PS3 Slim Bitstream Setup Problem

[Iain]

Hello, I just upgraded to the new PS3 (sold the old one on ebay!) to get the capability to bitstream DTS-MA and TrueHD. The problem is that I am not able to get this system to work with my Harman/Kardon AVR 254 receiver. I spoke to people at both HK and Sony and neither could help me. I am connecting through HDMI (obviously) and can't figure out what to uncheck and check in the audio set up. Can anyone with more expertise on the subject help me? I have tried every configuration possible but with no luck.

Thanks in advance,

Iain

[ryoohki]

Originally Posted by Iain

Hello, I just upgraded to the new PS3 (sold the old one on ebay!) to get the capability to bitstream DTS-MA and TrueHD. The problem is that I am not able to get this system to work with my Harman/Kardon AVR 254 receiver. I spoke to people at both HK and Sony and neither could help me. I am connecting through HDMI (obviously) and can't figure out what to uncheck and check in the audio set up. Can anyone with more expertise on the subject help me? I have tried every configuration possible but with no luck.

Thanks in advance,

Iain

You have to switch the audio mode to Bitstream... that's all..

[crackinhedz]

Settings - Video Settings - BD / DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI) - Bitstream

[BozQ]

Also make sure you are using a HDMI 1.3 cable.
HDMI 1.1 or 1.2 will not work.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by BozQ

Also make sure you are using a HDMI 1.3 cable.
HDMI 1.1 or 1.2 will not work.

There is no such thing as HDMI 1.3 cable. HDMI 1.3 refers to the HDMI output on the player and the input on the receiver. Both PS3 and Harman/Kardon AVR 254 are HDMI 1.3 compatible.

You need to make sure your cable is Category 2 certified. Even if it is not Categoty 2 certified, it may still work.

[Semp1]

1.3 means nothing as long as the cable is under 15ft it will 100% work. Also if it's over this length it still might work 1.3 means absolutely nothing when it comes to the cable. People have to stop throwing false info around like it's true. What matters is the amount of info that can pss through for ex. how many gb's it can pass through without losing any quality in Audio or Video.

[Hammie]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

There is no such thing as HDMI 1.3 cable. HDMI 1.3 refers to the HDMI output on the player and the input on the receiver. Both PS3 and Harman/Kardon AVR 254 are HDMI 1.3 compatible.

You need to make sure your cable is CL2 certified. Even if it is not CL2 certified, it may still work.

Actually, CL2 (Class 2) is the electrical code for "in-wall installation for residential dwellings" and just means the outer sheathing is rated to not burn (as quickly) as non-CL2 cables.

I think what Big Daddy means is that you want an HDMI cable that is "Category 2" or "High Speed." These are designed to pass a 1600p signal, which is obviously more than enough for our current 1080p systems.

As an FYI, a Category 1 cable is designed to only pass a 720p/1080i signal, however, over short distances, you may successfully pass your 1080p signal. If you start to get sparkles, pixelation, or no signal, then you know you need to upgrade to a Category 2 cable.

For long distances, a heavy gauge (lower AWG number) Category 2 cable will work wonders.

As others have said, 1.3a/b/c is the standard that the connectors need to adhere to, not the cable itself. However, an interesting fact is that the 1.3 version helped define the differences between the Category 1 and 2 cables.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by louhamilton

I think what Big Daddy means is that you want an HDMI cable that is "Category 2" or "High Speed."

I meant to say Category 2 certified, but it was a late Friday night and my mind was not in the right place. Thank you for catching the error.

[Iain]

the video ---->bitstream solved it. funny that techs at sony and hk didn't think this would work.

[SeanMF]

Originally Posted by Iain

Hello, I just upgraded to the new PS3 (sold the old one on ebay!) to get the capability to bitstream DTS-MA and TrueHD. The problem is that I am not able to get this system to work with my Harman/Kardon AVR 254 receiver. I spoke to people at both HK and Sony and neither could help me. I am connecting through HDMI (obviously) and can't figure out what to uncheck and check in the audio set up. Can anyone with more expertise on the subject help me? I have tried every configuration possible but with no luck.

