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  1. Here's the setup, I have in mind:

    Connect the blueray to the TV with a HDMI 1.4b cable, then output the audio from the TV's optical out to my current Yamaha receiver. Will this work or is there a problem?
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  2. I'm a Super Moderator johns0's Avatar
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    It will work but a better option is optical/co-axial from the blu-ray player straight to the receiver,better sound quality since it wont be going through a tv amplifier first.
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  3. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Yes for audio its just fine.

    But it won't be in hd audio only regular audio.

    For dts master audio and dolby true hd audio you have to have a hdmi audio receiver connected via hdmi cables. The fiber optic cables can't handle hd audio. And also the receiver naturally has to have the hd audio decoders in it to playback in hd audio. (but it can transmit the "core" over the fiber optic - I can play any bluray in my ps3 and playback in 5.1 on my 10 year old sony 5.1 receiver that does not have hdmi but is dolby digital and dts).

    Of course you know for 3d video you need a 3d tv. But for regular standard definition surround sound audio fiber optic is just fine.

    ---------------------------

    But you really should use the shortest path possible and go from your bluray player to your receiver directly and bypass the tv. Just to make sure there is no possible lag (I know its digital but there is still some processing time to route through the tv I think).

    If you want to have more than one fiber optic input on your receiver but you only have one you can get a fiber optic switcher at a reasonable price on ebay or amazon. I have a three unit switcher I bought a few years ago. I have my xbox 360, ps3 and hd dvr hooked up to it. I just select the fiber optic input on my receiver and switch the switcher to what I want. Works just fine. Oh and its unpowered by the way no need for an extra plug (at least I"m pretty sure its unpowered - haven't checked in a long time).
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  4. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    You don't mention 3d BDPlayer model, but this can make a BIG difference.

    For 3d to work at the TV from a BD source (at least to retain the FullHD3D experience), you need to maintain a HDMI 1.4 chain throughout.
    Some bd players (panasonic is one) have 2 separate hdmi outs so that this particular difficulty won't be a problem, no matter what receiver you already own.

    Players that only have 1 hdmi out force you to make a decision if you don't happen to own a new, 1.4version receiver. You either get a new receiver, you rewire the chain to go to the tv first, you buy an extra hdmi 1.4 splitter/da, you make do with lesser quality 3d (using sbs or t/b), or forgoe 3d.

    Scott

    Edit: or use a different audio output along with its corresponding limitations...
    Last edited by Cornucopia; 20th Mar 2012 at 00:03.
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  5. Member edDV's Avatar
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    One additional warning. Most HDTV sets down mix the 5.1/7.1 digital audio input to 2.1 for export over optical/coax.
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  6. Thank you all for the replies. I was just worried about some HDCP or Cinavia issue. I didn't take into account HD audio; I thought if the TV (a 3D Samsung 59D550) and blueray optical port is set to raw, the receiver would do the DTS/DD decoding. Only, the receiver does not support HD audio, so if I want that "FullHD3D experience" I should upgrade. I guess I should listen to it in the store and see if the difference is worth it.
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  7. Member edDV's Avatar
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    You won't get quality audio out of a Samsung TV. The 5.1 will be down mixed to 2.1.
    Last edited by edDV; 20th Mar 2012 at 20:19.
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  8. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by nic2k4
    the receiver would do the DTS/DD decoding.
    It will for standard def audio as mentioned previously. (edit read eddvs remarks about downmixing if you port through the tv - if you go straight from the player to the receiver it should do 5.1 just fine)

    You might consider upgrading your speakers over a new receiver. But no harm in checking out the hardware.

    I personally haven't heard hd audio in action so I only have normal dd/dts to go by which has been more than satisfactory for me. Plus I just can't in good conscience buy a new amp when mine is working perfectly and sounds as good as when it was brand new.

    If it didn't work with bluray at all then I'd have had to upgrade. But standard def audio is just fine for me at least.
    Last edited by yoda313; 20th Mar 2012 at 20:31.
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  9. My new LG 3D TV will do passthrough of DD 5.1 to receiver, whereas DTS will be downconverted to 2 ch PCM over the optical out from TV.

