True HD receiver needed?

[acommonsoul]

I am using a PS3 which has True Dolby HD and is soon to have DTS HD capabilities. DO I need a receiver that has those same decoding codecs? If a receiver has a direct mode and HDMI inputs, will it transmit the True HD signal? I am really confused....

[Sonnie]

If the PS3 is decoding it, then the receiver does not have to decode it. You simply need a receiver with HDMI inputs, which I think pretty much all of the latest models have HDMI now. Depending on your budget, you may get the decoding anyway. How much are you looking to spend?

[acommonsoul]

Around $500 max.....so I'm looking for any suggestions. I had been looking at the Onkyo 605 and 705, does anyone have any better suggestions?

[tonyvdb]

I dont know what quality the DA's are in the PS3 but its usually better to have the receiver do the decoding. The Onkyo 705 is defiantly a good choice.

[acommonsoul]

Thanks, I found a few places that have them for around $550 or so

[bobgpsr]

tonyvdb wrote:

I dont know what quality the DA's are in the PS3 but its usually better to have the receiver do the decoding. The Onkyo 705 is defiantly a good choice.

The Onkyo needs raw bitstream audio sent to it for it to decode. The PS3 does not output raw bitstream. Besides the D/A convertors are used in the receiver anyway if it gets decoded multichannel linear PCM input. The PS3 will send TrueHD decoded to lossless LPCM on to a receiver that can accept audio input via HDMI. Any version of HDMI (1.1, 1.2 or 1.3).

The player's audio D/A convertors come into the playback process when you use the player's audio analog outputs (stereo, 5.1 or 7.1) to the stereo or multichannel analog inputs of the receiver (AVR/Pre-Pro) being used.

[MatrixDweller]

I have a PS3 and BTW it does not pass lossless audio as of yet. It's not a true HDMI 1.3 device. A HDMI 1.3 receiver right now would just be future proofing. A future firmware release or new hardware model might enable raw lossless audio however. Currently the PS3 decodes the codecs and passes them as LPCM. Any receiver that can accept LPCM over HDMI will do the trick.