PS3 audio "scaling" and related things

[novcze]

Hi, I have some questions about how audio settings works on PS3.
1. If game audio or blu-ray audio track is in 7.1 (dtsHD,PCM 7.1, etc.) that can be outputed only via HDMI and in audio settings (in XMB) is selected Digital Out (Optical), is audio automatically "scaled" to DD/dts 5.1 (which is most common today)?
2. On AV multi out is always 2.0 downmix regardless on audio settings (in XMB)?
3. If is in XMB selected HDMI as audio output, are others (AV/optical) somehow active?

Are there any separate AV processors (without power amplifiers) that can handle HD audio formats and convert it into 5.1 ?

p.s. i hope that text make any sense, because english is not my 1st language (not even second ;-)

 

[phat]

1. Standard optical audio does not have the bandwidth to handle 5.1 or 7.1 uncompressed PCM (assuming 48kHz, 16-bit), and the PS3 does not do "on-the-fly" encoding to DTS or Dolby Digital compressed. You will simply have to choose DTS or Dolby Digital compressed soundtracks if you are using optical. If you choose a 5.1 or 7.1 uncompressed soundtrack, you'll just get stereo 2.0 uncompressed out of optical.
2. AV multi-out is always stereo analog, obviously, but I think you're asking if it's active if audio output is set to HDMI or optical, and I don't know the answer to that.
3. If audio output is set to HDMI, then optical is disabled.

Phat

 

[novcze]

ok, thanks for sharing (personal?) experience with that . . . then DD/dts 5.1 must be supported by games or BD movies.
I don`t see 7.1 as something must have.

 

[KongRudi]

So if I'd like to use the HDMI for sound output when I get my PS3.
I canno't use HDMI for TV output?
Or is it possible that the TV have a HDMI output aswell, wich can send the sound-signal onwards to the receiver?.

 

[kyleb]

It is possible, but pretty much any reciver that has HDMI inputs has a HDMI output to pass on the video as well.

 

[habbe]

So if I'd like to use the HDMI for sound output when I get my PS3.
I canno't use HDMI for TV output?
Or is it possible that the TV have a HDMI output aswell, wich can send the sound-signal onwards to the receiver?.

I think it would be Ps3<-hmdi->reciever<-hdmi->Tv set..

 

[novcze]

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=63973

"We connected the PS3 to a home cinema system via the Optical output, and found no problems with the quality of the audio output from Blu-ray Disc or DVD movies. One usability annoyance we found with the PS3 is that it can't simultaneously output sound via the HDMI connection and the Optical audio output. This means that if you have a home cinema system and connect the sound via Optical, but occasionally use your TV speakers for more casual viewing (or if you're in a Power-Saving mood), then you'll need to take a trip back into the Audio Output menu and manually flip between the two methods."

 

[Todd33]

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=63973

Wow, now that's nit picking. If you have a HDMI reciever and then you want to ues the TV speakers please stop eating lead paint.

 

[Diamond.G]

Wow, now that's nit picking. If you have a HDMI reciever and then you want to ues the TV speakers please stop eating lead paint.

Not really nitpicking, what if you have a tv that does HDMI, but your receiver does not? The system should output sound over all available sound outputs detected. I dont want to have to buy another receiver (which doesn't support hdmi 1.3) yet. And by all accounts I shouldn't have to.

 

[Rolf N]

Not really nitpicking, what if you have a tv that does HDMI, but your receiver does not?

You activate the output you want to use in the menu.

The system should output sound over all available sound outputs detected. I dont want to have to buy another receiver (which doesn't support hdmi 1.3) yet. And by all accounts I shouldn't have to.

And you don't have to.

 

[Diamond.G]

You activate the output you want to use in the menu.And you don't have to.

Wait so you are saying that I can have my HDMI cable plugged in and still get audio from my optical cables (did 1.5 fix that)? Cause it used to not work that way. Or at least that is what I could tell with my dad's PS3...

 

[Gradthrawn]

Wait so you are saying that I can have my HDMI cable plugged in and still get audio from my optical cables (did 1.5 fix that)? Cause it used to not work that way. Or at least that is what I could tell with my dad's PS3...

You can have video being output through HDMI and audio through optical, yes. But, I don't think that’s what you're looking for. You want video and audio through HDMI along with audio through optical, correct? If so, no, you currently can't do that. I would be surprised not to see a multiple audio output option in the future.

 

[Diamond.G]

You can have video being output through HDMI and audio through optical, yes. But, I don't think that’s what you're looking for. You want video and audio through HDMI along with audio through optical, correct? If so, no, you currently can't do that. I would be surprised not to see a multiple audio output option in the future.

Okay, Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going nuts. And yes that is what I was talking about. My dad doesn't use the surround sound stuff all that often, I do when I play though, and it would be nice to not have to muck around in the system settings.

 

[Rolf N]

Exactly, multiple active outputs at the same time won''t work with the current firmware.
Still, nobody forces you to buy another receiver as you said. I can see how you find having to switch stuff around an inconvenience, and I'm not at all opposed to getting that improved somehow. But then you don't even have to get up from the couch to switch.
Do you have to switch that often?

 

[Diamond.G]

Exactly, multiple active outputs at the same time won''t work with the current firmware.
Still, nobody forces you to buy another receiver as you said. I can see how you find having to switch stuff around an inconvenience, and I'm not at all opposed to getting that improved somehow. But then you don't even have to get up from the couch to switch.
Do you have to switch that often?

Me, not really. Since I only go to my parents place on the weekends, I can deal with it. Note my dad also only has the bose 3-2-1 surround sound setup. Asking him to drop another grand is kinda out of the question.