PS3 audio problem with uncompressed PCM.

[Romeo]

If anyone remembers, I had trouble not getting Dolby Digital to show up on my Onkyo SR705 receiver when playing games or movies on the 360. Now I'm trying to watch BluRay movies on my PS3 and I'm getting yet another headache from all of this!

Here's the deal...

PS3 set to PCM output. Onkyo SR705 is picking up "PCM MULTICH HDMI". Now, no matter what movie I put in that has PCM uncompressed audio, the rear two channels of my 7.1 setup do not put out any sound. If I throw on other receiver listening modes such as THX Select2, I hear the rears. Yet choosing "Multich" listening mode, which I thought is what is supposed to be set to get true uncompressed audio, only my center, fronts, and sides output audio.

So guys, what gives? Am I just ignorant and missing something?

[Kenshiro]

This is not a PS3 problem. Not many movies use 7.1 audio. There is more than likely a setting on your receiver to activate the rear channels when there is no 7.1 audio signal.

[Romeo]

Well, if it's 5.1 uncompressed PCM, wouldn't the center, front, and rears work, not the sides?

[Kenshiro]

Originally Posted by Romeo

Well, if it's 5.1 uncompressed PCM, wouldn't the center, front, and rears work, not the sides?

When you do 5.1 you can set the surrounds to the sides or the rears. When you do 7.1 the rears become the last two channels, usually called the surround back channels. Look in your manual to see if there is a way to activate them regardless of the number of channles on the input signal.

[rded]

I thought the 705 could matrix the rear surrounds for PCM. I know that trhe 605 doesnt have this feature so the rears are silent unless you feed it with a source having 7.1pcm.If you can get your paws on ultimate avengers its the only title i know that has 7.1 pcm try this and see if your rears work.

[rded]

try using bitstream on the ps3 menu and try going into audio menu and check off all the formats of pcm like pcm 5.1, pcm 7.1 etc

[Romeo]

I checked all of my settings and don't see such an option Kenshiro. I have an Onkyo SR705.

I threw in Crank on BR and all channels worked fine. PCM 7.1 shows up on the receiver.

rded, I did as you said. PS3 set to bitsream, all PCMs checked under audio settings. With Deja Vu (PCM 5.1), rears still do not work by choosing "Multich" listening mode.

[Kenshiro]

Originally Posted by Romeo

I checked all of my settings and don't see such an option Kenshiro. I have an Onkyo SR705.

I threw in Crank on BR and all channels worked fine. PCM 7.1 shows up on the receiver.

I think Crank is one of the few movies that has 6.1 PCM. What shows up on your receiver when you play other BD movies?

[Romeo]

All of my other BR movies are 5.1 PCM. All show up correctly, it's just that all of them besides Crank will not output to the rear speakers unless I choose a different listening mode, which causes the receiver to alter the PCM track.

[Kenshiro]

Originally Posted by Romeo

All of my other BR movies are 5.1 PCM. All show up correctly, it's just that all of them besides Crank will not output to the rear speakers unless I choose a different listening mode, which causes the receiver to alter the PCM track.

In the the PS3 audio options try unchecking all the 7.1 PCM boxes. Since you are not outputting 7.1 audio it might be confusing your receiver. Try that with both bitstream and PCM and see if that changes anything.

[rded]

so the tx-sr705 cant matrix to rear surrounds then unless the source is 7.1pcm. call onkyo maybe its a receiver setting.

[Romeo]

Originally Posted by Kenshiro

In the the PS3 audio options try unchecking all the 7.1 PCM boxes. Since you are not outputting 7.1 audio it might be confusing your receiver. Try that with both bitstream and PCM and see if that changes anything.

Tried both and the receiver does not even give me the "multich" option now. It's only picking up 2 channels and trying to matrix with PLxii or Neo6.

[Kenshiro]

Originally Posted by Romeo

Tried both and the receiver does not even give me the "multich" option now. It's only picking up 2 channels and trying to matrix with PLxii or Neo6.

Did you leave the 5.1 PCM boxes checked, only uncheck 7.1 PCM?

[Romeo]

Originally Posted by Kenshiro

Did you leave the 5.1 PCM boxes checked, only uncheck 7.1 PCM?

Nope, but I did now...

Here's the end result: Set to PCM or bitstream, unchecked all 7.1 PCM boxes. Still no audio in the rears with Multich setting on.

Is it bad to just let the receiver on THX Select2, which claims it's specifically for home theaters? Would I be missing out or losing anything?

[Kenshiro]

Originally Posted by Romeo

Is it bad to just let the receiver on THX Select2, which claims it's specifically for home theaters? Would I be missing out or losing anything?

Does it sound good? As long as its still your uncompressed PCM and you are getting sound from the rears like you want. Does it sound much different from the straight multi-channel setting?