Re: Onkyo TX-SR805: Review of HD audio

Quote:
You CANNOT use HDMI as PCM and get the Lossless audio!!!! If you use this way the reciever decodes it as REGULAR digital not Plus or HD sound.

Multichannel Linear-PCM is a lossless format (and uncompressed). Perhaps some receivers will down-convert it to stereo or whatever, but it is a lossless format non-the-less.

shaddai: That's the way I'm doing it too. My receiver says "PCM 48" and all 5 speaker icons are lit up. I take it that's a good thing?

Edit: Movieguy might be talking about DTS-HD MA, which only the core DTS 1.5Mps is decoded and sent via L-PCM. But that's the only trouble codec.

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[Post edited by Skyhawk on Dec 19, 2007]

Quote:
You CANNOT use HDMI as PCM and get the Lossless audio!!!! If you use this way the reciever decodes it as REGULAR digital not Plus or HD sound.

Movieguy you are incorrect. You may be referring to a digital bitstream sent over HDMI or optical, but LPCM over HDMI is lossless.

Skyhawk, from what I've read some players will mix the primary AND secondary audio (ie. commentary, etc.) streams and output in a lossy DD format through bitstream. Other players will forgo the menu sounds as you suggested. Depends on the player and whether it's Blu-ray or HD-DVD.

My current Yamaha receiver has the 5.1 multi-channel inputs so I have 2 options.

1. Upgrade from the HD A2 to the HD XA2 or the HD A35.
2. Get one of the Onkyo amps.

I'm thinking of upgrading the player because it will be much cheaper than if I upgrade my receiver. Especially since my current receiver has the 5.1 inputs.

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[Post edited by Falcon01 on Dec 19, 2007]

Falcon is your TV big enough to benefit from 1080P if you upgraded to the A35??

Falcon01, judging by the lack of DTS-HD HR and DTS-HD MA for domestic HD-DVD titles, I think you are making the right move upgrading to the XA2 or A35. There are some music and foreign HD-DVD's with DTS-HD MA but unless you plan to own any of those, your current receiver is in good shape.

Sure Falcon, but think of how many cables you can eliminate from your system by upgrading your receiver!

And it you're using "highest-end" monster cables for those 5 discrete channels, you could buy a new HDMI receiver just for the price of the cables alone

Bosshog, I have the Pioneer 50" plasma 5080HD which is 1080i so I wouldn't benefit from 1080P but from my understanding the A35 and the XA2 can do 1080i also right? I'm kinda leaning towards the XA2 because of the Reon chip for regular DVD's.

Shaddai, I'm not big on music titles at the moment and I'm definitely not into foreign titles unless it's an HD DVD import that's only available on bluray in North America.

Skyhawk, I've learned my lesson about Monster cables

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[Post edited by Falcon01 on Dec 19, 2007]

LOL, Skyhawk!

I'll be honest. I love the simplicity of HDMI. I even got rid of the MC analog cables going from my Pioneer Elite DV59 universal player to the Pioneer Elite 84 since I can use the iLink (IEEE1394 or firwire).

Falcon01, God forbid HD-DVD loses the format war, a new HDMI 1.3 receiver WOULD work with Blu-ray as well. Something to think about. Oh, and you could use the new receiver right away through your A2's HDMI and let the player do the decoding.

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[Post edited by shaddai on Dec 19, 2007]

Falcon I would spend the money on the XA2 for the very reason you brought up...the Reon chip. Your audio will also be great using your 5.1 inputs on your Yammy as the XA2 also has high quality DACS (Sharc I believe).