http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/ Engadget Comments for PS3 Slim bitsreams Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio, at last http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 1:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 7:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 9:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 10:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Just for this, I'll upgrade...no matter how stupid some people think it is.

The next upgrade will of course be with HDMI 1.4]]>Aug 21st 2009 4:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Electronics Lesson Learned: don't wait more than a few months to buy what's available now.]]>Aug 21st 2009 2:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 3:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 6:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 8:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Geez, some people are so ignorant.]]>Aug 21st 2009 3:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 8:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 5:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 6:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 7:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
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The old ps3 decodes the audio signal itself, then sends the decoded signal to your receiver who just forwards it on to your speakers. The sound coming out of your speakers is based of how the ps3 decoded the signal. However, the new PS3 Slim passes on the encoded signal to the receiver, the receiver does the decoding and then sends it to you speaker. This is particularly good if you've bought an expensive receiver as the expensive receiver probably doesn't a better job decoding than the 'built-in' software solution or hardware solution on the old ps3 as the cost difference is huge. The old PS3s software or hardware solution out of the $399.99 price tag is probably $50.00 or less. However, by comparison, a decent receiver that supports the TrueHD and other lossless codecs probably costs around $400+ dollars going all the way up to $40-50k. Personally, I'd prefer my receiver decode truehd as I feel it would do a better job. ]]>Aug 21st 2009 2:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
A DTS-HD MA or Dolby True HD stream is like a .zip file. When you unzip a file on your laptop, does it produce different data than when you unzip it on a 8 core desktop? Nope, both produce the single correct output file that the input .zip file represents.

Then your amp can post-process the audio if you'd like. But again, this makes no difference, your amp can post-process the audio whether it was input as PCM, DTS HD-MS or Dolby True HD.]]>Aug 21st 2009 2:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
I'm going to quote Engadget from this article:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/07/08/engadget-goes-behind-the-dolby-logo/

"Dolby TrueHD
Since our visit was prompted by our post about using Dolby TrueHD with a PS3, we'll start with the lossless format. Specifically, we received several field reports about sonic differences between decoding the TrueHD track in the player (sending LPCM to the receiver) versus bitstreaming the TrueHD to the receiver for decoding. Well, you can take off your tinfoil hats -- Dolby TrueHD is not only encoded as lossless, but it also has a built in CRC (cyclic redundancy check) that ensures that the decoding process is lossless as well. Additionally, Dolby does do testing of components to ensure, for example, that the amplifiers are accurate.

That said, the amount of signal processing in modern AVRs can introduce some wrinkles that, quite frankly, are beyond Dolby's control. For example, on a PS3 it is important to disable Dynamic Range Control to ensure that the decoded TrueHD bits aren't being subjected to additional gain stages before being passed into your receiver. Also common are signal processing steps in the receiver that depend on the source data -- for example, some receivers apply room EQ to LPCM, but not Dolby TrueHD. At the end of the day, it's up to you to make sure that the signal processing chain you set loose on your Dolby TrueHD signal is under control before making comparisons."

So as you can see, there is no guarantee that the PS3 does proper decoding or that it doesn't do any post processing to the LPCM prior to it hitting the Receiver. However, if you have a Dolby authorized Receiver like a nice Denon or Onkyo you know you are getting prefect decoding via the built in CRC checks.

Another requirement of Dolby TrueHD is that it can do proper down-mixing of 7.1 to anything lower down to 2.0. Most people have a 5.1 setup and if the Receiver does the decoding, you can be sure it does proper down-mixing so you don't miss any sound and it is places in the proper speaker. If you let the PS3 do the decoding, you might completely miss what was in the extra 2 channels or it may not come out the correct speaker mix.

These are just things to think about. I'm glad to see the added Bit-stream support.]]>Aug 21st 2009 12:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
There is no guarantee your audio hasn't been messed with before reaching your ears no matter whether the PS3 decodes it or your amp. So if you want your audio clean, make sure you adjust your audio settings properly, regardless. Because if you don't bitstreaming won't save you.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 1:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Furthermore, using this feature cripples the PS3's ability to mix audio internally (needed for some voice-over and video-over commentaries) and the ability to do playback audio at different rates other than 1X (i.e the 1.5X feature).

It's hard to believe Sony thought making Linux work on the new hardware (which is the problem according to my friend at Sony) was a waste of time and money but this feature wasn't.]]>Aug 21st 2009 2:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
That's what my friend at Sony told me. I presume he was telling the truth.]]>Aug 21st 2009 2:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Also, there is the matter of absolutely know that you're getting the proper stream. The simplicity of knowing instantly your'e getting high quality audio is comforting. You don't have to check some display on the PS3 to make sure you're not using an alternate track, you just see the light on the receiver and you've got it. Not as important, but it's damn convenient.

So, since it's not a digital to analog conversion being done, it really doesn't matter who does it right? PS3 or receiver? Well I'll trust the $1000 receiver to do it absolutely right, but I don't doubt the PS3 doesn't do it right also. ]]>Aug 21st 2009 4:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 4:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 6:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Bitstream is the new buzzword nobody needs but everybody wants. It's technically plain useless, but for many it is a big selling factor nonetheless. You could sell a cake with a 50% higher price if you wrote bitstream on it. Look, even Engadget falls for that marketing BS. So yes, for Sony this “feature” was definitely worth the time and money.]]>Aug 21st 2009 7:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/There's only one correct decoding. Not two. Not three. One. So as long as the PS3 is doing the decoding correctly, you will get the same results no matter where the decoding is.

Oh, you say there's no guarantee the PS3 is doing it correctly? There's no guarantee your amp is doing it correctly either then. But in reality, both are tested with sample streams and such and are both doing it correctly.

As to the writing the driver, there's more to it than just installing the chip. You have to write a new driver for the new chip. Then you need to rework your code to send raw data to the HDMI chip instead of decoding it first. Then you need to write code to handle the changes (inability to do) clipmixing when streaming is on. Then you need to have some new code to allow bitstreaming to be turned on and off. I do agree it may not have been a huge imposition. But I can't imagine recompiling their drivers for Linux isn't one either. So my argument stands, I can't see why doing this feature was important enough to bother with but Linux wasn't. Both seem like they wouldn't have enough users to bother with either of them.]]>Aug 21st 2009 11:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/
Are you crazy? The absolutely only difference is a little "TrueHD" or "DTS:MA" light on your receiver and possibly audio processing limitations. In my case, I can't perform Dolby ProLogicIIx to upsample LPCM to 7.1. Not a huge deal, just a small annoyance, and DEFINITELY not worth a few hundred dollars upgrade for me. The quality is identical.]]>Aug 21st 2009 2:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 8:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 2:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/21/ps3-slim-bitsreams-dolby-truehd-and-dts-hd-ma-audio-at-last/Aug 21st 2009 7:43AM