Optical vs. HDMI Audio?

Question

This question has been asked before but there's a slight difference here.

I'm using a PS3 which has HDMI and Optical output. I have the option to separate the audio to the optical and I was wondering if there is a difference. I know it will probably require some of the most expensive speakers to really hear the difference, but to put myself at ease I just want to know which is better. As I understand it, the PS3 can decode the Dolby / whatever other digital audio there is. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

There are some formats optical digital doesn't support: Dolby True HD, DTS HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus. You will need to use HDMI to utilize these formats with the ps3's blu ray player (along with a compatible receiver).

Answer 2

Here's a quick link showing how to get the best sound out of your Blu-ray Discs:  http://www.avtruths.com/uncompressed.htm...

(Also, due to hardware limitations, the PS3 converts all "DolbyTrueHD" and "DTSHD Master Audio" signals into "Uncompressed PCM" before sending them out over an HDMI cable to your receiver.)

Answer 3

As mentioned by those who answered before: optical Audio doesn't support the newer formats. (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) As far as I know the maximum capacity of a toslink just doesn't suffice for the amount of data that needs to be transfered for these new formats which use a lossless compression as far as I remember.

However what I would like to add is, that both new formats always include a core DTS or dolby digital stream. So if you see a disc in the shop that only has Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio tracks you don't need to be afraid you'd need a new AV reciever to get any sound at all. If you connect a dolby digital decoder via optical cable to your PS3 and configure your PS3's audio settings to only put through dolby digital (and maybe dts depending on your recievers capabilities) yo will still get the surround sound you're used to from DVDs. ;) I also might add that with not-high-end speakers you most likely won't hear no or almost no difference between to new losless formats and dolby digital or dts.

Answer 4

yes ps3 is pretty awesome with its support of audio formats and will pretty much output any if the current dolby and dts surround sound formats. honestly in terms of quality HDMI and optical are so close you wont notice a difference. you could only see that HDMI is slightly better with its supported formats. a digital signal is a digital signal and is either there or not there so there wont be any difference between the two audible or not. however HDMI supports higher data transfer rates and therefor supports the latest surround sound formats so i would use that if you are using dolby True HD or another one of the modern formats. but you need a receiver to even take advantage of this and it needs to be very good and very current at that.

Answer 5

There is a big difference between optical and HDMI. With a compatible receiver ( called HDMI switching or repeater ) and connected from PS3 to receiver via HDMI, you can enjoy the crystal surround sound from some new HD formats as DTS -HD Master or Dolby True HD on Blu-ray movies.

Answer 6

Here is the deal which many others have hit on part of it but haven't really gotten the whole thing.

Optical and coax for that matter (digital is digital, period) support 16 bit sound at 48kHz. (Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, etc.)

HDMI supports 24 bit sound at 96 kHz. (Dolby True HD, DTS HD) with 7.1 channels in the case of Dolby and an unlimited number of channels in the case of DTS.

The difference is clearly audible with almost any decent speakers and equipment.

I don't think we will see sound go much beyond 24/96 but I've been wrong before, lol. I thought CDs (16/48) sounded great until I heard 24/96 sound. Time will tell.