Questions on Blu-Rays and a/v equipment

[bds0688 10+ year member]

My girl and friends and family were recently so kind as to get me a PS3 for my birthday.

So naturally I've been borrowing and buying blu-ray movies to ogle. While messing with settings I noticed I can't get dolby digital to decode in Linear PCM, and bitstream always reminds me I may not be able to decode completely.

Yet, when I switc between the two, I hear no change. I like the surround for many of my movies, but I am just curious as to what formats work the best, and such.

I am in the market for a receiver, so I guess this is my push. I would like full dobly digital, in the best possible method to transmit it to the receiver. I have the sound going directly to the receiver, through the optical. And, unless HDMI is a requirement for the formats in question, I will continue this trend. In which case, I'll just have the HDMI go to the receiver first.

Now to the tv. I have a Vizio. Bleh in the grand scheme, but I have been more than satisfied. Anyhow, when I am watching a movie it has the black bars on the bottom and top. I see no settings on the TV or the PS3 to change this, or if this is common place. It's not a huge deal, but it would be nice to get a full picture.

Thanks for any advice.

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[Atimm693 10+ year member]

I don't know about anything else, but the bars are called widescreen, and IIRC it's encoded on the disk so you can't get rid of it.

 

[bds0688 10+ year member]

I thought widscreens took care of that. Meh, no biggie.

 

[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

To get any HD Audio, you'll need an HDMI capable receiver.

As far as PCM vs. bitstream, it'll depend on your receiver. If your receiver has the built in decoding for the HD Audio AND the PS3 can bitstream all 3 HD formats (which, IIRC, it can't) put the ps3 on Bitstream and the receiver will auto-decode. Best way for the PS3 is to leave it in PCM, allowing it to do the decoding, and the receiver simply unpackages it and processes it.

 

[bds0688 10+ year member]

To get any HD Audio, you'll need an HDMI capable receiver.
As far as PCM vs. bitstream, it'll depend on your receiver. If your receiver has the built in decoding for the HD Audio AND the PS3 can bitstream all 3 HD formats (which, IIRC, it can't) put the ps3 on Bitstream and the receiver will auto-decode. Best way for the PS3 is to leave it in PCM, allowing it to do the decoding, and the receiver simply unpackages it and processes it.

Thanks. I'm looking into upgrading my receiver anyhow. Would like component-HDMI output, which I think some Onkyos and Yamahs can do. I like the look of no cables going to the tv. Thanks.