Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems The one of MANY HD-DVD threads (No bashing Blu-Ray)

Interesting! I'll give this a try. Do we know the bitrate that the TrueHD track is downsampled to?

Mark

Doesn't the XA1 downsample everything to 1.5MB/s DTS? Or are you using the XE1 now?

Just checked the manual for the HD-XA1 - it says TrueHD is downsampled to 2ch 48kHz over the digital outputs. This means you then use something like PLIIx to recreate the soundstage? In fact it says the 2ch for all outputs - even analog - so can the XA1 deliver multi-channel TrueHD output at all?

The XE1 - the Euro 2nd generation (same as XA2) says multichannel for analog and digital bitstream and 2ch for PCM.

The Sony BDP-S1 Blu-Ray player says 5.1 output for all outputs.

Mark

The XA1 certainly outputs the DD stuff as DTS. TrueHD down to 1.5MB would be great, but not if it's only 2ch, requiring Pro Logic processing to get back to multi-channel.

I'm still using the XA1 - the XE1 has a couple of issues which the XA1 doesn't (no YCbCr - max 640kbs DD)

Mark

I *think* / hope that the manual may have been superceded by firmware updates. Please report back!

My XA2 downsamples all DD+ and TrueHD to standard DD at 640k. The A2 model downsamples everything to DTS 1.5M. I don't know why Toshiba did this. Still even the DD track sounds awesome.

I will have to check this but I make the switch to true hd and just let it play. it seemed to be in full surround so I would be very impressed if this was 2ch and then recreated surround. Also the sound level was identical so I would again be surprised. I also found the sound to be really fantastic- far above what I remember from DVD. My test scene is when Neo says "I know Kung Fu" and Morpheous says "Show me". And you hear the Asian sounding chimes in the background- thats not nearly as present on the DVD. Maybe I can check in 30 minutes if I play my cards right..........

best regards,
Jerry

Jerry,

I might be wrong but I think I read somewhere that you get 2-channel mix down for left and right but that the other channels are the core DD tracks. So you could still get better sound overall... I wonder if the player's OSD will shed light on this?

I should go test but I have builders in and it's easier to keep the cinema locked away than have to explain to them how I can have such a room in my house

Mark

It might say that but I CONFIRM that when you select the true hd on the matrix reloaded at least you get a 5.1 mix out over the digital. I forget how I have my player setup (bitstream/ other option?) but here is the proof- pardon the camera phone pics.

here it is on default with the dd+ track playing (CII= crystalio II)


toggle display button


here I have selected true HD. you might note my screen is 2.35- but here I have window boxed it- I programmed the crestron to have the CII do a 16x9 conversion for bringing up the HDDVD menu because otherwise its off the screen/ or I would have to move the lens out of the way. the lens is on an automated sled but I prefer to have moving parts move as little as possible.


a picture of the full action


a pic of the 861 with the dolby true HD track selected at the hddvd


toggle display


I would like to share actual pics of the theater but I cannot right now as my installer has submitted it to CEDIA for theater of the year. I have not actually asked them but I would think it would be in poor taste to post them before CEDIA. Its a nice theater- I am sure there are better ones so we will see. When CEDIA is over I will be happy to post pics if you all would like.

So- it seems true HD= an added benefit- it does sound a tad better even if we cant get lossless= another reason the XA1 rocks. Thank you Mark again!!!

best regards,
Jerry

one other thing- when doing the true hd sound- if I skip scenes- it can take up to 10 seconds for the audio to come back and one time it came back as static so I do believe the player is truly down converting the sound. and when I initially make the switch the sound goes off and takes 2-4 seconds to come back...

best regards,
Jerry

Jerry, thanks for that. Very interesting. I need to take a look at this but it does indeed look like we're getting multi-channel inputs even with the TrueHD channels being downsampled.

Would very much like to see images of your theatre once you are free to post.

Mark

Are you able to select Cinema DSP with TrueHD rather than PLIIx?

Mark