HDTV Forum

With the new A-V receivers by Onkyo coming out that have HDMI-v.1.3, I am wodering (concerned). The literature that I have read, referred to the widest video bandwidth and transmission of TRUE LOSSLESS AUDIO Formats coming from HDMI-v1.3a jacks. Source material being the third generation Toshiba HD-DVD players.
Is this simply two different names for the same technology?
-OR- Does HDMI-v.1.3a have more to offer? Please respond concerning HD-DVD players; A-V Receivers; and HDMI TV displays.
Now that I've waited to upgrade my system, I want the very best technology "Out There"!


Thanks for your wisdom,
-fpnovak

HDMI v1.3 includes many new optional features relative to the v1.1 & v1.2 versions of the standard (see http://www.quantumdata.com/products/HDMI_Support.asp for details).

HDMI v1.3a was mainly a clarification of v1.3 - so no significant changes there.

All of the new features are optional - so you'll need to review the detailed specifications. Saying "we support v1.3" isn't saying much - you have to ask if any of the new features are actually supported.

Mark

Regarding your especific question about differences between the 3 versions (you did not ask for the differences between 1.3 and the predecessors 1.0/1/2). There are no differences other than:

The HDMI Compliance Test Specification 1.3a added the following to the 1.3:

In December 2006, Leslie Chard, HDMI Licensing president, announced:

My (future) receiver will be HDMI 1.3 with Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD MA (Sony STRDA-5300EX)
My Blu-ray player is HDMI 1.x? with DD, DD-EX, DTS, DTS-ES (Sony BDP-S300)
My HD TV is about 2.5 years old, is 1080i and I assume is not HDMI 1.3 (Pioneer plasma PDP5050HD)

1) Will I get DD True-HD and DTS-HD MA sound since my player is not HDMI 1.3 and does not have True-HD and DTS-HD MA decoding? Hence, do I have to buy a new Blu-ray player?

2) Would I have any problems with my TV since it is not HDMI 1.3? Or is it that I will not be taking advantage of Deep Color, etc., that comes with HDMI 1.3?

3) Do I have to buy new HDMI 1.3 cables?

Thanks in advance.

1) You need a new player. The new audio formats require faster v1.3 silicon (with DSD and quad I2S ports).
2) No, so long as you don't expect to get deep-color, wide ganut, auto lipsync etc. The STR-DA5300EX will strip and play the HD audio and feed your display what it wants.
3) No, because your not changing your display - just the audio side, which stops at the STR-DA5300EX.

I'm jealous - I wish I had waited. The STR-DA5300EX is very cool. Unfortunately, I already spent my wad and now can't affort HD Audio or advanced v1.3 video. I currently have two STR-DA5200ES's. Both are attached to Sony VPL-VW50 projectors (each) through 50-feet of HDMI cable. I run everything at 1080p60. I've been extremely happy with the perfomance. I feed the one system from my old DirecTV Hughs HD10-250 @ 1080i29, which the STR-DA5200ES upscales to flickerless 1080p60. My other system takes feeds from a Mac Mini, AppleTV, Sony BDP-S1, and an old Sony CX777ES jukebox. Everything is connected by HDMI, except for the Mac Mini and the CX777ES. The Mac Mini is connected via DVI and TOSLink SPDIF (on Video 1). The CX777ES via analog component and SPDIF. I'm using two Harmony 1000's for control - one for each STR-DA5200ES.

mstockfisch, thanks for your reply. You shouldn't feel jealous, you have a cool setup. And don't feel bad, I also made a mistake of buying the STRDA-3100ES (my current receiver) too soon (about 1.5 years ago) and should've waited for one with the latest audio formats. Same with the Blu-ray player BDP-S300.

Also, I cannot believe Sony's newest top of the line ES Blu-ray player (BDP-S2000ES) does not have DTS-HD MA!! You would think for $1700 all new audio formats should be included!

That beings up another question...

DTS (non-HD versions) audio sounds a lot better than Dolby Digital (non-HD versions) audio, is that to be also expected in the HD formats? In other words, would DTS-HD MA sounds a lot better than Dolby Digital-True HD?

Thanks again.

PS - if anyone interested in getting the STRDA-3100ES and BDP-S300 off my hands, I am listening! STRDA-3100ES is pretty heavy - almost 50lbs. I was reading some threads and people were saying Sony is cutting back on the power supply quality of the new ES generation receivers because they are not as heavy as the previous versions, not sure if this is true, at least I hope not.

Mr. Didihala (your actual name is?),

The response to 1 is not covering 100% the posibilities of listening to hi-bit lossless audio. If your player has the decoder of the lossless audio you are interest in listening, there is no need to have HDMI 1.3 to enjoy it. Please read the articles on this magazine covering the subject.

1.3 facilitates the transport of the "streaming" of such audio for external decoding, but actually any version of HDMI is capable to transport the decoded discrete PCM multichannel signal to a receiver suited with PCM capable HDMI inputs, for the processing and the amplification of each channel, "provided" the player does the decoding of the lossless streaming from the disc.

1.3 permits an external receiver to do the decoding, but the receiver has to have the decoder, the player has to be suited with the stream pass thru feature, and bot be HDMI 1.3 compliant.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra