PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

[aaronwt]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Are you sure it was a 5.1 audio track and not a 2.0 track?

[VolkerS]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Mogulman,
which movie / quality were you watching? The PS3 cannot output DD+ for games. If this was a 2.0 DD+ then the PS3 will use PCM stereo.

[Mogulman]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Are you sure it was a 5.1 audio track and not a 2.0 track?

Sorry . i didn't realize that the movie qas DD+ and only stereo. i didn't even know that was possible, since this was a newer movie. i figured it must be 5.1. i looked and it was only stereo.

[Inkiing]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

I would like to bump this thread for further discussion and updates.

I have a PS3 slim with the latest 4.1 update. I also have an Onkyo TXNR609 to which the PS3 is connected via HDMI. As others stated previous, BR discs works great with a full array of Dolby Digtal surround options but streaming content from Vudu is converted to multichannel (what is displayed on my Onkyo receiver) and is definitely not the same as DD 5.1 surround. Hasn't there been any updates in over a year?

One work around I discovered is to change the audio output from the PS3 to optical and simply us optical for the DD 5.1 surround sound (my Onkyo receiver displays DD when using optical + Vudu) though I want to know why the PS3 cannot output DD+ 5.1 surround with HDMI but can output DD 5.1 surround via optical?

I know I am likely making true audiophiles cringe with my interchanging of terms. My Onkyo is new this year (2012) and I know it can support all these codecs so it is the PS3 that is not outputting it correctly. Whether that is something I can change via a configuration or a technical limitation (still?) remains to be clarified and is my principle question here.

Thanks.

[Inkiing]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu DD+ audio problems

I would like to bump this thread for further discussion and updates.

I have a PS3 slim with the latest 4.1 update. I also have an Onkyo TXNR609 to which the PS3 is connected via HDMI. As others stated previous, BR discs works great with a full array of Dolby Digital surround options but streaming content from Vudu is converted to multichannel (what is displayed on my Onkyo receiver) and is definitely not the same as DD 5.1 surround. Haven?t there been any updates in over a year?

One work around I discovered is to change the audio output from the PS3 to optical and simply us optical for the DD 5.1 surround sound (my Onkyo receiver displays DD when using optical + Vudu) though I want to know why the PS3 cannot output DD+ 5.1 surround with HDMI but can output DD 5.1 surround via optical?

I know I am likely making true audiophiles cringe with my interchanging of terms. My Onkyo is new this year (2012) and I know it can support all these codecs so it is the PS3 that is not outputting it correctly. Whether that is something I can change via a configuration or a technical limitation (still?) remains to be clarified and is my principle question here.

[Jake]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu DD+ audio problems

As others stated previous, BR discs works great with a full array of Dolby Digital surround options but streaming content from Vudu is converted to multichannel (what is displayed on my Onkyo receiver) and is definitely not the same as DD 5.1 surround. Haven?t there been any updates in over a year?

One work around I discovered is to change the audio output from the PS3 to optical and simply us optical for the DD 5.1 surround sound (my Onkyo receiver displays DD when using optical + Vudu) though I want to know why the PS3 cannot output DD+ 5.1 surround with HDMI but can output DD 5.1 surround via optical?

Currently PS3 apps are not able to "bitstream" (meaning send out the exact encoded DD+ signal) - they must decode to multichannel (5.1 or 7.1, etc) and then either output as 5.1/7.1 PCM or re-encode to DD 5.1. Only the PS3 Slim BD player can bitstream... hopefully some day Sony will provide that capability to apps...

You should be able to set the PS3 (in the PS3 audio system settings) to output either 5.1/7.1 LPCM or DD 5.1 over HDMI. You may have it set to output the "highest quality" over HDMI which in this case would be 7.1 LPCM (SPDIF optical can't do 7.1 LPCM output...) If your receiver can handle 5.1/7.1 LPCM over HDMI, it's actually probably slightly better than re-encoding to DD 5.1 since LPCM is uncompressed.

[brshaffer]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Hi Everyone,

I've had the same issues trying to get DD+ working with either Vudu or Netflix, but today for the first time it is working on Netflix! I did notice that my app updated tonight, so it could be that Netflix made a change. But for whatever reason, my Denon now detects Dolby Digital + from Netflix where it did not before.

I tried the Vudu app to see if maybe it was a PS3 thing, but Vudu still only detects as Multi Ch. 7.1. I tried disabling all LPCM options and the best I get is regular Dolby Digital.

