PS3 vs Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-On

[Aodh]

http://www.highdefdigest.com/feature...x360addon.html

because the Xbox 360 can only output Dolby Digital, it downconverts any non-DD signal (including standard DTS tracks)

Question, after reading some posts here I tried a standard DVD with a DTS track (Panic Room Superbit) on it and it outputted a DTS signal to my receiver over the optical cable. None of the HD DVD's I have yet have a DTS track on it, is it only a HD DVD thing or could it be a settings thing.

[Blurry]

Originally Posted by Aodh

http://www.highdefdigest.com/feature...x360addon.html


Question, after reading some posts here I tried a standard DVD with a DTS track (Panic Room Superbit) on it and it outputted a DTS signal to my receiver over the optical cable. None of the HD DVD's I have yet have a DTS track on it, is it only a HD DVD thing or could it be a settings thing.

Yeah, I will have to test that my system when I get home, however I am at the in-laws for 5 days so it will be a while.

However, there is no reason that the add-on could not output the DTS track digitally from an HD-DVD disc, just like it does with a DVD - especially considering everything is done in software, they can literally do what they want.

There were a couple of important omissions and inaccuracies in Peter's review concerning the 360 which I would like to see corrected.

1. The 360 DOES support 1080p via VGA which most new tvs support (not a limitation since tvs that support 1080p are even newer - heck, my 1080i Mitsubishi tv can handle a VGA connector). Peter should have mentioned this since it is an important capability of the add-on.

2. "So when/if Microsoft ever releases a new generation Xbox 360 with HDMI and/or analog audio outputs, Dolby Digital is the best audio you are going to get out of the add-on."

There is no reason to make the above statement, if Microsoft does eventually support an HDMI connection, I can see no technical reason whatsoever why it could not pass the audio streams over the HDMI either over decoded PCM or in raw TrueHD (especially if the HDMI connector would be 1.3).

[jed]

There were a couple of important omissions and inaccuracies in Peter's review concerning the 360 which I would like to see corrected.

1. The 360 DOES support 1080p via VGA which most new tvs support (not a limitation since tvs that support 1080p are even newer - heck, my 1080i Mitsubishi tv can handle a VGA connector). Peter should have mentioned this since it is an important capability of the add-on.

2. "So when/if Microsoft ever releases a new generation Xbox 360 with HDMI and/or analog audio outputs, Dolby Digital is the best audio you are going to get out of the add-on."

There is no reason to make the above statement, if Microsoft does eventually support an HDMI connection, I can see no technical reason whatsoever why it could not pass the audio streams over the HDMI either over decoded PCM or in raw TrueHD (especially if the HDMI connector would be 1.3).

Both of these errors have been corrected. Admittedly, game consoles (and hardware reviews in general) are somewhat outside of our comfort zone here at High-Def Digest, so please keep your comments and corrections coming, and we'll keep updating the article.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Blurry

2. "So when/if Microsoft ever releases a new generation Xbox 360 with HDMI and/or analog audio outputs, Dolby Digital is the best audio you are going to get out of the add-on."
There is no reason to make the above statement, if Microsoft does eventually support an HDMI connection, I can see no technical reason whatsoever why it could not pass the audio streams over the HDMI either over decoded PCM or in raw TrueHD (especially if the HDMI connector would be 1.3).

The above statement should have been "unless"

2. "So unless Microsoft ever releases a new generation Xbox 360 with HDMI and/or analog audio outputs, Dolby Digital and DTS are the best audio you are going to get out of the add-on."

Then it would have been correct.

Originally Posted by Aodh

http://www.highdefdigest.com/feature...x360addon.html
Question, after reading some posts here I tried a standard DVD with a DTS track (Panic Room Superbit) on it and it outputted a DTS signal to my receiver over the optical cable. None of the HD DVD's I have yet have a DTS track on it, is it only a HD DVD thing or could it be a settings thing.

Not many HD DVDs are using DTS.
When they do you'll be able to hear the 1.536Mbps DTS track through the optical out of the add-on, nothing more.
You cannot get lossless audio from the add-on.

[Blurry]

Originally Posted by jed

Both of these errors have been corrected. Admittedly, game consoles (and hardware reviews in general) are somewhat outside of our comfort zone here at High-Def Digest, so please keep your comments and corrections coming, and we'll keep updating the article.

Thanks, I have to commend you for being so responsive in correcting this - on Thanksgiving no less. Clearly you are a dedicated team.

[Aodh]

My question/comment was around:

but because the Xbox 360 can only output Dolby Digital, it downconverts any non-DD signal (including standard DTS tracks)

I can get DTS output over optical using a SD DVD in the new drive. I don't have any DTS HD DVDs to try if it's an issue with that tho. I was just wondering if it's something unique to HD DVD with DTS or what.

[BIGSAPOTEER]

Why are so many people worried about which console has 1080p,7.1 sound, etc...? Does everyone who has a PS3/360 also has a 1080p HD set? Are they able to tell the difference between 1080p/1080i? Thats like having the fastest car in the world, but you live in the city and can't drive faster than 50mph. If someone doesn't have the correct equipment (HDTV, receiver, speakers) than they are only getting 1/2 of what they are paying for.

