Current state of HDMI Dolby True HD and DTS Master audio unaltered digital output

iansilv

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
335
Alright, with various motherboards out or on the horizon that have hdmi output, the auzentech hdmi extension board almost here, and Power DVD 8 released, do we have the true unaltered, digital output of uncompressed audio yet? Where is technology with relation to this "holy grail" we all want?
 
Support for TrueHD and DTS-HD MA passthrough has never been a requirement for uncompressed audio. So long as there's a decoder on the player's end, HDMI 1.1 or greater can pass unmolested, full-bandwidth LPCM with up to 8 channels at up to 24-bit/192kHz. According to what I know, any modern AMD video card can output six channels of PCM at up to 24-bit/48kHz via its HDMI outputs (assuming it doesn't use the anti-consumer DisplayPort instead). Full support for 24-bit/192kHz will arrive, I guess, with the X-Tension HDMI, but ASUS may beat Auzentech to it (if they haven't already -- I haven't been keeping track of things lately).

There isn't any real advantage to very high sampling rates for home theater playback, so the AMD way of doing things is about as good as it practically needs to be.
 
I don't agree with the sampling rates part- I am talking about true, un-molested un changed audio out to a receiver. While it might sound the same to most people, including myself, there are other reasons to get the sound in its original form out of the computer- I am talking about for things like D-Box syncing when they get their act together and support true hd and dts master from blurays as opposed to the simultaneous dd syncing they have now.

So we are still waiting for the hdmi on the X-Tension HDMI or Asus...

How does PowerDVD 8 factor in to the equation?
 
I don't really know. I'm not familiar with PowerDVD. Is version 8 supposed to be a landmark release?
 
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