optical audio

[SeVeN]

does anyone here use it on their PS3? how much of a difference does it make?

 

[e²Studios]

does anyone here use it on their PS3? how much of a difference does it make?

It makes no difference when listening to a Dolby Digital or DTS signal. However in BD movies if you want Dolby TrueHD you have to use the HDMI cable and your Receiver has to support HDMI for more than "pass through" and support TrueHD.

Quality wise you won't hear a bit of difference with DD or DTS signals.

Ed

 

[MRU]

I listen to it and there is a difference between DTS and DD. I have outputted DD Uncompressed Audio through optical and it showed up on my receiver as different rate. Is that not True HD audio then ??

 

[MarsUltor]

It is tough to give you a good answer without knowing your sound system... obviously certain systems will sound cleaner out of box than others, regardless of input... that being said, optical is fully digital, and provides slightly cleaner sound... it is kind of like comparing CDs (digital) to cassettes (analog), although the discrepancy is not as huge... for example the S/N ratio is quite higher in optical than in component (or any analog for that matter), this is in part due to the fact that optical signals are not going to be affected by electromagnetism in the vicinity, while any charge carrying wires (component) will be affected by magnetic fields. There are numerous other reasons for optical being superior, but the difference can be tough to hear, especially out of poorer sound systems

 

[e²Studios]

I listen to it and there is a difference between DTS and DD. I have outputted DD Uncompressed Audio through optical and it showed up on my receiver as different rate. Is that not True HD audio then ??

DTS and DD are different codecs, they will sound different. Its a preference to which you like more as they both have spectacular 5.1 sound. DTS ES and DD EX are the 7.1 varients of the two.

DD uncompressed is still DD. You have to be on HDMI to fully support uncompressed audio. TosLink/Digital Coax cannot support the full bandwidth needed for uncompressed DD/DTS/PCM or TrueHD. TrueHD is a totally new codec it is not DD nor any varient of it. http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/trueHD.html

Right now only the top end AV recievers are able to decode TrueHD, I expect that to change soon but its a waiting game. I am tempted to buy a Onkyo TX-SR805 http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR805&p=i&class=Receiver this has TrueHD support

Ed

 

[MRU]

^ Cheers ED