PS3 vs. BDP

codyc1ark
codyc1ark Posts: 2,532
edited February 2011 in Electronics
So I've also been considering picking up a mid level blu ray player. But I'm wondering if there will be a huge difference between either PQ or SQ. I've heard that the PS3 is a great player, but won't do master audio or true HD audio, I'm not sure if this is true or not.

Anyone have anymore information about this? Pros/cons? Thanks.
Post edited by codyc1ark on
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  • punk-roc
    punk-roc Posts: 1,150
    edited February 2011
    Actually, I'm curious about this too.. a similiar question has crossed my mind as well.. I currently use a PS3..
    2-Channel - So far...
    Pre: Dodd ELP
    DAC: W4S-Dac2
    Source(s): Computer and Denon 2910
    Amp: Parasound HCA-1200II
    Speakers: LSi9s - Vr3 Fortress Mod
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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited February 2011
    All the PS3s do DTS MA-HD and TrueHD. The old (fat) ones decode it and send it via multichannel PCM only - but its the same.
    The new ones can bitstream it so that your receiver can decode it.
    Both over HDMI. The main difference is will that pretty DTS light on your receiver come on.
    I hear that stand alone players give better video performance. I personally don't see much of a difference.
    I currently have:
    PS3 Fat
    Panasonic BMP-35k
    Sony BDP-S1
    Sony BDP-BX57 (same as 570)
    Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD
    I like the Pioneer Elite's quality the most, it barely edges out the Sony BDP-BX57. The Sony loads movies 100x faster, though.
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
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  • coolsax
    coolsax Posts: 1,826
    edited February 2011
    Yeah the PS3 can absolutely do the lossless Audio. I have the slim one and my AVR decodes it just fine and states which format is being used.
    Main 2ch -
    BlueSound Node->Ethereal optical cable->Peachtree Audio Nova 150->GoldenEar Triton 2+
    TT - Pro-ject Classic SB with Sumiko Bluepoint.

    TV 3.1 system -
    Denon 3500 -> Dynaudio Excite 32/22
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited February 2011
    Lol, Cody, whoever told you the PS3 won't play in DTS MA or True HD audio , quit listening to them,they are wrong. I've been pretty happy using my PS3 for Bluray movies, but would like to find a damn good stand alone BDP with 1.4 hdmi in case I end up with a 3D Tv someday.
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  • LuSh
    LuSh Posts: 887
    edited February 2011
    Buy a Laserdisc player and experience a new reference in sound. (Picture might require a blind fold around your eyes however).
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  • jbooker82
    jbooker82 Posts: 1,627
    edited February 2011
    Polkie2009 wrote: »
    Lol, Cody, whoever told you the PS3 won't play in DTS MA or True HD audio , quit listening to them,they are wrong. I've been pretty happy using my PS3 for Bluray movies, but would like to find a damn good stand alone BDP with 1.4 hdmi in case I end up with a 3D Tv someday.


    My PS3 plays 3d Blue Rays.
    AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
    Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
    Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
    Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
    Rear: FXI A4
    Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
    TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
    Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
    IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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  • gsxr141
    gsxr141 Posts: 143
    edited February 2011
    i was told that the ps3 is the $hit when it comes to playing a blu-ray disc.
    50" samsung dlp
    receiver... pioneer elite vsx72txv
    front... polk tsi400's
    rear surrounds... polk tsi100's
    center... polk csi3
    subs... psw150..... 2 of them.
    surrounds.....polk owm3's
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  • Earthy
    Earthy Posts: 488
    edited February 2011
    Don't forget the PS3 is likely the most future proof blu ray player.
    Polk Audio SDA SRS 2.3TL
    Parasound Halo A21
    Parasound Halo P3

    Home theater
    Polk LSiM 707, 706c, 703, 705
    Polk Blackstone TL3 for height
    SVS PB12-ISD Sub
    Denon AVR-X6400h
    Parasound Halo A51
    LG OLED65B7A
    Sony UBPX800
    Logitech Harmony Elite
    PC LSiM 703
    Spare LSIM 702 and 706c

    Home Theater #2
    Polk Audio LS70, CS350LS, LSF/X, S4
    Onkyo TX-NR808



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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited February 2011
    Earthy wrote: »
    Don't forget the PS3 is likely the most future proof blu ray player.

    I'd say the ps3 used to be the most future proof blu-ray player. However, it is based on hardware that came out in 2006. And although the new slims got a nice upgrade to enable bitstreaming TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, it's still an HDMI 1.3 player.

