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DTS HD Master and Dolby True HD Question


Ultravioletsounds

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Ok, so here's my question.

I bought a PS3 back in December. I have a 50" Panasonic Viera that I bought in May of '09. Now, my friend just gave me a Sony S-Master Dav-FX10 Surround Sound system.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11038131#specifications

This system is 2-3 years old, I'm assuming as it is no longer available for purchase. On the specs it doesn't list DTS HD Master or Dolby True HD as having the decoders.

As for how I have it wired up right now, I have an HDMI coming out of the PS3 and into the TV, then back out of TV via RCA's to the Sony receiver (The receiver doesn't have HDMI).

My question is, if the receiver doesn't have those decoders, I'm assuming it doesn't come out in that format? Would you even get any sound? The reason I ask is because when I select the DTS HD Master option for sound on the Blu-Ray movie menu and start the movie, when I hit Select, the PS3 shows it as DTS HD MA coming out. But, it just seems odd to me that it would be decoded if the receiver doesn't come with those decoding formats. Or is it just defaulting to a DTS format that the receiver has? I should note, I lost the remote, so I can't do anything with the receiver to check this for now.

I hope this wasn't too confusing and any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Your PS3 has the ability to decode in DTS-Master and send the info to the receiver via PCM through HDMI or through multi-channel outputs (which the PS3 does not support). The only way you will be able to take advantage of the HD audio formats would be through HDMI or Multi-channel outputs. With your TV sending audio through RCA to your receiver, it downsamples to likely dolby prologic. The best audio you can get with your setup would be to use a fiber optic cable and come straight out of your PS3 into the Receiver and use your receiver for volume when watching TV, not the TV speakers. If you must go into your TV, then you can do HDMI to the TV or optical if it supports it, and then come out of your TV with optical.

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Ok, so it sounds like the only way I can take advantage of these formats is to get a receiver with HDMI Inputs?

I rewired. I'm now coming out of the PS3 with HDMI and into the TV. Then back out of the TV with Optical (Although it says Digital Audio Out on the back of the TV..same thing?) and into the receivers Digital Optical In. I can now tell a difference in clarity when I switch between the RCA input and the Optical input while watching playback of a BluRay with the DTSHD MA selected in the movie menus. Now is the clarity because of the cabling (RCA vs. Optical), or is it because I am now receiving DTSHD MA?

Thanks again for your info and patience.

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Now is the clarity because of the cabling (RCA vs. Optical), or is it because I am now receiving DTSHD MA?

Again, you will not get DTS-Master using Fiber Optic. The highest codec it can support is the standard DTS and Dolby Digital (both which are still excellent codecs). The difference you are hearing is going from Dolby Prologic to Dolby Digital/DTS.

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I rewired. I'm now coming out of the PS3 with HDMI and into the TV. Then back out of the TV with Optical (Although it says Digital Audio Out on the back of the TV..same thing?) and into the receivers Digital Optical In.

Unless I'm missing something I would recommend running the optical cable from the PS3 directly to your receiver and not into your TV and then into your receiver.

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Yeah, I seriously doubt you are getting Dolby/dts the way you have it hooked up now. You want to go direct from the PS3 to the receiver. Your receiver should have some indication of the sound format you are getting.

Also, I don't own, nor have I ever configured a PS3, but there is
probably some setting on the PS3 that determines which formats will be passd through the optical cable. The difference between Pro Logic and Dolby Digital/dts isn't simply one of clarity, it is a night and day difference. You'll see what I mean when you achieve it.

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Your receiver should have some indication of the sound format you are getting.

Unfortunately, with the PS3, it cannot pass as Bitstream so your receiver will never say "DTS-Master or DolbyHD" because the PS3 is doing the decoding and not the receiver. I am not sure whether the new PS3 Slim will send as bitstream or not though.

The difference between Pro Logic and Dolby Digital/dts isn't simply one of clarity, it is a night and day difference. You'll see what I mean when you achieve it.

That is correct. Even if you don't have the new HD Audio formats, Dolby Digital and the standard DTS is a HUGE improvement over the analog Dolby Pro-Logic.

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So I followed what you guys said. I got the HDMI going from the PS3 to the TV for video. The Optical is coming out of the PS3 to the receiver for Audio. I'm assuming that is the best I can do until I get a receiver with HDMI inputs on the back of it. Thanks again!

this is exactly how i have my ps3 set up and used with great results..

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Not PS3 BUT HOLD THE PRESSES

If you have a Blu Ray Sony with Audio Outs into a pre amp with audio ins...Until 2011 you can get away with this too.

Just let the player do the codecs and send them through untouched to the amps through the pre amp.

I did this with my Sunfire Theater Grand Pre Amp ... It is amazing!

You can get DTS HD Master and Dolby True HD too.

(Yes, I took the video HDMI out..to DVI straight to the projector too.)

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