2.00 extra! PS3 SACD 5.1 via OPTICAL, is it possible? ** 2.01 takes it away

[javayoda]

Originally Posted by phloyd

Looks like I found out about this all too late..! Grrr...

I found out too early. I purchased the SACD of Dark Side Of The Moon only to have the multi-channel capability removed in a firmware update.

[Croweyes1121]

Oh, Christ! Tell me this is a joke! I want this SO BADLY! I had no CLUE this was in 2.00 and never even got to enjoy it! DAMN IT! C'MON, SONY!!! PUT IT BACK!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brandon B]

Originally Posted by tullman

My processor is playing multichannel via Dolby pro.

Pro = prologic = not multichannel. (PLII is prologic II). Your processor is taking the 2 ch and expanding it to 5.1. You are not getting a discrete multichannel signal from the PS3.

Try turning the prologic processing on and off, and you will prbably notice the quality difference.

BB

[tullman]

Originally Posted by Brandon B

Pro = prologic = not multichannel. (PLII is prologic II). Your processor is taking the 2 ch and expanding it to 5.1. You are not getting a discrete multichannel signal from the PS3.

Try turning the prologic processing on and off, and you will prbably notice the quality difference.

BB

Thanks for all of the information, everyone.

Dolby Prologic isn't multichannel? Aren't some movies and Tv programs Dolby Prologic surround? Is DTS the only true surround format?

I got the PS3 mainly for the SACD surround feature and before I could even play one SACD the feature was ripped out. I bought the PS3 a couple of weeks ago. I'm not much of a gamer so I hope the thing plays Blu-ray movies well.

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by tullman

Dolby Prologic isn't multichannel? Aren't some movies and Tv programs Dolby Prologic surround? Is DTS the only true surround format?

Dolby Prologic IS multichannel. However, it is only 4.1.

Dolby Prologic II (2) and IIex IS multichannel 5.1/6.1. Using a stereo signal that's flagged with DPLII flags, the receiver/decoder can MATRIX the left and right audio signals into 5.1/6.1 channels. IT IS NOT A DISCRETE MULTICHANNEL SYSTEM.

Dolby Digital 5.1 (6.1 Matrix for Dolby Digital EX) and DTS 5.1 (6.1 Discrete for DTS ES Discrete) are discrete multichannel encoding formats. Both are lossy digital sound formats used on DVDs and BDs.

I got the PS3 mainly for the SACD surround feature and before I could even play one SACD the feature was ripped out. I bought the PS3 a couple of weeks ago.

If you REALLY want to listen to SACDs in surround, you need a receiver that can handle multichannel audio input via HDMI. Then you'll really get the best out of the PS3 either by watching BDs or listening to SACDs. Get a receiver that can handle 192kHz audio signal via HDMI since the SACD signal via HDMI is up to 176.4kHz at 5.1.

I'm not much of a gamer so I hope the thing plays Blu-ray movies well.

You'll have no problem with movies on BD. Most BDs have Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 soundtracks for backwards compatibility.


fuad

[Clark Kent]

For all the people disappointed by the loss of SACD multi-channel surround via DTS in the new firmware, it might show up in a new firmware down the road. Sony has done things like this before where features sometimes appear, disappear, and then reappear later. If one wants the feature badly enough complain at the PS3 website or call Sony up. For all we know this feature had some bugs associated with it that was affecting performance and they may need to be fixed.

[Brandon B]

I thought prologic (I) was 4.0. Two rear channels shared the same signal, and you had to use an external XO to separate the bass out from the mix. The SW output was just a one channel downmix of the entire signal.

BB

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by Brandon B

I thought prologic (I) was 4.0. Two rear channels shared the same signal, and you had to use an external XO to separate the bass out from the mix. The SW output was just a one channel downmix of the entire signal.

What's an XO? With a DPL receiver, everything is done inside. And it is stereo-to-4.1.

Logic 7 is another multichannel matrix decoder but the results from Logic 7 is FAR more satisfying than DPL. At the time, it was available only on expensive preamp. This was during the laserdisc era.


fuad

[Brandon B]

XO = crossover. I have not seen prologic (only) receiver that filters the signal on the sub output, it puts out a full range signal and expects your sub to have a low pass filter on it. So by definition, there is no .1 channel, just a summed output of everything else.

Also, the rears in prologic were not full range. I've forgotten the lower limit, but they rolled off at 16KHz.

