True HD for your 360 add on!

[BlackHitachi]

Ok just doing some reading getting ready for my 360 add on! I know the 360 add on does not support Dolby true hd. I did read at this site http://www.dvdtown.com/news/reviewofxbox360hddvdaddon/4186 That if you choose dolby true Hd that the sound is better the same with DTS also. Once again i understand the add on does not support it but just though it might help some of you!

 

[JoeSp]

I have posted on this several times over the last two months. The question I have to someone who has the M$ HD-DVD drive is if it can convert DolbyTrueHd or DTS HD to PCM and pass that signal on to your reciever as a 5.1pcm? If the M$ HD-DVD drive can do that you can still enjoy the fuller sound of HD audio lossless endoding. Anyone know the answer here?

 

[Ilya]

if it can convert DolbyTrueHd or DTS HD to PCM and pass that signal on to your reciever as a 5.1pcm?

The only standard digital interface capable of passing uncompressed 5.1 PCM is HDMI. Since there is no HDMI, 5.1 PCM cannot be delivered.

 

[T2k]

Seriously: who gives a sh*t about uncompressed 5.1 from a 360???

 

[NOHDjunkie]

Seriously: who gives a sh*t about uncompressed 5.1 from a 360???

completely, utterly, rude, crude and uncalled for.

 

[JoeSp]

Ilya, I thought you could pass pcm over the optical input? Seems that Toshiba issued a software upgrade that not only allowed the $499 unit to pass Dolby TrueHd 5.1 thru the optical but also pcm 5.1. Am I wrong on this?

 

[teamerickson]

Ilya, I thought you could pass pcm over the optical input? Seems that Toshiba issued a software upgrade that not only allowed the $499 unit to pass Dolby TrueHd 5.1 thru the optical but also pcm 5.1. Am I wrong on this?

I believe that is wrong. Plus, I don't think there are any recievers that read TrueHd through anything but the 5.1 inputs.

 

[JoeSp]

My Denon reads pcm over the optical inputs. Are you saying that although it says it is doing that it can't? Is it possible that it can but not at the higher bit rates acheived by the new Lossless codecs?

Also, I thought that if you use the analog inputs on your receiver you by-pass your reciever's decoding circuitry and go straight to the speakers with only the speaker control of your receiver being used. That is how my Denon3910 DVD player works with my Denon avr-982 (an old receiver -- I am waiting for the new HDMI 1.3 receivers next year). The 3910 has much better codecs and sounds terrific when I use the analog inputs. I thought that this was how Toshiba was passing their sound thru to the speakers thru the analog out. Maybe the upgrade from Toshiba was for the HDMI output and not the optical.

But now I am confused, I have read about the new Toshiba's and I have read that the new $499 product will not have analog out included. Just HDMI and optical. I could be mixing up the two new units but if I am right this really puts a hurt on using any consoles HD player for HD movie viewing as the sound will be limiting. That is the reason I like the PS3 with HDMI 1.3. I can purchase a HDMI 1.3 receiver early next year (hopefully by March) and I will be able to hear any lossless codec on the movie disc.

Now that brings up another question, if what has been reported is right, the PS3 not only decodes DolbyTrue HD but also DTS HD! If so can this be passed thru the HDMI to current HDMI receivers? Questions, questions, questions!

 

[hancox]

JoeSp - your denon is not reading 6 channel PCM, it's most likely 2 channel PCM.

 

[williamkmurphy]

Yeah the number of pcm channels over optical is bandwidth limited to I think 2.

Just HDMI and optical. I could be mixing up the two new units but if I am right this really puts a hurt on using any consoles HD player for HD movie viewing as the sound will be limiting.

HDMI 1.1 and 1.2 receivers are everywhere now. You will just have to rely on the toshiba codecs to listen to any of the new formats over hdmi.

 

[vurbano]

Ilya, I thought you could pass pcm over the optical input? Seems that Toshiba issued a software upgrade that not only allowed the $499 unit to pass Dolby TrueHd 5.1 thru the optical but also pcm 5.1. Am I wrong on this?

YES you are wrong on both counts. For TrueHD 5.1 its analog 5.1 connections (I know) or HDMI (I think). NOT optical

 

[T2k]

completely, utterly, rude, crude and uncalled for.

Or it's perhaps just the fact that I am the only one who dared to say it loud?

When you can't answer my question just keep on reading, no need for post with no substance...

 

[T2k]

My Denon reads pcm over the optical inputs.

Yeah suuure... in stereo.

Priceless.

 

[BlackHitachi]

Microsoft is working on upgrading the software so the add on can pass DTS!!!:up

 

[hancox]

Yep - this is great news, as should give much better performance...

Now, if only they could get HDMI...

