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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject: PS3 S/PDIF |
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The audio on my PS3 via S/PDIF sucks! I mean it sounds really bad. Am I doing something wrong?
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JustGreg
Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 3098
Location: Kenosha, WI
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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Dave? Ohhhh Daaaavvvve. This is your opening to take an opportunistic shot at Sony. 
I just looked around a bit Phil and a couple of forums mentioned making sure Toslink and the surround mode are correctly selected in the setup menu. I only had a PS3 for a short while before donating it to a charity auction (what the HELLL was I thinking!?) so can't remember.
Greg
EDIT:Just found this. It's from an old article so I'm not sure how much it will help.
As for the audio, like the HD DVD add-on, the PS3's setup can be a bit complicated. The unit's default setting is LPCM (Linear PCM), meaning that it will convert any digital audio signal to uncompressed PCM audio for playback via your receiver/outboard rig. Which is all well and good if you have a higher-end (and right now, pricey) setup that can accept multi-channel 24bit 192khz PCM via HDMI. Otherwise, you have to "pass through" the original soundtrack untouched via either HDMI or optical (aka Sony's "MultiOut"). In this case, you need to go into the PS3's setup menu and select "Bitstream" instead of Linear PCM. This will pass through the original soundtrack format untouched -- be it Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital-Plus and Dolby TrueHD, SACD, or DTS and DTS-HD. From there, it is up to your receiver to decode the audio and reproduce it through your speakers.
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kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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The PS3 doesn't have a S/PDIF output, it's Toslink (optical). Same data though, so I know what you mean. 
I have mine set to bitstream over Toslink and it sounds better than any other source I've used since the bitrate is higher than DVD.
(Standard DVD only provides 448 Kbit/s for Dolby Digital and typically 750Kbit/s for DTS. Blu-ray offers completely lossless audio at rates greater than 6 Mbit/s. My receiver cannot decode the new lossless formats but I still benefit as the base Dolby digital and DTS rates are increased to 640 and 1500 Kbit/s respectively. This is a 43-50% increase in sound information without even changing your receiver!)
Kal
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| JustGreg wrote: | Dave? Ohhhh Daaaavvvve. This is your opening to take an opportunistic shot at Sony.
I just looked around a bit Phil and a couple of forums mentioned making sure Toslink and the surround mode are correctly selected in the setup menu. I only had a PS3 for a short while before donating it to a charity auction (what the HELLL was I thinking!?) so can't remember.
Greg
EDIT:Just found this. It's from an old article so I'm not sure how much it will help.
As for the audio, like the HD DVD add-on, the PS3's setup can be a bit complicated. The unit's default setting is LPCM (Linear PCM), meaning that it will convert any digital audio signal to uncompressed PCM audio for playback via your receiver/outboard rig. Which is all well and good if you have a higher-end (and right now, pricey) setup that can accept multi-channel 24bit 192khz PCM via HDMI. Otherwise, you have to "pass through" the original soundtrack untouched via either HDMI or optical (aka Sony's "MultiOut"). In this case, you need to go into the PS3's setup menu and select "Bitstream" instead of Linear PCM. This will pass through the original soundtrack format untouched -- be it Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital-Plus and Dolby TrueHD, SACD, or DTS and DTS-HD. From there, it is up to your receiver to decode the audio and reproduce it through your speakers. |
Greg,
I think I've tried every possible combination and option to no avail.
I don't own BR DVD. I'll rent one next time I'm at blockbuster and give it another go.
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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| kal wrote: | | The PS3 doesn't have a S/PDIF output, it's Toslink (optical). |
D'oh! I knew that! I am proof that the mind is the first thing to go. 
The PS3 audio is all screwed up. The vast majority of the audio comes out of the mains. There's audio coming out of the other speakers, but it's so low you can rarely hear it. It's distorted too.
I'm hoping this isn't an AVR problem. I just bought a new (to me) one because I was having sort of the same problem with my old AVR. 
PS: I'm running my HD-1A 5.1 analog out. I can't set the individual channel volume levels with the A1 for some reason (the adjustments don't seem to do anything). But other that the bass being a little weak, it sounds great.
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kal
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Phil Smith wrote: | | The PS3 audio is all screwed up. The vast majority of the audio comes out of the mains. There's audio coming out of the other speakers, but it's so low you can rarely hear it. It's distorted too. |
Something is definitely wrong. Mine doesn't do that at all.