Thanks in advance,

Iain

Have you upgraded your firmware on that receiver? I had all sorts of audio sync issues with that receiver and ps3 even after updating receiver's firmware and lip sync. I can't imagine the bitstreaming being any better. I ended up selling that receiver. It was sent in for repairs also less than 2 years. Make sure your firmware is up to date otherwise it most likely isn't something that will be fixed till hk puts out a firmware to fix it.

[SeanMF]

Originally Posted by Iain

the video ---->bitstream solved it. funny that techs at sony and hk didn't think this would work.

Glad you figured it out.

[Iain]

I am now (with the help of people on this site) bitstreaming dts-hd ma and dolby true hd. however, when i pause the movie i am watching the sound drops out on dts-ma until i cycle through the audio tracks back to the original track. as you can imagine, it is annoying - however not as annoying as the h/k service guy telling me the only solution is to 'not pause the movie if i can help it'. Does anyone have any theories on this?

[SlmShdy1]

Now that is a weird issue. It shouldn't be cycling back for any reason. You have to go back into the audio options and select the HD track every time you resume the movie?

[Iain]

I have to cycle through the audio on the bd remote every time I pause the movie! it is bizarre

[Semp1]

It might be because the ps3 slim is the only blu-ray player on the market that let's you hear secondary audio while bit streaming by switchIng to LPCM on the fly. It might fall under the category of LPCM by switching so you can hear menu clicks. This would be a very valid possibility.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by Iain

I have to cycle through the audio on the bd remote every time I pause the movie! it is bizarre

if this is not an issue thats related to the hdmi handshake between your HK and the PS3, i would think perhaps its just a bug and maybe Sony will fix in an update? ...but I dunno.

[STARSCREAM]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

if this is not an issue thats related to the hdmi handshake between your HK and the PS3, i would think perhaps its just a bug and maybe Sony will fix in an update? ...but I dunno.

Yeah, this could be PS3 related and get fixed in firmware. Im sure they will be releasing some firmwares on the slim soon after they find all the kinks. I have had a few kinks as well using bitstream with the slim and I'm using a Pioneer vsx-01txh receiver. Sometimes when set to bitstream when I first start playing a movie whether at the start of it or I go select a certain scene there is no audio and just a humming sound coming from speakers. If I pause and then unpause the movie it is corrected and I have audio. It doesn't do it all the time though and the same movies that did it to me the other night didn't do it at all last night.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by STARSCREAM

Yeah, this could be PS3 related and get fixed in firmware. Im sure they will be releasing some firmwares on the slim soon after they find all the kinks. I have had a few kinks as well using bitstream with the slim and I'm using a Pioneer vsx-01txh receiver. Sometimes when set to bitstream when I first start playing a movie whether at the start of it or I go select a certain scene there is no audio and just a humming sound coming from speakers. If I pause and then unpause the movie it is corrected and I have audio. It doesn't do it all the time though and the same movies that did it to me the other night didn't do it at all last night.

At first (after the update) there was a screeching sound and then I selected DTS-HD MA on the disc "Paranoid Park" and was happy to find out that everything was as it should be. No more cycling through audio tracks after pausing. Good ole Sony...

[Sylin]

On a similar topic, I have an Onkyo 804 hooked up to my new PS3 Slim via HDMI. When I did the automatic audio setup, the PS3 only checked the Linear PCM selections and Dolby 5.1 and standard DTS. It didn't add all the lossless options, like MA, etc.

Am I OK to manually check those, since the PS3 can stream them?

And should I put my Onkyo on "Pure Audio", Direct, or Multi-channel?

Thanks.

[showanddrift]

i have the same problem and I am using the slim with the pioneer sc 05. During start up of certain movies there is no sound and i have to toggle from pcm and bitstream to get it to bitstream. the pcm mode never has a problem. I haven't tried pausing and unpausing. it must be a glitch that can be fixed in the firmware.