Will music streamed through bluetooth be digital?

Question

I am looking to by a home cinema system which has bluetooth and was wondering if i stream music from my laptop to the system will it be digital. i.e when i play a dvd or music will it stream in 5.1 digital surround sound

Answer 1

Ok, you opened a can of worms here.  so Let me see if I can explain it.....

The process of streaming is just a stream,  It doesn't change anything digital.  That does not mean 5.1.   I can't imagine that bluetooth can send discreet chanells.  Your receiver will decode the digital signal and turn it into something useable.

Your bluetooth receiver can change the format of the music to whatever endcoding you want.  All channel stereo, dolby surround, DTS, pretty much whatever your receiver is capable of.  That doesn't mean you should.

Regular music (CD's, MP3's) are stereo.  They are also DIGITAL.  Unless you have a cassette tape, or Turntable, you are already playing digital media. If you change the format into anything other than stereo or all channel stereo, it will sound like c**p.

I am not sure why you would play a dvd and stream the audio content via bluetooth.  I think you will lose alot in the transfer.

There has been a lot of Hype about "DIGITAL", so please be aware that digital is NOT the "end all be all".  Your ears work in analog, sound vibrations through the air are analog. Digital systems work very hard to turn a digital signal into a useable analog waveform.  The best quality receivers use a quality DAC (DIGITAL TO ANALOG) conversion system developed by the Burr Brown corporation.  

By process of elimination, if you stream via bluetooth, "yes it's digital.  If you link your laptop to your receiver via the headphone jack it's analog (Computer changes it).  There  are USB 2.0 sound cards (BEST SCENARIO)that will enable you to send a high quality digital signal to your receiver if you want to watch movies.

Sorry if this answer covered too much.  I would have just said yes or no, but there was alot of open area in your question......

When you get the the part about Blu-Ray and really high end Audio signals, you will have about a month, or two depending on your sources of learning to really understand the process.  

Or, you hire a consultant.  If you use the trial and error method, it could end up costing you more.