Please could people give their views on the 3 DVD output formats available on my DVD player (PCM / Bitstream / 2ch Analogue).

Ideally I'd like to set it to one for both Video and Audio and forget about it as I use the DVD player for CD playback as well.

Will I sacrifice Audio playback quality if I use one of the formats that will work for both CD & DVD ?

At the moment i'm using bitstream for both.

Regards,
Mike.

[mjn]

if you have a digital connection to your amp, then leave it on Bitstream, otherwise you'll get a down-mix of stereo on all material.

And this output is for audio, nothing to do with video.

[CJROSS]

The PCM setting on your DVD player should be used if your sending a signal to an offboard DAC or a digital recorder such as a CD-R or MD deck or If your wanting the best sound from CD from your CDs. Otherwise a Bitsream signal to your DD Amp for DD 5.1 decoding at the amp end. Unfortunately these have to be set on the DVD menu which is a pain in the backside if your switching between modes for different uses.

The Analogue outputs on your DVD player mean that the signal has been through the DVD Players onboard DAC and you can use these connections, most people just switch between the PCM (CD) / Bitsrteam (DVD DD5.1) for their amp, you can send a PCM signal to an amp and let the DD Amp decode using its onbaord DAC's - this is usually more preferable for CD playback.

Hope this is'nt too confusing !!

[lynx]

Originally posted by CJROSS
Unfortunately these have to be set on the DVD menu which is a pain in the backside if your switching between modes for different uses.

Not so. I take a coaxial signal to the amp for movies and for cd's i have a pair of phono's into a different input.It's then just a matter of selecting the appropriate input via the amp.Hope that makes sense.

[CJROSS]

Originally posted by lynx

Not so. I take a coaxial signal to the amp for movies and for cd's i have a pair of phono's into a different input.It's then just a matter of selecting the appropriate input via the amp.Hope that makes sense.

Lynx – it makes perfect sense dude, I know about the different sound outputs on a DVD player, but the original question was about views on all 3 formats & sacrificing sound quality on audio playback from CD :

So to end any confusion to save swtiching between modes for audio/visual you will have to :

Set output to bitsream for signal to DD amp.
Send CD signals via DVD analogue outputs.
Plus Point : No need to switch between PCM/Bitream output
Neg Point : You can get better CD Audio playback than this

This is not the best solution for CD playback though as your using the DVD’s onboard DAC instead of sending the signal via PCM into the Amps DAC’s (which are generally considered to be better BTW). I use my Pioneer DVD as a transport and set the output to PCM for use with an offboard DAC.

The option of using a DVD’s analogue outputs is the least satisfactory for CD Audio playback IMHO, if you have a AV amp your better sending a PCM signal and using the amps DAC’s to process the sound, rather than using another input. The only drawback with this is that you have to change from PCM to Bitsream on the DVD output menu when you switch from music to movies. So conversely to get the best sound from your CD collection you will have to :

Set output to PCM for signal to DD amp.
CD sound is sent via PCM to DD amp for decoding
Plus Point : Best CD Audio playback
Neg Point : Need to switch between PCM/Bitream output when changing from AV to Music & vice versa.

I'm not suggesting it is the best ie it would be better if the DVD automatically switched between PCM & Bitstream but until then we have to fanny around with output settings to get the best sound from our music. All IMHO.

[mjn]

Originally posted by CJROSS

This is not the best solution for CD playback though as your using the DVD’s onboard DAC instead of sending the signal via PCM into the Amps DAC’s (which are generally considered to be better BTW). I use my Pioneer DVD as a transport and set the output to PCM for use with an offboard DAC.

Surely sending a bitstream signal via a digital connection from your DVD player to your AMP, the AMP's DAC will be used, and not the DVD's.....

[CJROSS]

Originally posted by mjn
Surely sending a bitstream signal via a digital connection from your DVD player to your AMP, the AMP's DAC will be used, and not the DVD's.....

Yup that is correct - The only time the DVD-V players DAC comes into play is when you use the analogue outputs from the DVD-V player.

But If you want the best sound from CD's from your DVD-V player towards a DD amp - the best output signal to use is a PCM digital signal IMO. Sending bitstream will use the Amp DAC's as well agreed, but purely on music terms the best signal to send any DAC (offboard or a DD Amp’s) is a pure PCM signal IME.

[lynx]

Originally posted by mjn


Surely sending a bitstream signal via a digital connection from your DVD player to your AMP, the AMP's DAC will be used, and not the DVD's.....

That was indeed my point.It appears far to bright and aggresive when delivered to the amp as a bitstream (i stress that this is only my very humble opinion).