Blu-ray HD audio - which players?

[akirby]

Can you download movie trailers and other videos with a stand alone player? Can a stand alone player interface with an iPod or link to a media server? It's more than just a game platform or BD player.

[johnty]

If you mean output to HDMI. As far as I know - ALL freestanding players and the PS3 do. It's the standard.

To get the highest audio bit rate out of a Blu-ray player the player must support either Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio or both. While they were part of the HD DVD standard, they are optional in BR. So if your player doesn't support either of these formats you will never get the maximum audio bit rate, over HDMI, that the format is capable of.

[stevekaden]

The ps3 can have lots of features. It could do the dishes too...but if it is not astetically acceptable, or for one reason or another not physically acceptable - all the great features in the world won't win the day. Reminds me of the Dodge Viper. Amazing, but about as ugly as I could imagine.

Personally I could be motivated to go either way (assuming no fan noise issue) - as far as my lifestyle though I will be buying many more devices before I give up the ghost. This cycle it was not a PS3. As for others, for all the positives, I have read a number of people who simply hate the way it looks, or less maturely hate Sony.

[stevekaden]

If you mean output to HDMI. As far as I know - ALL freestanding players and the PS3 do. It's the standard.

To get the highest audio bit rate out of a Blu-ray player the player must support either Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio or both. While they were part of the HD DVD standard, they are optional in BR. So if your player doesn't support either of these formats you will never get the maximum audio bit rate, over HDMI, that the format is capable of.

Okay, I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing that out. While I spent a lot of HD Dvd time, I have not bothered with BR yet. There are a lot of subtleties....hell of a way to try and gather up the common customers!

[akirby]

Mine sits in the closet on it's own shelf so I could care less what it looks like as long as it performs.

And while the current PS3 software only supports Dolby TrueHD there is no reason it can't be upgraded to send DTS-MA (bitstream at least). Upgrades are done via the internet and take 15 minutes.

I think most PS3/BD haters really just despise Sony for whatever reason. And while that's perfectly fine for making personal purchase decisions it should not carry over into objective product comparisons.

[stevekaden]

" I think most PS3/BD haters" ???

Hate is a strong word. Yes I know fanboys and their attitudes but I think the bulk of the world keeps hatred to more animate objects (beings). Or I hope so anyway. Objective comparisons do include astetics - and function - and practical all without emotion.

What you are saying here is you put yours in a closet. I will suppose you have a reason for that. Let's now say, someone else has the exact same motivations, and no closet. They might very well give up some neat features, to have a plain box, or they like the blue display, or ??

No hatred, just practical or astetic issues.

BTW, Personally I would be disappointed to not have DTS-MA, I have always felt DTS did a better job. And while I have faith in downloads and upgrades (at least by computers and Toshiba for HD DVD)...if I were a less faithful or technical person, that might have been a deal killer.

[akirby]

There are a lot of people who actually do seem to "hate" Sony, BD and PS3s - I've seen a few on here recently. My comments weren't directed at you personally.

I put all of my equipment in a closet on the left side of my theater because it keeps the area around the TV cleaner and gives me easier access to all of the wiring. It has nothing to do with aesthetics. I understand not being able to stack a ps3 with other HT equipment if shelf space is limited, but from an aesthetic point of view I actually like the styling.

I also prefer DTS over DD although right now I don't have HDMI connections so I can't take advantage of DTS-MA anyway. But I believe the PS3 will be able to keep up with internet firmware upgrades.

[Richard]

DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby True HD are equivalent lossless codecs supporting 24/96 up to the 8 channels specified by Blu-ray or HD DVD. We call those 8 channels 7.1

Beyond that
Dolby True HD can support up to 14 channels at 24/96
DTS-HD Master Audio can support 8 channels of 24/192.

[stevekaden]

Again, thanks for the correction. I guess I will just have to study BR before I put my foot in my mouth again. I have read some on the audio formats, but did not realize that DTS was not 'fully' implemented in the sense of the higher bit rate in BR.

Now that I have a BR, and will have a new receiver in a few days, (and then some absorber panels)...I will finally be able to give it all some listening tests.

And pledge to shut up until I get the facts down!

Thanks all - for the patience.

[Richard]

Either one at 24/96 will equal the studio, bit for bit.

I don't know for a fact that Blu-ray supports 24/192 but from what I understand it is part and parcel of claiming DTS-HD Master Audio capability. As always the first part of the puzzle is even finding a disc with multi-channel 24/192 on it... not sure they even use 24/192 in the studio... yet anyway...

Bear in mind DVD Audio supported only 24/96 in multi-channel mode. SACD was the only one that could claim 24/192 potential and quality with multi-channel.