 

[CochiseGuy]

Ilya, I thought you could pass pcm over the optical input? Seems that Toshiba issued a software upgrade that not only allowed the $499 unit to pass Dolby TrueHd 5.1 thru the optical but also pcm 5.1. Am I wrong on this?

No. The Toshiba 2.0 firmware update enabled the A1/XA1 to decode Dolby TrueHD internally, with it's own codecs, and pass it out through the analog 5.1 output. Most, if not all, A/R receivers don't do any "processing" of 5.1 analog inputs, they just pass the signal out with amplification. So, a receiver does not need to have the ability to decode any audio signal from 5.1 analog.

There's not enough bandwidth in the digital optical or digital coax specifications to pass along Dolby TrueHD, or even Dolby Digital Plus 5.1. I'm not sure about HDMI; I just researched analog 5.1 before buying my XA1 last May as I don't have any components with HDMI, and don't plan on upgrading anytime soon.

I have both analog 5.1 and digital optical outputs connected to my 4+ yr. old Sony 5.1 receiver. HD DVD's have better sound, in my opinion & with my equipment, with 5.1 analog output - especially HD DVD's with Dolby TrueHD. But, most standard DVD's audio sounds better through digital optical and processing by my receiver.

 

[williamkmurphy]

There's not enough bandwidth in the digital optical or digital coax specifications to pass along Dolby TrueHD, or even Dolby Digital Plus 5.1. I'm not sure about HDMI; I just researched analog 5.1 before buying my XA1 last May as I don't have any components with HDMI, and don't plan on upgrading anytime soon.

HDMI 1.1 and 1.2 have enough bandwidth to support I believe full 8 channel PCM audio. The toshiba only supports 5.1 decoding. Over HDMI I get the equivalent of what you are getting over your analog 5.1's but in PCM format.

As far as transporting the new formats in their compressed forms I don't think that is an issue of bandwidth on HDMI, but that the formats probably aren't recognized by HDMI 1.1 and 1.2 and their hardware, not to mention the receivers with 1.1 and 1.2 don't have the necessary decoders anyways. As it has been stated before HDMI 1.3 will support PCM and the compressed formats. I think all of the BW increases that are realized in 1.3 are used mostly for the deep color improvements that 1.3 allows.

If you notice a difference between your optical connection and analogs for DTS and DD its definately a difference in settings in your recevier and the tosh. I think the Toshiba uses some decent DACs and stuff.

I have yet to try the analog 5.1's out of the toshiba, maybe I'll give em a comparison with the 5.1 pcm over HDMI.

 

[BlackHitachi]

performance...

Now, if only they could get HDMI...

Well i am nobody and i really can't tell you where i heard this. This is a rumor but looks like in February M$ might make a announcement!:up

 

[BasicBlak]

Ok just doing some reading getting ready for my 360 add on! I know the 360 add on does not support Dolby true hd. I did read at this site http://www.dvdtown.com/news/reviewofxbox360hddvdaddon/4186 That if you choose dolby true Hd that the sound is better the same with DTS also. Once again i understand the add on does not support it but just though it might help some of you!

I have posted on this several times over the last two months. The question I have to someone who has the M$ HD-DVD drive is if it can convert DolbyTrueHd or DTS HD to PCM and pass that signal on to your reciever as a 5.1pcm? If the M$ HD-DVD drive can do that you can still enjoy the fuller sound of HD audio lossless endoding. Anyone know the answer here?

Though the Xbox 360 HD-DVD add-on doesn't support a pure Dolby TruHD signal via it's optical output (nor does it convert that signal to PCM), it does pass the core Dolby Digital signal which is embedded in all TruHD and DD Plus signals. (Visit http://www.dolby.com to read further.) So you will still be getting better sound than you would from Dolby Digital via a standard DVD. Why? Because HD-DVD allows the core DD signal to be passed at its full resolution, which is 648 kbps...Standard definition DVD only provides a maximum resolution of 448 kbps, with many titles (Training Day, for instance) only using a resolution of 384 kbps. As a comparison, most D-VHS/D-Theater titles were encoded at 576 kbps even though that technology also accommodates DD's full 648 resolution. So rest assured that even with the add-on's optical output, you're still getting upgraded sound. I have my 360 HD add-on hooked up to an older, albeit mint-condition, Denon receiver (the 50-pound AVR-3600) which doesn't have 5.1 channel inputs. However, the difference between the core DD audio on the Training Day DVD and its HD-DVD counterpart is startling and comes through, for lack of a better term, loud and clear; it's unmistakeable even on my legacy playback equipment.

 

[JoeSp]

Thanks BasicBlak, that was a pretty thorough explanation of how with only optical you are still getting better sound quality out HD-DVDs ( and this will work the same with BluRay movies). I really am looking forward to a AVR that supports HDMI 1.3 in 2007. Man, I am going to have to build myself a sound proof room or my wife is gonna kick me out!