RSP-1068 & PanasonicBD-55

[june]

hello all,

i'm thinking about getting this bluray player http://reviews.cnet.com/video-player...-33248633.html

how do i get the new surround sound (true hd & hd dts) from the panny to the rotel?

coaxial / optical digital out
or
6 channel analog out

[Kevin D]

Without HDMI, you're only choice is the analog output. I think the new Sony 550 has 7.1 analog out if you had (or are going to have) a 7.1 system.

Kevin D.

[greenjudas]

Kevin, if using a RSP 1066 I suppose the double bass issue would need to be addressed if using the 5.1 analogue?

[PSUfan]

I just purchased the Panny 55 and I have it hooked up to my 1068 via the analog connections. The panny is doing the decoding and rendering my 1068 as a way to increase the volume The panny 55 has the 7.1 option as well. Great unit, sound is fantastic. Just watched The Hulk with the DTS HD, WOW! I had the panny bd 30 before, but the picture quality is a little better with this new unit.

Kevin, if I was to upgrade to the 1570 when it is available would I have the same ability to decode the loss free codecs via hdmi or would I still have to hook it up via the analog connections?

[hifiguymi]

I know you asked Kevin but I answer. With the RSP-1570 you could either bitstream all of the audio to the RSP-1570 through the HDMI and let it do the decoding or let the BD player do the decoding and send a multi channel PCM through the HDMI to the preamp. Theoretically it should sound the same either way but I'd listen to it a decide for yourself. The one benefit of having the preamp do the decoding (bitstreaming) is you may be able to apply processing to a 5.1 channel audio track and get sound from the surround back (Rotel calls them center back) speakers in a 7.1 channel system. Every receiver or preamp I've come across won't do that for a multi channel PCM input. Since most discs are 5.1 you wouldn't get any sound out of the surround back speakers.

Eric

By the way, I was glad to see PSU beat OSU. Now all I need is for MSU to beat PSU and I'll be happy (although it's going to be tough since it's in Happy Valley and the Lions are really good). Go Spartans!!

[PSUfan]

Thanks for the reply Eric! If I understand that correctly then, the biggest opportunity would be if I can hear the difference between my Panny 55 decoding it or the 1570, correct? Or even the difference between the 1068 to the 1570.......Thanks for any input.

Well, not to get off subject......but I have to reply about the Spartans. The win over OSU was big, but could have went either way. MSU always plays us tough, but it is in Happy Valley and if we are undefeated..........Joe Pa might play himself to ensure the win. LOL! GO PSU!

[hifiguymi]

Thanks for the reply Eric! If I understand that correctly then, the biggest opportunity would be if I can hear the difference between my Panny 55 decoding it or the 1570, correct? Or even the difference between the 1068 to the 1570.......Thanks for any input.

The RSP-1069 is better sounding than the RSP-1068 in my opinion so the RSP-1570 should be better then the RSP-1068 since the RSP-1069 and RSP-1570 are more similar than not.

The point I brought up was whether or not there is a difference between the decoding in the player or the preamp and, if there is, what would be better. I've done some comparisons with Denon receivers and their BD player and the performance has always been better using the decoder in the BD player. That may not be the case with these two pieces but we won't know until the RSP-1570 starts shipping.

Well, not to get off subject......but I have to reply about the Spartans. The win over OSU was big, but could have went either way. MSU always plays us tough, but it is in Happy Valley and if we are undefeated..........Joe Pa might play himself to ensure the win. LOL! GO PSU!

I'll be cheering on the Spartans on November 22nd but if they loose, I'll be a Nittany Lion fan in the BCS Championship game.

Eric

[PSUfan]

Eric,

Thanks for explaining that :T I have stayed away from 1069 because I didn't want to have to purchase it. I hate when that happens. You go to demo an item and you must have it. My wife hates it too. Soon, very soon I see a new Rotel in my future.

Shane

[june]

thanks psufan,

i'm going the panny 55 way. if i can get the new surround sounds for $400 instead of $2000, i can put the $1600 towards something else. i love my 1068.

[rockbobmel]

thanks psufan,

i'm going the panny 55 way. if i can get the new surround sounds for $400 instead of $2000, i can put the $1600 towards something else. i love my 1068.

How about $327.85 shipped!!!! http://bountii.com/deal-2372546-pana...k-blu-ray.html







.

[june]

i'm holding out until black friday.

