Questions on receiver encoding

[Saga]

Currently running a Pioneer VSX-820-K 5.1 using HDMI out from a PS3 into the receiver, HDMI out of the receiver into a projectors HDMI input. The manual states various configurations about the surround settings, as follows:

(http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/Manuals/Home/VSX-820_OperatingInstructions0302.pdf) - specifically pages 33 and 36

Direct mode:
-Direct: Configured according to setup settings (distance, level)
-Pure Direct: No digital processing.
-Auto Surround: Automatically selects a digital format and displays on the front display.

Stereo/ALC:
-Stereo
-ALC
-F.S.S.Advance

Standard Surround:
-Dolby PLIIx Game/Movie/Music
-NEO:6 Cinema/Game
-Dolby Pro Logic

Anyway, my problem is I'm having an issue with the audio from the PS3. I ran the configuration and ensured everything was properly set to HDMI for video and audio, and then started up the Avatar BluRay last night. Defaults to 5.1 Dolby.

The manual states "If the source is Dolby Digital, DTS, or Dolby Surround encoded, the proper decoding format will automatically be selected and shows in the display". I essentially toggled ALL available settings from direct through standard surround and not once did the DD/DTS/DS lights tell me it was receiving the proper signal. Hitting Stereo simply displayed "PCM" and gave me no options. Auto Surround gave me the best audio experience, though still did not display that it was receiving a digital signal through HDMI from the PS3.

So.. where do I begin to diagnose what I'm doing wrong here?

 

[Saga]

Huh.. after reading page 41, might it be the input signal selection? Still at work so can't go play with this but I never selected anything for this and might need to switch it to HDMI.. or is that null and void if HDMI is already passing audio through to the 5.1 setup?

 

[jtvang125]

I dont own a PS3 but have you tried looking at the settings of it? If your source is sending the correct signal the AVR should decode it automatically if it's set to that source.

 

[vi edit]

Is the PS3 set for bitstreaming or LPCM?

 

[Saga]

Is the PS3 set for bitstreaming or LPCM?

Probably my first mistake and hopefully my first stupid question, but this is determined how?

 

[vi edit]

Probably my first mistake and hopefully my first stupid question, but this is determined how?

It'll be in the audio setup screen on the PS3. It will say something like "output type" and have the choice of Linear PCM or Bitstream.

With my receiver (H/K-247) it would only display the Dolby/DTS formats if in bitstream mode. But then I wouldn't get any of the HD formats since my receiver couldn't handle them. If I was on LCPM then the PS3 did all of the decoding and sent it to the receiver which read on the display as "LPCM".

 

[Saga]

If set to LPCM, according to the manual for the receiver I should be using pure direct, then, correct? Or is it ideal to use Bitstream and let the receiver handle the digital processing?

 

[vi edit]

If you are doing LPCM on the PS3 side and in "Pure" mode on the receiver the PS3 will be doing all of the decoding and you will(likely) not see any DTS/DD/ect options on on the front of your receiver. It'll just say something like PCM 44kbs or something like that.

If you set the PS3 to bitstream your receiver will be doing all of the work and should now give you the options of the various codecs assuming the BR disk has them on it.

 

[vi edit]

As for "what is better" it really just depends on the equipment you have. My receiver couldn't do HD processing on it's own so I let the PS3 do the decoding and sent it over PCM. I never really messed around with bitstreaming. Just knew that in limited tinkering that was my experience.

 

[s44]

I believe only the Slim bitstreams HD codecs -- the fat PS3 decodes to PCM.

 

[Saga]

I believe only the Slim bitstreams HD codecs -- the fat PS3 decodes to PCM.

This is a slim.

 

[alcoholbob]

You are probably better off just using Linear PCM. Some older blu ray movies only have LPCM for lossless.

 

[Saga]

Alright, cool. Leaving it set on PCM and letting it auto-enable all compatible formats on the PS3, and setting the receiver specifically to HDMI appears to have solved the issue - I now get the PLII and DTS lights on the display.

Thanks a ton for the help and general all-around crash course.

 

[Anubis]

glad you got it working, and yea they do seem to go out of their way to confuse people with this stuff