CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[ralpharch]

When I play a Blue Ray disk with this receiver on the highest audio settings I think I can get my receiver's lights indicate NEO-6, not Dolby Digital nor DTS or DTS-ES, even those normally come on with normal DVDs or movies played via cable box

This setting sounds quite a bit better to me. Does this mean I am not getting surround sound but just higher bit-rate audio?

[timbo]

ralpharch,
Here is what my Denon 886 owner's manual says about Neo.

DTS Neo:6 surround

This mode applies conventional 2-channel signals to the high precision digital matrix decoder used for DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 to achieve 6.1 channel surround playback. High precision input signal detection and matrix processing enable full band reproduction (frequency response of 20Hz to 20 kHz or greater) for all 6.1 channels, and separation between the different channels is improved to the same level as that of a digital discrete system.
DTS Neo:6 surround includes two modes for selecting the optimum decoding for the signal source.

-DTS Neo:6 Cinema
This mode is optimum for playing movies...etc. etc. etc.

-DTS Neo:6 Music
This mode is optimum for playing music....etc. etc. etc.

.........
So it would seem to me that the reason this setting sounds better to you is because it is in fact a DTS-ES format.
My compliments to you on your 'good ear.'

[ralpharch]

Thanks for feedback - regarding compliments on my ear they're not really warrented as the PS3 info screen clearly indicates what is being sent. (the pioneer is pre-hdmi and only is getting digital optical from the ps3)

For example with Stranger than Fiction I can chose DD5.1 out (from the audio menu in ps3) and then I get indication of DD5.1 at 640 kbps on the ps3. But choose another audio out on ps3 and it indicates linear pcm at 4.6 mps and obviously sounds much better (both at 48 khz). In all cases the receiver indicates NEO 6 - but I can manually choose things like advanced surround etc.

For something with DD true HD - the ps3 will indicate it is outputting DD True HD at the 4+ mbps setting; again with NEO 6.

I never get the DD or DTS lights. Maybe I need HDMI out to get surround?

I have enabled most all of the ps3 output settings (for digital optical) These include:

DD 5.1
DTS 5.1
AAC
Linear PCM 2 ch 44.1
Linear PCM 2 ch 88.2
Linear PCM 2 ch 48


Maybe with Dolby True HD I am getting more than stereo out of my speakers; but I am leary of that when NEO6 described as two channel format.

I suppose if I really wanted better sound I would get an HDMI reciever capable of taking in Dolby True HD.

Since what I get now sounds very good maybe I will just leave it alone and not care whether or not I am getting surround sound.

Or wait till there is some BD movie where rear sound is obviously missing and I could tell from that,