Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Dolby Digital Plus and 861v8

The chart above indicates that VUDU on a ROKU can use Dolby Digital which would work for me. So I signed up for VUDU only to learn that there is no DD option, only DD+. Amazon does use DD but their titles are a bit limited.

I wonder if the PS3 will convert DD+ to 5.1PCM????

It would be relatively expensive but, I think you could get an Oppo 103 or 105 and use it to decode the DD+ and then output it as LPCM over HDMI into the HD621. In the process you'd be getting one seriously good BR player.

jerry - the Oppo will also run Vudu and Netflix natively, so you could bypass the Roku entirely. The 103 HDMI inputs will decode DD+ but not the HD codecs, according to the FAQ.

Right - makes sense. I was thinking maybe there are other parts of the Roku the OP wanted to keep as well.

I understand Meridian's reasons but I really do wish they would upgrade the HD621 to decode these codecs.

Hi Jerry

Welcome back, hope you're well and good to see you posting again after what feels like a long absence

It's worth bearing in mind that Dolby and DTS will charge a fairly hefty licence fee for EACH of the Codecs that are being discussed above.

And in Meridian's case, that hefty fee would need to be divided across the limited number of HD621's that they sell (or that would be Upgraded)... perhaps resulting in a fee of say $500 to $750 per device... how many existing Hikers would be happy to pay that do you think?? (rhetorical question..)

Oppo have obviously paid the licence fees, which is why they can decode, but manufacturers like Roku choose to reduce the cost of their devices by abdicating responsibility for decoding to the device downstream from their box.

IMHO, the problem lies with the Player manufacturers not being willing to pay the licence fees and simply passing the buck onto Meridian et al.

My purpose in posting the chart above was not just to show the difference in Streaming Bitrates, but also to show that there are different quality Netflix / Vudu Players out there... e.g. it should now be more obvious that Oppo > Roku, even as just a Netflix player!!

Cheers

Hi Ronnie,
Thank you for the kind words. I am glad to be back. I simply have been really busy and I haven't kept up with several hobbies. Im still busy these days but I just remembered how I do enjoy the HT hobby and I found myself browsing the forum and this discussion is dear to me because my source is a Kaleidescape player which does not offer the decoding of the full HD audio, instead it can decode the core audio to LPCM. In my case, I'm a little bit stuck. I did manage a solution around this but its gone wonky on me as of late. Unfortunately as noted the Oppo and Cambridge audio players with HDMI input cannot decode the high res audio from their HDMI input and send it along the HDMI output.

You are right if we are looking to point a finger, it really does belong with the source component companies. However, I was just expressing my wish that something would happen. I am sure Meridian has considered this and figured the costs don't justify the benefits. But I still wish they would do it.

Hi Jerry
Are you looking to play the original Bluray Disc on your Kaleidescape or the Downloads from the Kaleidescape site??

Also, do you already own an HD621??........not sure from your equipment signature

I have the HD621. I think mine is probably one of the earlier units.

The movies play right out of the K Scape player which is like a blu-ray player except it streams the actual bit for bit blu-ray off a server. The problem comes in the decoding of the audio.

My solution was to have a receiver modified so the receiver took in a HDMI feed (I split it) and did the high res audio -> PCM conversion and then output 3 SPDIF coax into the 861, just like an 800 would do. This worked fine until the receivers HDMI input board seems to have gone on the blink. I've tried using a spare blu-ray player in addition to the K player and the receiver is not registering a signal, even though it is there. Normally the receiver would show a diagram for all the channels it is receiving, but now it's gone blank. I'm going to have a specialist have a look at it. In the mean time I'm just having the K Player decode the core audio to PCM and that goes out over HDMI into my Radiance and then into the HD621.

Hi Jerry
My understanding of how the Kaleidescape plays Bluray Movies is as follows, but as I don't own one, I may well be incorrect on some issues

The User inserts the Bluray disc into the main Kaleidescape 'DIsk Vault'. This Vault then copies the Bluray onto its hard drive, making it available for playing at any Kaleidescape player around the house

If the User removes the Bluray disc, then they cannot play the Movie until the disc is reinserted???.........but the File Copy is not deleted from the Disc Vault

I know what I'm proposing isn't a great solution from the point of view of either cost or convenience, but here goes

You seem to have at least considered the use of an Oppo 103 to Decode the HD Audio coming from the Kaleidescape player and then send that onto your 861v6. Depending on how you get on with 'repairing' your existing solution, you could also consider an Oppo Bluray player to play the original discs thru your HD621 and into your 861. This would allow you to avail of the HD Audio and would be quicker than waiting for Meridian or Kaleidescape to pay Dolby and DTS the necessary Licence Fees (which is likely never).........

It would mean that you'd have to remove the Bluray disc from the Vault whilst you are playing the movie and then reinsert it to allow play on other players in the house.......but the copied file will still be there and would not have to be recreated

Not very convenient I know, but $500 spent now might avoid the frustration.......and it'll still be a hell of a lot cheaper than whatever Kaleidescape or Meridian might charge if they ever did buy the HD Codec Licences

Ronnie, you are correct but it would negate the convenience of playing the movie back via the server. Its OK, Ill get there eventually.

Fair enough Jerry, your call

As regards using the Lossy Codecs from the Kaleidescape, you could also choose to allow those to pass thru the HD621 and have the 861 Decode them

And as regards Bitrate, you likely know that the Bitrates on Bluray for the Lossy Codecs is substantially higher than DVD, Streamers & Satellite, resulting in noticeably better audio

For Dolby Digital 5.1, the Bitrates are
Network Streamers and Satellite 384kbps
DVD 440kbps
Bluray 640kbps (about 50% higher than DVD)

For DTS, Bluray delivers 1,500kbps versus 750kbps on DVD

Right. That's what I basically do. Heres a question - if you could use either the core audio off TrueHD or a DD 640kps soundtrack, which one would you choose and why?

I've noticed lately a lot of BRs don't come with the basic DD/DTS choices and its just the high res audio. I'll get my receiver fixed and then Ill be back in the saddle with the high res stuff.

In the mean time I'm sorry we took this way off topic. As to the Roku it seems it's unfortunately stuck but maybe one idea is to replace it with an Apple TV or other box and then use the Roku in a different room?