[Ken49r]

From the CNET review the OP provided
The DMP-BD55 can also output high-resolution soundtracks in bit stream format, so you can opt to let your AV receiver handle the decoding duties. There should be absolutely no sound-quality difference between the receiver decoding the soundtracks or the Blu-ray player --and we've never heard any difference ourselves--but some people just like to see their receiver's "Dolby TrueHD"

From Dolbys website
Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus in A/V Receivers
Eventually, A/V receivers will have direct access to Dolby® Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD bitstreams. We are working with the IEC and HDMI organizations to update data protocols to enable future versions of these high-bandwidth interfaces to carry these bitstreams.
To decode these bitstreams, the A/V decoder will need to support the updated data protocols, as well as incorporate these new decoding algorithms. In addition, it will be necessary to select HD discs in which the content maker has permitted the core 5.1 or 7.1 audio bitstreams to bypass the player’s mixing process and be sent directly to the digital outputs of the player. We expect that certain HD discs will permit this, but they may represent a minority of titles. In the end, the sound quality will be essentially the same as that of audio decoded within the player as PCM signals and transported through a current-generation HDMI connection to the A/V receiver.
With six or eight channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio to handle from these new HD formats, the post-processing DSP requirements for an A/V receiver more than double. Rather than devoting the considerable DSP resources to decoding the core audio signals within the A/V processor itself, it may be more fruitful to use the A/V processor’s DSP resources to perform high-resolution post-processing such as bass management, room or speaker equalization, Dolby Pro Logic® IIx decoding, or other types of digital signal processing.

Multichannel Analog Connection
A next-generation optical player may also include line-level audio outputs derived from the multichannel mixed PCM signal passed through digital-to-analog converters. The advent of SACD and DVD-Audio in recent years has led to the incorporation of 5.1 and even 7.1 external inputs on many A/V receivers. If your A/V receiver is equipped with 5.1 or 7.1 external audio inputs, the selection of an optical player equipped with 5.1- or 7.1-channel line-level outputs will provide full-bandwidth reproduction of the audio signal originating from your HD player.

Dolby link

IMO it seems the Pre-Pro onboard decoding won't give any benefits in SQ over the Source doing the decoding. Given the fact that Dolby and Rotel both gave the same preference that decoding be done at the Source I'm surprised that HDMI 1.3 seems to be a necessity for some in determining a purchase. Maybe in the Big Box brands it is because the more bells and whistles a product has the better it sells.

I think the RSP-1069 currently selling new for almost 1/2 off MSRP is the deal of the decade. Considering the economic times we are in the RSP-1570 would really have to outshine over the 1069 in more than just it's HDMI 1.3 and polished metal.

Ken

[june]

hello psufan,

just got my panny 55, what setting did you use to get the hd-dts & dolby thur the 6 channel analog outputs? not waiting for christmas.

[Ferres]

Turn off hdmi audio and secondary audio.

[Dmantis]

I have Installed this player and I think it's fantastic. It's quicker then the older models and has internal decoding. To get into the new audio formats and keep your exsisting preamp, this is the way to go.

I didn't run cd on it, how would you rate it playing cd's?

[Ferres]

I'm pleasantly surprised with it's CD performance. It's a solid CD player.

[june]

thanks ferres,

my wife & i heard the difference between the bd-30 (dolbly digital) & the bd-55 (dolby truehd 5.1) right away on the dark knight. now can wait to get off work to hear some dts hd master audio.

i'll also try a few jazz cd's tonight. will the music be 2-channel or 5.1? if 5.1, how can i get it to do 2 channel with the rotel rsp-1068?

[Ferres]

It will play stereo CD's in stereo and 5.1 material in 5.1 with dvd audio disks. I don't have sacd so I can't say anything about sacd content.

[PSUfan]

June,

I did the above mentioned by Ferres. The player is outstanding! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Shane

[n9949y]

Db-55/rsx-965

Central to my Home theater is the Rotel RSX-965 which because of its many audio inputs including phono, and, of course, its renowned audio reproduction I'm loathe to part with. Fortunately the receiver was designed to handle SACD through its 5.1 DB25 inputs.

I found in Portland,OR a 5.1 RCA/DB25 cable which is allowing me to attach the new Panasonic DMP-BD55 Blu-ray player from its audio analog RCA outputs to the receiver's BD25 inputs providing my system the new lossless Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, etc, in addition to the legacy Dolby digital, etc.

So because of Rotel's 1999 era forward-looking engineering, I'm enjoying 10 yrs later the latest in audio/video.

