Have the PS3, best budget reciever?

[Phatferd]

I don't make a lot of money (college student working full time) so I definitely want to get something not too expensive. I really don't know anything when it comes to audio. I saved and saved and got myself a Westinghouse 1080p and a PS3 about 6 months ago. My next step is to get a sound system.

Is anyone kind enough to give me a step by step or detailed list of products I should consider. I don't mind doing this in pieces. I will buy a receiver and sit on it for months until I can afford speakers. I know the PS3 can't really do PCM above 2.0 (I think I know this ). I would greatly appreciate some feedback.

Thanks!

[gearyt]

onkyo 605 is the forum sweetheart

[Mystique]

I'm also a college student and right now I'm saving up my money for this home theater system that I also suggest you save up your money for the Onkyo HT-SP908 7.1 Channel Home Theater System.

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-SP908-Channel-Theater-System/dp/B000UN44HW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1199836059&sr=1-5

[emacs]

Originally Posted by Phatferd

I know the PS3 can't really do PCM above 2.0

... only if you pass the audio through an optical cable. to get lossy multi-channel audio through optical send the data via bitstream.

the PS3, currently, cannot send lossless compressed audio via bitstream.

- to send Dolby TrueHD you must select linear PCM and send the signal across an HDMI cable
- you cannot send DTS-HD Master audio (bitstream or linear PCM); you'll only get DTS 'core'

[Luis_A51]

Sony STR-DG910

The onkyo 605 is overated. The PS3 will never bitstream. And the Sony has an extra HDMI input.

[Kratos3]

Originally Posted by Phatferd

I don't make a lot of money (college student working full time) so I definitely want to get something not too expensive. I really don't know anything when it comes to audio. I saved and saved and got myself a Westinghouse 1080p and a PS3 about 6 months ago. My next step is to get a sound system.

Is anyone kind enough to give me a step by step or detailed list of products I should consider. I don't mind doing this in pieces. I will buy a receiver and sit on it for months until I can afford speakers. I know the PS3 can't really do PCM above 2.0 (I think I know this ). I would greatly appreciate some feedback.

Thanks!

Actually the PS3 DOES do PCM in 5.1 when you connect to the receiver w/ HDMI. It's when you connect to the receiver via Optical that it only sends PCM in 2 channels. BTW, the Onkyo 605 would be a great budget receiver to start with.

[emacs]

Originally Posted by Kratos3

It's when you connect to the receiver via Optical that it only sends PCM in 2 channels.

send the multi-channel audio via bitstream; optical should have sufficient capacity

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by emacs

send the multi-channel audio via bitstream; optical should have sufficient capacity

Lossless audio is 2.0 PCM...compressed lossy audio can be 5.1 or 6.1 with optical.

HDMI, you would send as Linear PCM as the PS3 can decode Dolby TrueHD.


the PS3 can process 5.1 or 7.1 Uncompressed PCM.

[Kratos3]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

Lossless audio is 2.0 PCM...compressed lossy audio can be 5.1 or 6.1 with optical.

HDMI, you would send as Linear PCM as the PS3 can decode Dolby TrueHD.


the PS3 can process 5.1 or 7.1 Uncompressed PCM.

That's where I was going with this. Optical can't support the bandwidth for uncompressed multichannel PCM, just 2.0 PCM. It can send multichannel, just not lossless multichannel.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by Kratos3

That's where I was going with this. Optical can't support the bandwidth for uncompressed multichannel PCM, just 2.0 PCM. It can send multichannel, just not lossless multichannel.

I know what your thought was, just didnt understand why you were pushing optical and bitstream...when everyone is talking about HDMI receivers....


but youre right though...optical and bitstream is the only way to use.

[Baseball3]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Sony STR-DG910

The onkyo 605 is overated. The PS3 will never bitstream. And the Sony has an extra HDMI input.

I do admire one who sits tall in the saddle and makes such brazen comments though they may well be wrong.

[Leopold BUTTERS]

I just got a Sony STRD810 and it does Multichannel PCM. and with the ps3 you get DDTHD and DTS MA HD. it's only 6.1 tho. I love it a lot. has 3 hdmi inputs as well.

[Downhere]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Sony STR-DG910

The onkyo 605 is overated. The PS3 will never bitstream. And the Sony has an extra HDMI input.

The Onkyo will be better than the Sony. So I say go for the Onkyo.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by Leopold BUTTERS

I just got a Sony STRD810 and it does Multichannel PCM. and with the ps3 you get DDTHD and DTS MA HD. it's only 6.1 tho. I love it a lot. has 3 hdmi inputs as well.

...you got the DDTHD (Dolby TrueHD) correct, however the PS3 cannot decode Dts-HD...only the 1.5Mbps core.


How do you like the 810 by the way?

[Leopold BUTTERS]

i like it a lot only thing i wish is it could decode DDTHD and DTS MA by itself besides that it is awesome...too bad about the ps3 not decoding DTS MA HD...what is the 1.5mbps core? and do any BD players decode DTS MA?

[emacs]

Originally Posted by Leopold BUTTERS

what is the 1.5mbps core?

DTS-HD Master Audio tracks contain two data streams

- the DTS core stream
- a residual stream

if a player or receiver is capable of decoding DTS-HD Master Audio it reconstructs the original audio stream by combining the core stream with the residual stream.

if a player or receiver is not capable of decoding DTS-HD Master Audio it only processes the core stream and ignores the residual stream.

any BD players decode DTS MA?

yes. have a look at the most recent players from Samsung, Panasonic and I think Denon.

[emacs]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

Lossless audio is 2.0 PCM...compressed lossy audio can be 5.1 or 6.1 with optical.

yes, i did mention you can send multi-channel audio via bitstream over optical, unless i have misinterpreted your interpretation of my post

[Leopold BUTTERS]

Originally Posted by emacs

DTS-HD Master Audio tracks contain two data streams

- the DTS core stream
- a residual stream

if a player or receiver is capable of decoding DTS-HD Master Audio it reconstructs the original audio stream by combining the core stream with the residual stream.

if a player or receiver is not capable of decoding DTS-HD Master Audio it only processes the core stream and ignores the residual stream.




yes. have a look at the most recent players from Samsung, Panasonic and I think Denon.

okay...so the ps3 decodes it and what you get is DTS 5.1?

[emacs]

Originally Posted by Leopold BUTTERS

okay...so the ps3 decodes it and what you get is DTS 5.1?

if the PS3 is configured to send Linear PCM audio through HDMI and you selected the DTS-HD Master Audio track from a Blu-ray disc, the PS3 will only send the DTS core track. it's multi-channel (5.1) with a maximum bitrate of 1.5Mbit/s. Master Audio is also multi-channel (unlimited actually) with maximum bitrate of 24.5Mbit/s on Blu-ray. so, what's the sound difference between 1.5 and 24.5? well, a very crude analogy is to compare the audio quality between a 128kbps MP3 with a 7.8kbps MP3. i'm sure you can tell the difference. admittedly, it's not an entirely accurate analogy although it does give you some sense of the kind of quality DTS-HD Master Audio has over DTS core.

[dobyblue]

I've never been a big fan of Sony's non-ES receivers.

If you're looking for a budget receiver with hirez audio capabilities you can't go wrong with the $399 Onkyo TX-SR605.