    I'm with Yoda, my receiver works just fine, even though it's too old to have HDMI. So I have to use optical audio out from TV to receiver, and any MKVs I make to play from external hard drive have DD 5.1. My Blu-Ray player is set to output the same. Which is perfectly satisfactory to me.

    [EDIT] I might as well add that upgrading your speakers, etc, is fine if that's what you want to do. But don't expect to hear the difference between HD audio (TrueHD or DTS-MA) versus AC3 5.1 at 640 kbs. I sure can't, and supposedly AC3 at that bitrate is "transparent", although not "lossless".
    Last edited by fritzi93; 20th Mar 2012 at 22:49.
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  10. Member edDV's Avatar
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    You would need very good speakers, receiver plus great ears to hear difference with TrueHD or DTS-MA. I can't tell with Polk mid range Rsi6 speakers fed by Onkyo NR609 receiver using typical Blu-ray discs (not reference music). DD5.1/DTS sounds fine. I haven't tried my higher end Polk Lsi7 speakers that are currently fed by an older optical (non HDMI) Denon receiver.

    Best to test your ears in a high end Home Theater store where they can switch to all the mid to upper range speakers from TrueHD or DTS-MA source. Have them do an A B comparison with DD5.1 and DTS5.1.
    Last edited by edDV; 21st Mar 2012 at 10:31.
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  11. I do get DD5.1 surround sound from the optical port, but the downmixing of DTS is troubling. I would guess the same would happen with trueHD. I too, just hate the idea of replacing a perfectly good receiver.
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  12. I'm a Super Moderator johns0's Avatar
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    Dont use the tv as an audio output ever!!Just go straight from the blu-ray player to your receiver and you will get 5.1 dts as long as it can decode dts.Unless you have an uber speaker system then there's no need to upgrade to an hd audio system.
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  13. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by nic2k4 View Post
    I do get DD5.1 surround sound from the optical port, but the downmixing of DTS is troubling. I would guess the same would happen with trueHD. I too, just hate the idea of replacing a perfectly good receiver.
    I have my best speakers on a Denon receiver that only accepts optical and coax digital audio. I'm not changing that either. DD/DTS 5.1 is fine.
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  14. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    And as I mentioned earlier if you only have one optical input and that is why you want to use the tv to output optical just buy an optical switcher. They are very affordable on amazon or ebay and work great. I have one and would definitely recommend it.
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  15. Originally Posted by nic2k4 View Post
    I do get DD5.1 surround sound from the optical port, but the downmixing of DTS is troubling. I would guess the same would happen with trueHD. I too, just hate the idea of replacing a perfectly good receiver.
    Yeah, the downconverting stinks. For me it's not an issue, fortunately. I only play main movie backups (hate trailers, menus and warning screens!) with audio re-encoded to DD 5.1. Or MKVs with DD 5.1 from USB hard drive.

    Tell you what, for lots of scenes you really lose something with just stereo. Watch the Apollo 13 liftoff scene and have it thunder past you from front to back speakers.

    If you're limited to playing the original Blu-Rays, you have a dilemma, with so many discs having only a DTS-MA English track, apart from English commentary tracks.
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  16. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by fritzi93
    Yeah, the downconverting stinks. For me it's not an issue, fortunately. I only play main movie backups (hate trailers, menus and warning screens!) with audio re-encoded to DD 5.1. Or MKVs with DD 5.1 from USB hard drive.
    A little off topic but what kind of setup are you using?

    I have my ps3 with fiber optic out to my fiber optic 3 port switcher to my sony amp. I can get dd or dts 5.1 from my ps3 from dvds or blurays.

    I haven't done it in a long time but I'm pretty sure I can do dts from my wdtv gen 1 as well with the same setup from its fiber optic out directly.

    I think the fiber optic switch is only like 20.00 USD or so depending on the model. That way you can add more than just one fiber optic port. I have my xbox 360, ps3 and dvr hooked up this way with no issues at all.

    Are you using this through the tv so you don't to switch anything on the receiver?

    It is so worth it to get up and flip the switch to the right input and get full dd 5.1 or dts 5.1. Its not really a hassle at all.

    If I am misunderstanding what you are getting at please elaborate. I don't want to steer nic2k4 the wrong way. You can get full dd/dts 5.1 from bluray without a hdmi amp. SO long as your current amp supports your digital input of choice and can already decode dd and dts of course. (I'm pretty sure any rca analog switcher can do the same thing for coax digital but I don't know if the coax digital has a different tolerance or would drop out in a switcher not specifically designed for coax digital - I'm sure you can get a specifically designed coax digital switch unit to add more inputs to the single input you would already have).
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  17. I'm using optical out from TV to receiver, which has only one optical input. Like I said, this is just fine, since I never keep HD audio on my movie-only backups anyway, which leaves more room for the video. Same for MKVs I make to play from external hard drive. Again, the TV will pass through DD 5.1.

    The fly in the ointment is playing 3D movies from the standalone. I have a half-dozen so far and will no doubt buy more. So until it's a reasonable proposition to re-encode/remux 3D Blu-Rays (and I don't mean to SBS or T/B), DTS will be downconverted over my TV's optical out.

    I guess I'm gonna have to get an optical switch like you say. The standalone of course has an optical out, and my receiver can do DTS as well as DD 5.1.

    So thanks a bunch for the suggestion.
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  18. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by fritzi93
    I guess I'm gonna have to get an optical switch like you say. The standalone of course has an optical out, and my receiver can do DTS as well as DD 5.1.

    So thanks a bunch for the suggestion.
    You won't regret it. Should save you some converting time too from dts to dd. Though at least converting audio is nowhere near as long and tedious as video on any computer.

    Check out amazon or ebay. Plenty of models available. I'd read some reviews first before buying. I don't think mine has a brand name however.
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  19. No, I'll still re-encode audio to DD 5.1 for non-3D Blu-Ray backups to BD25. Better video quality that way, in fact movie-only with Dolby AC3 often doesn't require a re-encode of the video. At any rate, my computer can do a *full* re-encode (audio/video) in less than an hour anyway, when necessary.

    I'm figuring on using the switch for playing 3D Blu-Rays. I'm too spoiled to settle for stereo. And regular backups too I suppose, since it bypasses the TV. But I confess I'm playing MKVs direct from hard drive much more now than the standalone.

    Thanks again, I'm gonna have a look at some on Amazon now.

    [EDIT] Okay, ordered one, right about $20 bucks with shipping and comes with extra toslink cables.
    Last edited by fritzi93; 22nd Mar 2012 at 19:25.
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  20. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by fritzi93
    [EDIT] Okay, ordered one, right about $20 bucks with shipping and comes with extra toslink cables.
    Thats a good price. And I was gonna mention you'd need an extra cable to hook it up to the amp. But your covered.
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  21. It arrived yesterday, and works fine. The receiver displays the input on the front panel and recognizes DTS audio A-OK. Had to turn off the TV speakers, as there was a very slight audio delay difference, which made it sound like a reverb effect.

    Really didn't see a helluva lot of difference between the switcher models, all made in China and look the same. So I got one that comes with extra cables. The reviews were a mixed bag, but as we all know, people with a gripe to air are more motivated to write reviews. It *is* really cheaply made, so I suppose there will be an occasional defective unit. OTOH, cheap price and it's dead simple. Not a problem to get up and switch it for me. I only have to change input when playing a 3D Blu-ray.

    Thanks again.
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  22. Member yoda313's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by fritzi93
    cheap price and it's dead simple. Not a problem to get up and switch it for me. I only have to change input when playing a 3D Blu-ray.
    Glad to help.

    Yeah it only needs to be switched when changing playback devices. But chances are you need to change a disc or do something anyway so not a big deal.

    Enjoy
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