    So yes it will do 3D. But you lose the lossless audio when viewing 3D blu-rays. Firmware was great for all of us early adopters as the hardware was over engineered (meant for video games) for a blu-ray player, and it always seemed to be on the cutting edge of blu-ray features released years later. But firmware can't make up for lack of hardware. So I'd expect future dedicated players with new specialized hardware to pull away from the ps3 in terms of new stuff like 3D and whatever they come up with next.
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  • blueboxer
    blueboxer Posts: 621
    edited February 2011
    I am still doubtful that 3D is ever going to really go mainstream, but even if it does the PS3 is a great bargain of a player for all that it offers. However, I never did really enjoy it as a CD player, the original playstation sounded better with its limitations actually adding a nice little distorted flavor of its own. lol

    With iTunes and all the digital venues out there I have been on the quest for the best digital source instead of a high end cd player, but I have really enjoyed listing to some of the Arcam and NAD pieces out there.
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  • codyc1ark
    codyc1ark Posts: 2,532
    edited February 2011
    nguyendot wrote: »
    All the PS3s do DTS MA-HD and TrueHD. The old (fat) ones decode it and send it via multichannel PCM only - but its the same.
    The new ones can bitstream it so that your receiver can decode it.
    Both over HDMI. The main difference is will that pretty DTS light on your receiver come on.

    Another excellent answer from the dot! I love pretty DTS lights though! This answerers my questions.
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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited February 2011
    Yeah I was disappointed only seeing "Multi-channel PCM" on my HK 254 for the longest time. I finally got a bitstreaming player and then realized my receiver doesn't have the DTS or DD lights at all...lol. It just changed the display from Multi-Channel PCM to DTS-MSTR HD.

    Oh well... Now on the Onkyo the lights do come on! The sound quality is exactly the same from the PS3 though, it's just a vanity thing.
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited February 2011
    This is what's happening.

    Player Decode
    Lossless codec --> lossless decode to PCM --> HDMI transfer to AVR --> Digital Processing --> Analog Conversion --> Out to Speakers

    Bitstream
    Lossless codec --> HDMI transfer to AVR --> lossless decode to PCM --> Digital Processing --> Analog Conversion --> Out to Speakers

    If everything is dialed in correctly, the two processes really are almost identical. And you're getting the same lossless either way.
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited February 2011
    Just to show how overengineered the ps3 was for 2006, I have three 192kHz/24-bit lossless blu-rays. On my supposedly advanced bitstream capable pre-amp, it plays the multichannel DTS-HD MA tracks bitstreamed from my slim just fine but downconverts multichannel TrueHD to stereo when bitstreamed. And many AVRs can't even handle 192kHz/24-bit.

    But even my fat blu-ray launch ps3 decodes everything just fine and sends it out as multichannel 192kHz/24-bit PCM which my pre-amp can handle.
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited February 2011
    192kHz/24-bit sounds amazing, BTW. I didn't even realize at first I was listening to my Akira blu-ray in stereo 'cause I was enjoying the lossless track so much. Then I looked at my pre-amp and only two speakers were lit up with a big 'stereo' on the display.
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  • mufsoman
    mufsoman Posts: 635
    edited February 2011
    My PS3 is an older version. I wanted to test the PCM vs. bitstream myself and bought an open box Pioneer BDP320. There's alot of threads here already regarding this topic, but I still stand by my opinion that bitstream is better. So I will always watch blurays on the Pioneer BDP.
    Parasound HCA-2003A & 2205A
    Front: Rti12's
    Center: Csi A6
    Side surrounds: Polk Rti A1's
    Atmos: Mirage Nanosats
    APC H15
    Power cords by Pepster, Morrow MA4 IC's, AQ Midnight, AQ Chocolate HDMI's[/SIZE]
    The rest is TBD.
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited February 2011
    mufsoman wrote: »
    My PS3 is an older version. I wanted to test the PCM vs. bitstream myself and bought an open box Pioneer BDP320. There's alot of threads here already regarding this topic, but I still stand by my opinion that bitstream is better. So I will always watch blurays on the Pioneer BDP.

    There was a difference to me also. I like bitstream having the avr doing the decoding.
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited February 2011
    mufsoman wrote: »
    My PS3 is an older version. I wanted to test the PCM vs. bitstream myself and bought an open box Pioneer BDP320. There's alot of threads here already regarding this topic, but I still stand by my opinion that bitstream is better. So I will always watch blurays on the Pioneer BDP.

    Differences often come up in the way AVRs apply digital processing after the codec is decoded. AVRs will often apply different processing (bass management, etc.) to PCM input vs. bitstream input because the AVR 'knows' that the bitstream is TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, etc. But PCM input is 'anonymous' and could come from an SACD source, a movie track source, or any other. And there are different processing needs based on different source material. So PCM is much harder to dial in correctly and set-up than bitstream. But it's necessary as some blu-rays only have uncompressed LPCM tracks and if you don't have the AVR set up properly (like adding the +10db LFE boost if it doesn't do it by default), then there will be problems with the playback of PCM tracks and they can sound inferior.
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