S300Firmware v4.20 TrueHD maybe??

[Person8]

Hello all
Just updated my Sony S300 to firmware v4.20 and thought it would add Dolby® TrueHD Audio decoding functionality but when I play Batman Begins through HDMI my stereo still shows it as Dolby 5.1 I know that the 820 supports this or maybe I just do not understand what is going on.

Sony Strdg 820
42in Plasma
BDS300

[Moefiz]

Seek and you shall find all your answers in this thread...

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=10092

Welcome by the way.

[Person8]

A BIG thanks Moe

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by Person8

Hello all
Just updated my Sony S300 to firmware v4.20 and thought it would add Dolby® TrueHD Audio decoding functionality but when I play Batman Begins through HDMI my stereo still shows it as Dolby 5.1 I know that the 820 supports this or maybe I just do not understand what is going on.

Sony Strdg 820
42in Plasma
BDS300

When the player decodes DD TrueHD it passes PCM through HDMI to your AVR. Your AVR will not display DD TrueHD because it is no longer in that format because it's PCM. So all you're going to see displayed on your AVR is PCM. If your receiver is displaying Dolby Digital, then most likely you have your HDMI audio setting on AUTO. If so, you need to change that to PCM. That will tell the player to send the PCM decoded from DD TrueHD to your AVR through your HDMI connection. Otherwise on AUTO it will bitstream the DD TrueHD lossy core. The manual recommends leaving the setting on AUTO. Don't do that. The manual was written long before this player was upgraded to decode DD True HD. Leave it on PCM unless for some reason you want to get the lossy DD instead of lossless PCM from DD TrueHD. Hopefully Sony will update the manual too.

[blurayisking]

So, if this is what firmware 4.2 provides in terms of Dolby TrueHD decoding, then what exactly is the player doing without the 4.2 firmware update because it has been understood for quite some time that the BDP-S300 already was decoding Dolby TrueHD via HDMI (HDMI output set for PCM).

I've took the time to compare the sound of my BDP-S300 (Set HDMI output tor PCM) via HDMI versus my BDP-S350 via HDMI.

I've played Resident Evil Extinction (Dolby TrueHD) on both players and clearly the BDP-S350 is louder and the sound appears to be more distinct which leaves me wondering whether the BDP-S300 is truly decoding the Dolby TrueHD into PCM or is it sending an improved Dolby Digital sound. Since Sony has never admitted that the BDP-S300 was capable of decoding Dolby TrueHD (until now). Therefore, I'm puzzled as to exactly what the BDP-S300 player is doing.

Regardless, my BDP-S300 is now boxed and shelved and I'm enjoying the BDP-350, knowing that I'm getting the real deal in terms of Hi-Def sound.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by blurayisking

So, if this is what firmware 4.2 provides in terms of Dolby TrueHD decoding, then what exactly is the player doing without the 4.2 firmware update because it has been understood for quite some time that the BDP-S300 already was decoding Dolby TrueHD via HDMI (HDMI output set for PCM).

It's officially doing it now. That's about it. And we only knew about it because Paidgeek was good enough to let us know. Now, they're making it official and telling everyone.

It's also possible (though I tend to trust Paidgeek) that when he spoke to engineering they misspoke and said it was there already, when it was really not coming until the latest update.

Either way, we can now put an end to the comments from those who refused to believe it until it was listed officially from Sony.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by blurayisking

So, if this is what firmware 4.2 provides in terms of Dolby TrueHD decoding, then what exactly is the player doing without the 4.2 firmware update because it has been understood for quite some time that the BDP-S300 already was decoding Dolby TrueHD via HDMI (HDMI output set for PCM).

I've took the time to compare the sound of my BDP-S300 (Set HDMI output tor PCM) via HDMI versus my BDP-S350 via HDMI.

I've played Resident Evil Extinction (Dolby TrueHD) on both players and clearly the BDP-S350 is louder and the sound appears to be more distinct which leaves me wondering whether the BDP-S300 is truly decoding the Dolby TrueHD into PCM or is it sending an improved Dolby Digital sound. Since Sony has never admitted that the BDP-S300 was capable of decoding Dolby TrueHD (until now). Therefore, I'm puzzled as to exactly what the BDP-S300 player is doing.

Regardless, my BDP-S300 is now boxed and shelved and I'm enjoying the BDP-350, knowing that I'm getting the real deal in terms of Hi-Def sound.

Please install 4.20 on your S300. Then set both players to identical loudness. You might have to use an SPL meter to set it right. Yes that's true. The louder one will sound better. You can hear more subtle details when it is louder. So that is no surprise. You have to compare them both at the same level. Otherwise you are comparing apples and oranges. A/B ing two players is not the easiest way to test. A better way is to use a BD such as Batman Begins that has both a DD True HD and a lossy DD track. Then you can use the remote to switch audio tracks on the fly. It is easier and better that way to determine if the S300 decodes DD TrueHD or not. It is also unclear whether you did a blind test to eliminate bias. You bought a new player, and the question of bias is an issue here. It just sounds to me like your were comparing the S300 to your new S350. Really the testing should have been done with just the S300 alone using a BD such as Batman Begins. Testing it against the S350 clouds the issue too much and led to an invalid conclusion.

Please understand that I am not judging you or anything. I appreciate your comments and report on the testing you did. I am just trying to make sure that the S300 got a fair unbiased test. All we really know for sure now is that with version 4.20 the S300 decodes DD TrueHD. That's Sony's statement of fact. We know we are getting the real deal in terms of decoding DD TrueHD. Your test doesn't convince me that it is otherwise.