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RE: What are the alternatives to Integra 9.8

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David Aiken

In Reply to: RE: What are the alternatives to Integra 9.8 posted by ptruce on June 10, 2008 at 20:11:38

I know Denon has some AVRs that will decode the new codecs and I'm fairly certain that Sony, Pioneer and Panasonic do also. I suspect that Marantz may have some receivers which decode the new codecs.

You don't need a receiver that can decode the codecs if your player can decode them. You can then pass the signal to the receiver in LPCM format for the receiver to do the digital to analog conversion. My receiver does not decode the new codecs but I've compared having it decode and do the digital to analog conversion of the old DVD codecs to having my PS3 decode those codecs to LPCM and just letting the receiver do the digital to analog conversion. In my HT system I can't hear a difference. That doesn't mean that there won't be a difference in other systems, or that the results wouldn't be different with the new codecs if I could try that comparison in my system, but I think it's a fair bet to say that any differences between having the player do the decoding vs having the receiver do the decoding are going to be pretty minimal if the receiver is handling the digital to analog conversion in both cases.

David Aiken

Follow Ups:

RE: What are the alternatives to Integra 9.8 - ptruce 21:25:05 06/10/08 (3)
I know there are a few avr's but I am looking specifically for pre/pros. I have read, perhaps incorrectly, that DTS MA has to go to hdmi in order to decode - that it cannot be passed through the analog outputs of the player.

Is this incorrect?
- Yes, that's incorrect, or at least confused. - David Aiken 01:13:50 06/11/08 (2)
  You can't pass a digital signal through analog outputs. The DTS HD MA signal is a digital signal in bitstream format which needs to go through 2 stages in order to produce an analog signal for the amplifier stages. Those 2 stages are decoding which converts the bitstream to an LPCM signal which can be handled by a digital to analog converter (DAC).
  
  Some players can't do either the decoding or digital to analog conversion and have to pass the bitstream signal to a receiver or pre/pro for both stages of processing. The bitstream can only be passed via HDMI.
  
  Some players can do the decoding and pass an LPCM signal to the receiver or pre/pro which then handles the digital to analog conversion. HDMI can carry the LPCM signal but so can some other digital cables, often with some limitations. Some of the players that can do this can also pass the bitstream signal to the receiver or pre/pro.
  
  Some players can both decode and do the digital to analog conversion and deliver multi-channel analog outputs.
  
  You need to ensure that the player and the receiver or pre/pro can communicate properly in one of those ways in order to deal with the new codecs.
  
  So there are 2 options for passing the signal in digital form: bitstream and LPCM. Some players can pass the signal in both forms and some only in one of them. HDMI can pass both digital forms but LPCM can also be passed via other digital cables with some limitations. Alternatively the signal can be passed in analog form if the player has analog outputs. It's up to you to ensure that your player and receiver or pre/pro can handle things properly between them.
  
  David Aiken
  - RE: Yes, that's incorrect, or at least confused. - ptruce 16:41:43 06/11/08 (1)
    Perhaps, but the DTS web site lists the players that can output DTS-MA and all except the PS3 output bitstream only - if I am reading it correctly. Not sure if the PS3 downconverts before sending out the analog outs.
    
    However the website may be out of date as it doesn't list the Integra 9.8.
    
    See url for the website.
    
    Still looking for a pre/pro that can handle the stream. "Real Soon Now"?
    - http://www.dts.com/Support/Find_a_Manufacturer.aspx?q=Home+Audio+and+Video&t=Blu-ray+Disc+Players (Open in New Window)
    - RE: Yes, that's incorrect, or at least confused. - David Aiken 20:53:46 06/11/08 (0)
      As far as I know, the cheaper Denon only outputs DTS HD MA in bitstream. It has no analog outputs. The dearer one can decode it so I assume it can output it in LPCM and I think it also has analog outputs. The Panasonic BD30 is bitstream only with no decoding and ano analog outputs. I understand the BD50 will decode so I would expect LPCM plus analog outputs from it.
      
      Analog outs on the PS3 are limited to stereo only.
      
      David Aiken

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