BB

[tullman]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

If you REALLY want to listen to SACDs in surround, you need a receiver that can handle multichannel audio input via HDMI. Then you'll really get the best out of the PS3 either by watching BDs or listening to SACDs. Get a receiver that can handle 192kHz audio signal via HDMI since the SACD signal via HDMI is up to 176.4kHz at 5.1.



You'll have no problem with movies on BD. Most BDs have Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 soundtracks for backwards compatibility.


fuad

This is the problem, I can't afford to switch my processor at this time. The PS3 was supposed to give me SACD surround and Blu-ray until I could afford another processor. Any Processor recommendations?

[Croweyes1121]

SONY has no plans to re-enable this feature. They cited the fact that they only support Linear PCM sound. Just got an email from them. Suck.

[Shin-Ra]

Who did you ask? I doubt anyone from SCEA or SCEE knows anything about this unannounced feature. They're probably brushing you off.

[egon_spengler]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

SONY has no plans to re-enable this feature. They cited the fact that they only support Linear PCM sound. Just got an email from them. Suck.

Could you copy and paste the text onto this board so we can read what they said? Who can I complain to?

[Brandon B]

Originally Posted by tullman

This is the problem, I can't afford to switch my processor at this time. The PS3 was supposed to give me SACD surround and Blu-ray until I could afford another processor. Any Processor recommendations?

If you want a preamp/processor only, not a receiver, I think your best next-gen bet is the Integra 9.8/Onkyo 885. It lists for about $1600. Bad news is, if you ordered one today, you would not get it until February.

Outlaw is probably coming out with something in the spring, Denon and the rest as well.

If you go the receiver route, there are many choices under $1K. Start a thread in the home theater area and people will chime in.

BB

[TauRus]

Originally Posted by tullman

This is the problem, I can't afford to switch my processor at this time. The PS3 was supposed to give me SACD surround and Blu-ray until I could afford another processor. Any Processor recommendations?

PS3 indeed supports multi-channel SACD via HDMI. This is how it was originally marketed. That's what your expectation should have been. No one promised SACD surround sound support over optical. Moreover, until version 2.0 no one even knew this was at all possible.
Sony added the feature only with fw ver. 2.0, then removed it for some reason in ver. 2.1. I am sure there were some serious reason for that - maybe legal or technical in nature. Perhaps, we will see this feature re-enabled in one of the future releases, no one knows. But do not blame Sony for promising this feature from them get go, that's simply not true.

[Croweyes1121]

egon_spengler:

I actually did copy and paste the email in here and then retracted it because there was a disclaimer at the bottom of the email that said it was unauthorized by Sony to share the exact text (which is stupid, but I'm paranoid). The guy's name was Al DeLeon. I wouldn't make that up - I REALLY REALLY wanted that feature back! I don't have the money for a new receiver, either. I did write him back and said that it was a real shame because I know a lot of people went out and bought SACDs specifically to take advantage of that feature and I think it is very bad PR and just downright wrong of Sony to retract a feature like that. I also don't think the "we only support Linear PCM" claim holds much water considering the fact that the PS3 routinely decodes the DTS core of DTS-MA soundtracks and Dolby TrueHD...but I digress.

Here's Al's email for those of you who want to complain about this as I did:
Al_DeLeon@PlayStation.Sony.Com

[tullman]

Originally Posted by TauRus

PS3 indeed supports multi-channel SACD via HDMI. This is how it was originally marketed. That's what your expectation should have been. No one promised SACD surround sound support over optical. Moreover, until version 2.0 no one even knew this was at all possible.
Sony added the feature only with fw ver. 2.0, then removed it for some reason in ver. 2.1. I am sure there were some serious reason for that - maybe legal or technical in nature. Perhaps, we will see this feature re-enabled in one of the future releases, no one knows. But do not blame Sony for promising this feature from them get go, that's simply not true.

I'm not blaming Sony or anyone. I read about the 2.0 firmware and went out and bought a PS3. I hooked it up, went online and downloaded the latest firmware before I read the bad news here. It's just my crappy luck. I might look into the Onkyo 885, which looks promising.

[egon_spengler]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

egon_spengler:

Here's Al's email for those of you who want to complain about this as I did:
Al_DeLeon@PlayStation.Sony.Com

Well I just emailled this chap, lets see what he has to say. I liked my multi-channel SACD. I can't afford a HDMI amp but optical was all I needed! I'm not fussy about the quality.

Cheers for your help Croweyes

[Croweyes1121]

No problem at all, egon. Be sure and let me know what he says when he writes you back, too. Maybe if they find that this is an important issue to enough people, it will make a difference.