Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Is the BD-P1600 the right one?

by alexrodr May 23, 2009 9:59PM PDT

Hi,
I'm looking for a Blu-Ray player. I have an old receiver with no HDMI inputs. I can connect HDMI video to my TV, but 5.1 audio needs to go either analog (6 RCA cables) or through optical or coaxial (digital) outputs to my receiver.
I've been searching players with physical 5.1 analog outputs, the P1600 doesn't look like having them, but if I could use the optical or coaxial digital output for the 5.1 info on the Blu-Ray, as I do with a normal DVD player, that would simplify my search.
I mean, I'm interested on the HD 5.1 audio (either Dolby True HD or DTS-HD) through the optical or coaxial.
Some models I have searched say on their specs:
"Dolby TrueHD /DTS-HD bitstream out over HDMI (V1.3)", so I know the HD audio will be on the HDMI output. I want it on the optical output.
Does this one or any other has it?
Thanks,
Alex

Discussion is locked

3 Posts
- Collapse + Expand Details
- Collapse -
Re: Is the BD-P1600 the right one?
by mrobsession May 26, 2009 3:51AM PDT

The optical or coaxial digital output will allow you to bitstream older audio formats such as Dolby Digital and DTS, but not TrueHD or DTS-HD. Even if you could, your receiver wouldn't support them.

To get the newer HD formats, you'll need to do one of two things:

1) Get a receiver that supports those formats and then connect to it with HDMI.

or,

2) Get a Blu-ray player that has an internal decoder for those formats and then output them to your current receiver through multichannel outputs.

The BD-P1600 as you mentioned doesn't have those, so it wouldn't work. You would likely be able to get the older type soundtracks as those are often included.

The model that you're looking for (assuming you don't want to get a new receiver) would be the BD-P3600.

Good luck!

- Collapse -
HD / SD sound
by MrDerbyUK May 26, 2009 6:11PM PDT

Hi,

I have a P3600 and have hooked it up to the amp via the 7.1 analog outputs of the player. However my amp (and I presume pretty much all others) bypasses the DSP when you use discrete analogue inputs like this.

So instead I have hooked it up via digital optical and set the output to Bitstream (audiophile) and after making sure I have selected the correct HD sound track and the result is that I experience no problems.

The question whether the audio is the original HD stream or some re-encoded version of isn't that clear in the manual. I'm guessing only HD video and sound can be passed over HDMI due to the *#@! stupid DRM madness the film studios are so in love with. Sad

Maybe a Samsung rep can clarify the situation.

Thanks

- Collapse -
Samsumg BD-P1600 Optical Adio
by RAD330 Jun 4, 2009 1:30PM PDT

I have just bought one of these units and all the features are good..... however I do not have an HMDI compatible receiver so I need to use the Optical output. At the moment it looks like this unit only outputs 2 channels on the optical port so there is NO SURROUND Sound!.
This is in the fine print in the manual but not mentioned in any of the specs.

Back to Samsung forum

CNET Forums

Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Brand Forums
Roadshow Autos
Off Topic

Other Forums

Forum Info