Should I upgrade My AV Receiver?

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1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 29949 23-Jan-2009 23:56

I have slightly different requirements than most who post on this particular forum.

I have recently updated my HTPC to Blu-ray with the inclusion of a BD drive. I have, up until now, used SPDif to send all my audio across to my Denon AVR-1803 AV receiver, which has been brilliant for the last 6 years.

I realise that SPDif does not have the ability to decode HD audio over & above 1536 kbs, meaning TrueHD & DTSHD MA cannot be sent. I have a video card that I don't think can send audio via DVI>HDMI -Asus EN 8500GT.

Question: given that HN has a sale on amps, etc. this weekend, is it worth upgrading now to a receiver that has HD decoding ability? Is the HD sound that much of an improvement over the standard DD/DTS? Cheers.

Silverstone LC14 HTPC Case/Intel E4600 CPU/GA-EP35-DS3 MOBO/Asus EN9500GT graphics/2GB RAM/total 2TB HDD space/HVR-2200 & 2X 150MCE tuner cards/LG GGC-H20L BD Drive/MCE2005/Mediaportal/TVServer 1.1.0Final/LG 55"3D LED-TV/Denon AVR-1803 receiver/X1 projector

bazzer

3304 posts

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# 191771 24-Jan-2009 11:04

Yes, it is. However, sounds like you don't currently have a way to use it so I wouldn't worry about it. By the time you are able to output the HD audio formats, probably even the entry level receivers will have that functionality. There's something to be said for future-proofing, but since your 1803 is working fine, I'd stick with that until you need to upgrade and then buy the best you can afford.

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 191802 24-Jan-2009 13:56

Same as my thinking. Be great if a standard that would use enhanced bandwidth transport across a digital interface was developed.

Nety

2584 posts

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# 191812 24-Jan-2009 14:36

1gkar: Same as my thinking. Be great if a standard that would use enhanced bandwidth transport across a digital interface was developed.

There is.. its called HDMI but yeah get your point. I am guessing that we will see more soundcards that have HDMI interfaces that can pass though video and add full HD sound. Currently the only options are things like the Xonar which are hellishly expensive and do not work well.

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

StumpyB

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

# 191855 24-Jan-2009 19:47

The other way to get the new codecs is to use the analog inputs on your amp. This still requires a new audio card with 5.1/7.1 analog outputs, but would mean you could keep your current amp. Make sure you get a card that can output full quality analog though (once again, they aren't cheap).

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 192342 27-Jan-2009 18:17

Nety:
1gkar: Same as my thinking. Be great if a standard that would use enhanced bandwidth transport across a digital interface was developed.

There is.. its called HDMI but yeah get your point. I am guessing that we will see more soundcards that have HDMI interfaces that can pass though video and add full HD sound. Currently the only options are things like the Xonar which are hellishly expensive and do not work well.

It would be nice if the powers-that-be could have considered the supposed minority/niche area of the market that is HTPC from the outset of HDMI developement. If there had been initial consultation with the top echelons of PC manufacturers then we would not see the usual haphazard approach...maybe. But then again, there are sections of the PC media that continue to see the HTPC as nothing more than a passing fad.

AAAArrrghhh, it can get so frustrating. Still, at least I have a stable, working system, unlike many posting on the HTPC forum.