I'm confused about equipment decoding Dolby TrueHD

[Wolfie]

I've watched and listened to 'Transformers' on Blu-ray on my Sony BDP-S300 and there is sonically something missing with the TrueHD sound track. Do BOTH player AND receiver have to decode the track, or can it be either one? Can the PS3, which I'm thinking of getting, decode it? I'm totally Can anybody help? Anybody?...Anybody?...Beuller?...Beuller?

Wolfie

[nhaase]

You only need one component to decode the sound. However, if you want your rcvr to do the decoding then you need to make sure your player is set to bitstream the audio to the rcvr for the decoding.

What exactly is "missing" from the soundtrack? How are you sending the sound to your rcvr, is it via HDMI, analog cables, or optical?

The PS3 can decode TrueHD.

[My_Two_Cents]

1) What receiver do you have?
2) How are you connected from the player to receiver? HDMI?
3) Is your player set to bitstream or PCM

[DBlackGT]

Originally Posted by Wolfie

I've watched and listened to 'Transformers' on Blu-ray on my Sony BDP-S300 and there is sonically something missing with the TrueHD sound track. Do BOTH player AND receiver have to decode the track, or can it be either one? Can the PS3, which I'm thinking of getting, decode it? I'm totally Can anybody help? Anybody?...Anybody?...Beuller?...Beuller?

Wolfie

First check to see if your DRC is off. Thats the main problem with people and Dolby True HD tracks, they leave it on and it numbs down the audio alot. As for both the player and receiver decoding, one or the other should be fine. If your player can internally decode and send it out via pcm and your receiver can do hdmi audio than you should be fine. On the other hand if you receiver decodes it and your player can bitstream it then you should also be fine.

Player Bitstreaming------->Receiver decodes it (Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio will light up)

Player Decoding---------->Receiver playing a PCM track (Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio will not light up)

Hope that makes sense. And yes the PS3 will decode all HD Codecs but only send it out as PCM, so again you will not see Dolby TrueHD or DTS Master Audio light up on your receiver.

[Johk]

Originally Posted by DBlackGT

First check to see if your DRC is on.

I think you mean off.

[DBlackGT]

Originally Posted by Johk

I think you mean off.

Wow cant believe I messed up on that one, thanks for catching it.

[akesga]

Sorry guys, but what is DRC? I am having the same issues with the Transformers movie, but no other ones?

thanks

[crackinhedz]

have you updated the firmware on the S300?

...and with the S300 decoding the TrueHD you need a receiver capable of multichannel PCM over the HDMI connection.

what receiver do you have?

[Johk]

Originally Posted by akesga

Sorry guys, but what is DRC? I am having the same issues with the Transformers movie, but no other ones?

thanks

From Dolby's site:

Dynamic Range Control (Night mode) enables you to customize audio playback to reduce peak volume levels (no loud surprises) while experiencing all the details in the soundtrack, enabling late-night viewing of high-energy surround sound without disturbing others.

Basically for normal viewings, you want to maintain the full range so depending on your player receiver the proper setting will be different (on some players, it will be DRC>Off, others, DRC>Full for full range).

[adamh]

i have the same bluray player, the only settings i see for audio are pcm and some dolby digitial and dts downmix, not sure what that is. i dont see bitstream on either the bluray player or the receiver. i have an onkyo 805 using this player and dont see the dolby true hd anywhere. pcm and bitstreaming are the same right?

[DBlackGT]

Originally Posted by adamh

i have the same bluray player, the only settings i see for audio are pcm and some dolby digitial and dts downmix, not sure what that is. i dont see bitstream on either the bluray player or the receiver. i have an onkyo 805 using this player and dont see the dolby true hd anywhere. pcm and bitstreaming are the same right?

No in bitstreaming the receiver decodes the audio, but your player has to be capable of sending the HD-Codecs via bitstream. If you have the latest firmware update for the S300 the player now decodes Dobly True HD only and not DTS Master Audio. The only way to get Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio to display on your receiver is by getting a player that supports HD-Codecs via bitstream.

However if you do have the latest firmware for your S300 your player is decoding Dobly True HD internally and sending it to your 805 via PCM. So all your 805 is going to display is Multichannel...But its still Dolby True HD

[krazeyeyez]

the s300's ability to decode truehd was a later addition added in the firmware, that player CANNOT bitstream truehd or masteraudio. the player must do the decoding for you to get the truehd, as for the settings i don't remember and my player is on the fritz right now, hopefully someone can chime in with that or check the s300 thread on this site, its in there somewhere lol, don't worry about bitstreaming as it does not apply to that player.

[JasonR]

The only setting that matters is setting HDMI from "Auto" to "PCM".

[Wolfie]

Yeah, my Sony was set to 'Auto' and not 'PCM'. Switched it last night and, MAN, what a difference! Thanx guys.

Wolfie