Could be the receiver. For what it's worth, my preamp's pretty old and I had problems exactly like that with both HD DVD players whene I tried using the Toslink out. The sound was distorted (sounded clipped) whenever a loud passage was played. Didn't matter what my volume was set to. All my other Toslink/SPDIF DD5.1 sources worked perfectly (HD PVR, HTPC, PS3, etc).
Kal
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ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, Kal... SPDIF doesn't imply coaxial. SPDIF can be 75-ohm coaxial on RCA or BNC - OR it can be optical (TOSLINK). The SPDIF spec calls for the data protocol, but allows for RCA, BNC OR TOSLINK (fiber) physical connections. So, coaxial or optical - it's all SPDIF. OK, Cliff Claven know-it-all mode off, now.
For what it's worth, my PS3 sounds awesome, whether source is BD, DVD, or uncompressed PCM (WAV). Even my iTunes 192kbps AAC files sound damn good played through the PS3 music player. I think you have another problem - possibly the decoder in your receiver? Phil, do you have another source with TOSLINK that you could try on the same input without touching anything else?
One other thing - is the volume compensation set at zero (mid-point) in the PS3 audio setup?
SC
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kal
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| ecrabb wrote: | | Actually, Kal... SPDIF doesn't imply coaxial. SPDIF can be 75-ohm coaxial on RCA or BNC - OR it can be optical (TOSLINK). The SPDIF spec calls for the data protocol, but allows for RCA, BNC OR TOSLINK (fiber) physical connections. So, coaxial or optical - it's all SPDIF. OK, Cliff Claven know-it-all mode off, now. |
No, thanks! I didn't know that! I always though that S/PDIF was a bitstream sent over an RCA style connector... not that S/PDIF was the 'umbrella' term for the technology independant of the connector type. Coooool - I learnt something new. And it's simpler now too since I can just refer to S/PDIF to mean everything.
Kal
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kal
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 4899
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| kal wrote: | | The PS3 doesn't have a S/PDIF output, it's Toslink (optical). Same data though, so I know what you mean. |
Actually, this is incorrect. S/PDIF is both a data link layer and physical layer specification. It is essentially the AES/EBU specification with changes to the physical layer. AES/EBU specifies a physical layer of 110 ohm shielded TP or 75 ohm coaxial cable with 3-pin XLR, 25-Pin D-subminiature, or BNC connectors. S/PDIF was based upon this specification. It changed the data layer in minor ways, but changed the physical layer significantly. The S/PDIF specification says the physical layer is 75 ohm coaxial or fibre and the connectors are RCA, BNC, or TOSLINK.
Both of these standards have now been rolled up into a common standard knows as IEC 60958. The actual data they carry (the compressed audio) is defined in IEC 61937.
So Phil is actually correct--he is using the S/PDIF connection. 
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Dave
A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station....
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 4899
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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| ecrabb wrote: | | Actually, Kal... SPDIF doesn't imply coaxial. SPDIF can be 75-ohm coaxial on RCA or BNC - OR it can be optical (TOSLINK). The SPDIF spec calls for the data protocol, but allows for RCA, BNC OR TOSLINK (fiber) physical connections. So, coaxial or optical - it's all SPDIF. OK, Cliff Claven know-it-all mode off, now. |
Ooops, I saw Kal's post and responded without reading yours! Doh!
One point though, S/PDIF is BOTH the data link protocol AND the physical layer protocol (not just the data link protocol).
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Dave
A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station....
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:01 am Post subject: |
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See how you have me psyched Kal. I always just assume you're right. Never again!  
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kal
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:16 am Post subject: |
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I posted this prematurely. I should have waited until I had a BR DVD to try your suggestions.
I'll try the S/PDIF (take that Kal! ) out on my A1 this weekend, as SC suggested. I think everything was ok with it.
I have an older AVP, but a pretty good one, a Parasound AVP-2500u. It seems it worked well with my A1 via S/PDIF. I'll find out this weekend.
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kal
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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I tried TOSLINK out on my A1 last night. It sounded great!
One variable I didn't think of was: I use an Octava 5X2 HDMI Switcher that sends the HDMI audio signal to a TOSLINK output. I'll try TOSLINK directly out of the PS3 as soon as I rent a BR movie.
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