[9158]

I'd like to point out an error and two inaccuracies from the otherwise very informative article:

1) You state that the PS3 doesn't have internal Dolby TrueHD-decoding capabilities, but in fact it has. (See http://investor.dolby.com/ReleaseDet...leaseID=211947 , http://ultimateavmag.com/news/100506ps3dolby/ and many other sites.) So you can let the ps3 decode TrueHD into uncompressed multi-channel linear PCM, and then your receiver can do all of the equalization, etc. So you DO get lossless audio from the PS3, while you can't with the 360 add-on. I think this is a significant difference that you should mention.

2) Why did you remove the statement that Sony may give the ps3 the option to output 1080p24 with a firmware upgrade? In fact, it's considered quite likely by posters at AVSforum, and it is certainly technically feasible.

3) You complained that the PS3 has a proprietary connection for component. However, that is true for the 360 as well. I know that the 360 has a component cable bundled, but it doesn't have a VGA one, and it is proprietary too, so you have to buy it from Microsoft. Maybe you should write that.

[Blurry]

Originally Posted by 9158

3) You complained that the PS3 has a proprietary connection for component. However, that is true for the 360 as well. I know that the 360 has a component cable bundled, but it doesn't have a VGA one, and it is proprietary too, so you have to buy it from Microsoft. Maybe you should write that.

The 360 provides the component cables (as well as a composite cable) which allow HD content to be played, which is a big difference from the composite cable that the PS3 includes, which cannot transmit HD. The component cables will match the needs of the vast majority of HD set owners, a composite cable will match the needs of none.

[Parqer]

I wanted to let you know that the Xbox 360 update allows for 1080p output over component cables as well, assuming the TV supports it.

[bluwizard]

Dear highdefdigest, don't you have any receiver that supports 1080p 24bit 192khz PCM 7.1 via HDMI? PS3 can support PCM 7.1, TRUE HD 7.1 decoding and it can output them via HDMI. Without that reciever like YAMAHA RX-V1700, you can NOT insist you're using the best consumer HD home theater products currently on the market.

And blu-ray & hd dvd both supports audio channels up to 7.1, so I hope you upgrade your system to 7.1 ch, not 6.1 ch.

Well, it's expensive, but you are professionals, so I think you should do so.

Thanks.

[Tejstar]

Originally Posted by Parqer

I wanted to let you know that the Xbox 360 update allows for 1080p output over component cables as well, assuming the TV supports it.

Only for games, not for HD-DVD movies. For movies the maximum resolution you will get is 1080i.

[Tejstar]

Originally Posted by bluwizard

And blu-ray & hd dvd both supports audio channels up to 7.1, so I hope you upgrade your system to 7.1 ch, not 6.1 ch.

But how many discs support native 7.1 channels? For a time, I had a 6.1 setup (of which there are a few discs) but found that it didn’t offer a massive difference over 5.1. If you have a well setup 5.1 system, there is no need for extra speakers imo.

[9158]

Originally Posted by 9158

I'd like to point out an error and two inaccuracies from the otherwise very informative article:

1) You state that the PS3 doesn't have internal Dolby TrueHD-decoding capabilities, but in fact it has. (See http://investor.dolby.com/ReleaseDet...leaseID=211947 , http://ultimateavmag.com/news/100506ps3dolby/ and many other sites.) So you can let the ps3 decode TrueHD into uncompressed multi-channel linear PCM, and then your receiver can do all of the equalization, etc. So you DO get lossless audio from the PS3, while you can't with the 360 add-on. I think this is a significant difference that you should mention.

2) Why did you remove the statement that Sony may give the ps3 the option to output 1080p24 with a firmware upgrade? In fact, it's considered quite likely by posters at AVSforum, and it is certainly technically feasible.

3) You complained that the PS3 has a proprietary connection for component. However, that is true for the 360 as well. I know that the 360 has a component cable bundled, but it doesn't have a VGA one, and it is proprietary too, so you have to buy it from Microsoft. Maybe you should write that.

You TOTALLY IGNORED my post! You even answered 2 posts after mine and you did not answer mine, and you did not correct the article!
Do you understand that the ps3 CAN decode Dolby TrueHD, and in the text of the artice you wrote the EXACT OPPOSITE?

QUOTE: "So yep, that's right -- with no analog outputs and no internal Dolby TrueHD and/or DTS-HD decoding, you still can't hear those high-end audio formats without a receiver or outboard decoder."

[jed]

You TOTALLY IGNORED my post! You even answered 2 posts after mine and you did not answer mine, and you did not correct the article!
Do you understand that the ps3 CAN decode Dolby TrueHD, and in the text of the artice you wrote the EXACT OPPOSITE?

9158 -- we're not ignoring you. When Peter (our editor and the writer of the article) returns from Thanksgiving holiday on Monday, he will address your comments and make any necessary corrections to the article. Apologies for the delay, and sincere thanks for your feedback.

BTW, I think the later answers you refer to are some comments made by one of moderators. Our moderators are volunteer members of this community, and not writers or staff of High-Def Digest. In other words, they're not able to edit or correct content on www.highdefdigest.com, and their opinions are their own (not High-Def Digest's).