DTS HD MA options?

[NutsAboutPS3]

I'm currently watching Blu-rays on a PS3 connected via optical to a Denon 3802 receiver, i.e. lossy audio only.

I've ordered a Denon 3808 through a local retailer, and should have it by the weekend, so I'll then be able to listen to PCM audio and also TrueHD decoded by the PS3 and output as PCM.

But of course now I'm starting to think about DTS HD MA as well. We don't have the Panasonic BD-30 for sale here in the UK yet, but it seems it will be available shortly at £299. This would let me bitstream DTS HD MA, and would also let me bitstream TrueHD rather than have it decoded in the PS3.

Are there any other realistic options for DTS HD MA at the moment?

I've heard that the BD-30 is slower than the PS3 - does anyone here own both who can say just how much slower it is, e.g. disc X takes Y seconds to load on the PS3 and Z seconds on the BD-30?

[JimPullan]

I don't own a PS3, but I do own the Panasonic DMP-BD30, which is a fantastic player. It will 'bitstream' all high bit audio codec's via an HDMI 1.3 interconnect over to a device (Receiver or Pre-Amp/Processor) that has the decoders in it. If you need the Player to do all the decoding 'before' outputting it over HDMI, wait a little while for the Panasonic DMP-BD50 or the Sony BDP-S550, both coming out this summer. [Jim]

Originally Posted by NutsAboutPS3

I'm currently watching Blu-rays on a PS3 connected via optical to a Denon 3802 receiver, i.e. lossy audio only.

I've ordered a Denon 3808 through a local retailer, and should have it by the weekend, so I'll then be able to listen to PCM audio and also TrueHD decoded by the PS3 and output as PCM.

But of course now I'm starting to think about DTS HD MA as well. We don't have the Panasonic BD-30 for sale here in the UK yet, but it seems it will be available shortly at £299. This would let me bitstream DTS HD MA, and would also let me bitstream TrueHD rather than have it decoded in the PS3.

Are there any other realistic options for DTS HD MA at the moment?

I've heard that the BD-30 is slower than the PS3 - does anyone here own both who can say just how much slower it is, e.g. disc X takes Y seconds to load on the PS3 and Z seconds on the BD-30?

[doctorsteve]

you can't bitstream the full true HD (especially over optical), you may get the core though, I don't know. set the ps3 to pcm over hdmi (and get an hdmi cable if possible)

Let the ps3 decode the true hd

[MacDaddyOJack]

Originally Posted by doctorsteve

you can't bitstream the full true HD (especially over optical), you may get the core though, I don't know. set the ps3 to pcm over hdmi (and get an hdmi cable if possible)

Let the ps3 decode the true hd

TrueHD does not have the capability to bitstream certian 'parts'. You either get it or you don't. DTS-MA can have 'parts'. It is built around the lossy DTS core so if you can't bitstream the full DTS-MA signal, you can still get the regular lossy core. With an optical cable and PCM settings, you will only get LPCM 2.1 due to bandwidth constraints. You will get it all with HDMI.

If your current reciever has an HDMI input, then I would not get a new one. I would simply wait until the summer for either the Panasonic BD-50 or the new Sony S550.

[NutsAboutPS3]

Originally Posted by MacDaddyOJack

If your current reciever has an HDMI input, then I would not get a new one. I would simply wait until the summer for either the Panasonic BD-50 or the new Sony S550.

Sorry, I should have explained what the 3802 and 3808 can do. My current receiver, the 3802, doesn't have HDMI, it's optical/coaxial digital or analogue only. So currently my PS3 can only supply lossy audio to it.

The 3808 that I'm getting can take everything over HDMI and can decode TrueHD and DTS HD MA, so with the PS3 it will handle PCM and TrueHD (decoded in the PS3).

I'm pretty set on eventually being able to bitstream all the codecs to the receiver, so the BD-30 is appealing as it would give me bitstreaming of TrueHD and DTS HD MA. The only downside to the BD-30 is that it isn't profile 2.0, and slowness compared to the PS3.

I just wondered if there are any other current options that I've missed. The BD-30 seems to be the only reasonably priced player that can bitstream TrueHD and DTS HD MA. There won't be much to gain from waiting for the BD-50 as I don't need internal decoding of the audio.

[MacDaddyOJack]

Sounds like you pretty much understand it all then. I don't think you have anymore options. I had to have DTS-MA myself, its well worth it if you are an audio guru like me I prefer to have the reciever decode the audio anyways, so you should be set with the BD-30. Don't forget the Samsung BD-P1400. It also bitstreams the audio codecs and is pretty cheap. I have had zero problems with it but I have heard of others having problems with it. I have also heard of LFE problems with the BD-30 so I don't know which one would be better.

[Soulstice X]

I own the PS3 and the BD30. Both are fantastic with loading times. Though I use the BD30 primarily for my movies and the PS3 for games on the same home theater rigg. HBR (DTS-HD MA and DD TrueHD) audio are exceptional when bitstreamed to a competent player. While many here would say it should sound the same as having the PS3 decode it internally, I wouldn't trust the player to do it because for example the Panny BD10 decodes TrueHD but attenuates the LFE by -5db so it's not accurate. Bitstream it through the BD30 and it is accurate.

Just my $.02.