Is there any update on this? Now that Netflix can do DD+, I'm guessing the issue with the PS3 not being able to bitstream from the apps is resolved... Right?

This is sort of the one piece of the puzzle missing for me... I'd love to convert many of my movies to Vudu for convenience, but I need at LEAST DD+ to make me happy on the audio side.

Thanks!
-Brian

[elwaylite]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

I wanted to ask to see if this thread was still relative?

I was looking at grabbing a Super Slim and wanted to know if I should set it at LPCM instead of bitstream to get the best HDX audio quality? Going to download files, thanks.

[Jake]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

I wanted to ask to see if this thread was still relative?

I was looking at grabbing a Super Slim and wanted to know if I should set it at LPCM instead of bitstream to get the best HDX audio quality? Going to download files, thanks.

Yep, my previous comment still applies. The only PS3 app that can bitstream directly is the BD player. I believe that player settings and the audio output settings for all other apps/games are different, so you can bitstream BDs and use LPCM for other apps.

[elwaylite]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Yep, my previous comment still applies. The only PS3 app that can bitstream directly is the BD player. I believe that player settings and the audio output settings for all other apps/games are different, so you can bitstream BDs and use LPCM for other apps.

Thanks, Ill probably just leave it to LPCM all the time, no biggie.

Doesnt Netflix advertise DD+ on the PS3? Is their "app" different or setup another way?

[Jake]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Thanks, Ill probably just leave it to LPCM all the time, no biggie.

Doesnt Netflix advertise DD+ on the PS3? Is their "app" different or setup another way?

They (like VUDU) probably use DD+ in the stream but convert it to a supported output format when decoding. The PS3 SDKs don't support bitstreamed audio (or 24fps video out) for any games/apps.

In normal use you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the LPCM and DD+ output. IMO the only noticeable difference is that the DD+ would keep some dynamic range info that could be used by your receiver to attenuate loud sounds if it's set to "late night" mode.

And on the major upside the PS3 has the fastest VUDU UI of any devices by about an order of magnitude

[elwaylite]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

They (like VUDU) probably use DD+ in the stream but convert it to a supported output format when decoding. The PS3 SDKs don't support bitstreamed audio (or 24fps video out) for any games/apps.

In normal use you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the LPCM and DD+ output. IMO the only noticeable difference is that the DD+ would keep some dynamic range info that could be used by your receiver to attenuate loud sounds if it's set to "late night" mode.

And on the major upside the PS3 has the fastest VUDU UI of any devices by about an order of magnitude

Awesome, thanks.

Im evaluating more now than ever of adopting streaming/downloads for my movie watching. Blu-rays add up, Netflix availability comes and goes, its all honestly getting tiring. Ive used Vudu off and on since 2008, when HDX first showed up. The PS3 is a logical choice because it does a great job with blu-ray playback as well as the streaming services.

I do have all the late night mode/dynamic eq/dynamic range compression stuff cut off in my Denon, so that is not a concern. I just dont see a point to going to LPCM from DD+, then to DD before outputting.

If Im happy with this setup Ill be keeping an eye out for the PS4's late in the year, maybe they can address a couple of these quirks in the future model. I just dont have a great HSI connection, so HDX downloads are a must for me to fully enjoy them.

[elwaylite]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

There is something going on with the Nflix app.

I have the PS3 set to LPCM everything, and of course Vudu HDX does. When I play something from the Nflix app, that says DD+, thats what my AVR receives when it begins playing even though the PS3 is set to LPCM. Thats very odd. I know Netflix likes to take control of the machine when you login, and that appears to be happening.

You guys should inquire as to why Netflix can send DD+ and Vudu cannot.

[elwaylite]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Ive seen on previous models where you play back HDX, the 3 bars light up green as you quality increases. I notice when pausing the PS3 they are all gray, just curious as to why they are not all green? PLaying off hard drive (HDX downloaded file).

[Jake]

Re: PS3 Slim and Vudu audio problems

Ive seen on previous models where you play back HDX, the 3 bars light up green as you quality increases. I notice when pausing the PS3 they are all gray, just curious as to why they are not all green? PLaying off hard drive (HDX downloaded file).

I would have figured they'd all be green if you are playing off the HDD... maybe a bug with the quality bar on HDD playback? But in any case I wouldn't worry about the actual quality, when downloading it's always at the highest bitrate (9Mbps).