They'd probably hold off on something like that until the HD disc format war kicks off next year so they could include more complete support for those formats (two or more HDMI inputs, in other words - I'd vote for at least three and possibly four). It would also give them time to find an EQ solution that they like.

I believe you need 1.2 HDMI to digitally
transport the new audio formats...

I am going to use a separate video processor -
its the audio processing I am more interested
in - and yes, I won't be buying a processor
until it can either decode the new audio
formats or receive over HDMI 1.2 ...


I doubt there will be much of a war - its
Blue Ray all the Way - HD-DVD doesn't have
a snowballs chance in hell of winning - I am
really doubt that they will even come to market.

I hope that you are right about Blu-Ray. I would prefer that to be the "winner". I have $400 worth of Sony points burning a hole in my pocket!

As I said in another thread I think that the 970 is a nice stop gap piece of equipment until HDMI is sorted out. I really don't expect that type of availability in the Outlaw products for about 3 years.

I thought that HDMI 1.1 was needed for backward compatibility with a standard DD or DTS track. I thought that 1.3 would be necessary for the newer versions of DD and DTS in 7 channell uncompressed audio.

Regards,

Charlie

HDMI 1.1 and 1.2 will pass multichannel PCM; neither will pass a bitstream of DD+, DTS-HD, or Dolby TrueHD (that's reserved for HDMI 1.3 based on some Dolby literature I've seen). The only difference I've found between HDMI 1.1 and 1.2 is that 1.2 adds support for SACD (1.1 already supported DVD-Audio).

I thought that I had read that most of the new hd-dvd and blu-ray players will decode the dd+ and dts-hd internally and will be able to pass the signal on via the toslink and coaxial output to the digital inputs on existing receivers and preamps for amplification. Was I mistaken or is this going to be possible.

All HD-DVD and Blu-ray players will have to decode DD+, DTS-HD, and Dolby TrueHD internally as long as HDMI 1.3 available (and they'll probably need to decode internally for a long time afterward, since it will take years for HDMI 1.3 at the processor/receiver level to spread through the user base). Most or all players will also convert the PCM output of those decoders to analog. The obvious (and possibly) only exception to the "analog audio output" rule is Sony's PS3, which will output DD and DTS across optical digital and will presumably output 7.1 PCM across HDMI; dedicated Blu-ray and HD-DVD players will need to offer the analog output for the first generation or two to support the huge userbase of non-HDMI receivers and processors.

I think that you are a little mistaken. The player will be able to decode them and send them out over 7.1 channel analog outputs. Over a standard Toslink or Coax you will get a stadard DTS or DD track (compressed audio). If you want the full benefits of the new formats you will need 7.1 channel analog input or HDMI v1.3.

So if you are only ever going to have one 7.1 source than any of the new products today should fit the bill.

Regards,

Charlie

- That is how I know it. Please correct me if I am wrong.-

Thanks for the info guys I think I understand a little better now how the new audio formats will be used by current products. Gonk it is intresting that you brought up the ps3 since I am wondering if Sony has maybe bit off more than they can chew with the inclusion of the Blu-Ray in this system. I thought that the stand alone Blu-Ray players were supposed to be out by now but since they are not I suspect that they will be released after the CES show in January which will put them in stores in Febuary. Now I have heard starting price points of around $1000 for these units so what are the odds that Sony will be able to include this technology along with the hardware for a next gen game console for under $700 or $800. It would seem to me that they will either have to push back the launch till after next christmas or price the thing out of most peoples budget. Either way Microsoft is poised to take a big part of Sonys marketshare.

There's been no slip in Sony's schedule. Blu-way was never due to launch until next year (probably around mid-year, about the same time the PS3 is approximately scheduled to launch). HD-DVD was due to launch late this year (November was what I was expecting) to hit the holiday shopping season, but a lack of studio support was at least part of the reason that Toshiba pushed it off into 2006.

Both formats will likely have players selling for right around the $1000 mark by the time summer 2006 is here, while Sony is going to presumably try to get around the $400 or $500 mark with the PS3. Dedicated players will include DAC's that the PS3 will not have, much more robust chassis (they better for $1000), and will be made in much smaller volume. The PS3 will have a big honking processor, RAM, bluetooth, and a hard drive tucked into a fairly inexpensive chassis. Both will have some sort of transport capable of handling Blu-ray, DVD, and CD media. Standalone players will also be sold for a profit, while game consoles typically sell in much larger volumes for no profit or even a loss. I'm keeping an eye on the PS3, since I think it's going to have a pretty prominent role in the format war (which I think is probably going to go Blu-ray's way).

I would have to say that SONY is in a unique position to include Blu_ray in the PS3 because they make the Blu-Ray players. What will cost the consumer $1,000 will cost SONY internally much less. Also all the PS3 needs is the drive itself. They already have budgeted for the other internal components for the PS3 (Power Supply , Processors, etc). The stand alone Blu-Ray players have to include much more than just the drive to be functional. They will need an AV processing chip to decode DD+ and DTS+ (plus the other formats). I'll bet that this cost is a significant part of the cost of stand alone Blu-Ray players.


Regards,


PS- This is why Microsoft could not include HD-DVD in the launch of XBox360. They have no control over what Toshiba does with it and they couldn't be guarenteed a time line. Plus Microsoft will have to pay more than internal cost for the products. Although it appears that Toshiba would have done themselves a favor by giving the drives to Microsoft for the XBox 360.

Regards,

Charlie