Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Why doesn't somebody invent.....

An outboard processor that decodes all the new HD audio formats (DD True HD, DTS HD MA etc)?

It should be an HDMI switcher that also decodes all the formats, HD and reg (DD & DTS) and output via HDMI as PCM AND bitstream as well as analog outputs. And it should sell for $300 max.

This would allow a lot of people with older systems to enjoy the new formats without having to shell out $700 and up. Of course your receiver would have to either allow multi channel PCM or anaolg input.

just a thought

In other words, you want an inexpensive surround sound processor...

well, yeah....duh

I once had an onkyo receiver and they sold an outboard Dolby Digital processor for it...someone should do it for older model receivers...I bet they would sell quite a few.

Sorry. I was having trouble with the site and the post left without me completing...

Since the "receiver would have to either allow multi channel PCM or anaolg input", you are ok right now. HD Players are obligated to decode all formats. I could be missing something, but what would you gain by introducing an extraneous decoder?

Players are not obligated to decode all formats, they are obligated to pass along via bitstream for the decoding to be done on the receiver side.... but not all receivers can decode these formats so they rely on the player to decode internally. Herein lies the problem since not all players decode internally. And I don't think there is a single player out there that decodes DTS HD MA internally.