front speakers, if i use all channel stereo it comes out of all the speakerss, i dont have a center speaker i really dont have a good space for a center channel speaker.
 
Davemcc

Davemcc

Audioholic Spartan
Some of this will depend on whether you have the PS3 audio output set up to send out bitstream or LPCM. If you set the PS3 to bitstream, then it will send out the undecoded signal for your receiver to decode. In this case, you will probably have more choices as far as sound field options to choose from. If you are sending LPCM, the signal is already decoded in the PS3. The receiver is just playing a data stream. That may be why your options are limited. The receiver hasn't done any processing, so it doesn't allow you to apply sound fields. If you want to apply different sound fields, I would set the PS3 to bitstream. Just keep in mind that the PS3 will only process HD audio via LPCM. It won't bitstream the new codecs.

As for the TV, just use the optical audio output from the TV to the Onkyo.
 
R

ranthore

Audioholic Intern
i dont see a option for bitstream i see a bunch of pcm options, dts and such in the ps3 audio setings through hdmi
 
Davemcc

Davemcc

Audioholic Spartan
In the Settings menu > BD/DVD Settings > BD/DVD Audio Output Settings, you will be able to choose between LPCM and bitstream. If you choose LPCM, the PS3 will decode the audio and your receiver will just say "multichannel" of some similar message. You will need this setting if you plan to use the DTS-HD MA or TrueHD tracks of a disc. But since the player is doing the decoding, this is likely the reason that you can't apply post processing surround modes to the signal. If you choose bitstream, your receiver will tell you which mode is being decoded and tell you "Dolby Digital" or "DTS" and allow you post processing that is applicable to those sources.
 
D

Dizastical

Audioholic Intern
So which setting should be used for the best possible sound quality while watching movies?

Dave
 
Davemcc

Davemcc

Audioholic Spartan
So which setting should be used for the best possible sound quality while watching movies?

Dave
Personally, I leave the PS3 in LPCM and leave the signal in its native format. I only use PLIIx Movie if the signal is a surround encoded PCM. I have to be honest, I don't fool around with sound fields very much because I find that most of them don't sound very good to me which makes me far from an expert in this department.
 
C

cheapskete OCer

Audioholic
if you have the newer ps3 update the option to change the hdmi audio from bitstream to pcm is under video settings.


I dont know why but thats where it is
 
Lightning Steve

Lightning Steve

Audioholic
I did some playing around this morning with TDK playing. I have the PS3 connected via optical to the Yamaha HTR5950. With the PS3 set to LPCM the opening scene (blue fire and when the guy shoots the grappling hook out the window) is almost dead silent and the shot out the window is a muffled thud. Doesn't mater if I select "English" or "TrueHD", the same. If I switch the PS3 to Bitstream the sound dynamics/volume is four times greater, this is with the receiver at the same volume level. The shot out the window almost jolts you out of your seat, the TrueHD sounds a bit better than "English" but nearly the same. In LPCM my receiver says PCM and "PLII", the speaker symbols show just the front left and right but I do get sound out of all speakers. If the PS3 is set to Bitstream the receiver say "Dolby Digital" and all speakers symbols (5.1) are lit up. Bitstream just sounds tremendously better.
 
S

Scarriere

Junior Audioholic
I understand that optical can't pass the HD sound codecs, we have to use HDMI. I've played Blu rays and switched between Dolby True and DD as well as dts and dtsMaster. The difference was immense. Like switching from std-def T.V. to high-def T.V.
TDK defaults to DD. Switch it to Dolby True in the menu. If you've got PS3 do not use optical cable, use HDMI.
 

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