Receiver- Rotel RSX 965
TV Monitor, DLP, LG RU-44SZ63D
Laser Disc Player- Pioneer CLD 1080
Field Sound Processor- Yamaha DSP E300
Comcast Cable- Motorola DCT6200
Tape Deck- Kenwood Double KX-W5040
Blu Ray- Panasonic DMP-BD55
Graphic Equalizer- Pioneer GR-555
CD Player- Fisher DAC 195
VCR, Hi-Fi - Panasonic PV-4021
VCR, Hi-Fi- JVC SQPB
Turntable/Changer- Garrard Zero 100
Sub Woofers, 2 –Yamaha, powered YST-SW100 & YST WS-205
Speakers, 4, Paradigm Titan (2 for Rotel main fronts, 2 for Yamaha DSP front effects)
Speakers, 2 Dynaco A25 (Rotel rear effects)
Speakers, 2 Acoustic Research 18S, (Yamaha rear effects)
Speakers, 2 Realistic Minimus 7W ( Yamaha DSP Center, Rotel Center)
AC Voltage Activated Outlet Switch, Niles AC-3
Head phones, Sennheiser HD280 Pro

[Ferres]

It's a great player overall

[june]

RSP-1066 & Panasonic BD-30

hello all,

i hook up the panny to the rotel via 6-channel output / inputs. went into the menu & did the same set up as the panny bd-55. activated the dts-hd master on the bluray "sunshine" and OMG!!!

since i can't display nothing but "multi" on the rotel, what am i hearing???

[june]

hello all,

1st forgive me, i went to public school, you have to press the audio button twice on the remote to get the hd-surround sounds. if pressed once all you get is dts / dolby multi. but twice gives you dts-hd master / true dd.

[Ferres]

Some bluray disks don't have the hd audio formats as default. So you have to select them.

[robert L]

u cannot get the new surround sources to the rotel because the 1068 doesnt except it ,the new rotel preamp does though, the rsp1570

[robert L]

the 1068's advanced speaker menue is where u set up your stereo to play either 2 3 5 or 7 channel, its real easy

[hifiguymi]

u cannot get the new surround sources to the rotel because the 1068 doesnt except it ,the new rotel preamp does though, the rsp1570

If someone has an RSP-1068 and a Panasonic DMP-BD55 they can get the HD audio formats using the multi channel inputs on the preamp and the multi channel outputs on the BD player. That is what people are discussing here.

Eric

[Ken49r]

Some bluray disks don't have the hd audio formats as default. So you have to select them.

I have noticed this too. Glad I purchased the remote for the PS3 and using the display button I am able to see the audio being output and change it if necessary.

[David L.]

After reading the reviews and comments regarding the Panasonic DMP-BD55K I decided to buy one to pair with my RSP-1068.

The trouble is, it seems that it is already discontinued. I've been waiting for Best Buy and Circuit City to get them in, but they've been out of stock for a while and can't tell me when they will be back in stock. I've also checked the B&H, Adorama and Crutchfield websites and they all state that it's discontinued.

I couldn't find a link on the Panasonic website to contact them so I figured I'd ask you guys. Why was it discontinued so quickly and is there a comparable unit that I might want to try?

Thanks,
Dave

[june]

hello dave

amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-...1984658&sr=8-2

circuit city: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panas...oductDetail.do

[David L.]

hello dave

amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-...1984658&sr=8-2

circuit city: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panas...oductDetail.do

Thanks, June. If you check the Circuit City website link that you posted it shows that it is out of stock on-line and unavailable at the 3 Florida stores listed. The Amazon website shows it is available for $569.99-$699.99 which is $170.00-$300.00 over MSRP. Talk about price gouging!

I punched in random zip codes in the Circuit City search box from CA. to MA. and it seems it isn't available anywhere.

The interesting thing is the major big box stores don't have it nor do they know when they'll get it, and the three I mentioned earlier state that it's discontinued. Hmm...

[june]

dave,

checkout panny's website

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Video/Blu-ray-Disc-Players.list.75009_11002_7000000000000005702

[David L.]

dave,

checkout panny's website
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-e...00000000005702

June, thanks for the info. I just called Panasonic directly and it is in fact discontinued and will be replaced with a new model at the end of March or beginning of April. The replacement for the 55 is the DMP-BD80 and the replacement for the 35 is the DMP-BD60.

Guess I'm always the last one to get on the bus.

[bleeding ears]

If the Panasonic is not available is there any other comparable unit/brand in the same price range available at the moment ?

It must of course have the 5 or 7.1 analog outputs for the 1068 processor.

Anyone know?

[june]

dave,

bleeding ears has a point. i use a sony s550 with a rotel rsp 1066. and i love it.

[june]

dave,

this is why http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1105827

[David L.]

dave,

this is why http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1105827

Thanks for the link, June. Some interesting thoughts/comments.

I guess I'll wait for the new BD80. Not that I have a choice if I want to stick with the Panny.