I'm looking at different options for upgrading my home theatre/sound system setup and one option is to build a Media Centre PC.
My question is if I were to use the DVD player in the PC as my main DVD and CD device (with a digital out to my amp) how would the quality of the audio and video compare to a dedicated DVD player?
Assumptions: - DVD player compared to would be a mid priced multi-format (ie SACD/DVD-A) player like a Denon or Marantz - PC would have a decent quality sound and video card with the necessary outputs, ie 5.1, digital coax, DVI etc.. - Currently running a Marantz SR5400 AV amp with Jamo E855 floorstanders
Keep in mind that the data coming out of the DVD-ROM drive is all digital. The video quality will be determined by your video card (or maybe not if using DVI). If you're using the digital out on the computer direct into the receiver, the sound will be the same as if you were using the stand-alone DVD player. The receiver will decode and convert it.
Thanks Brian, so just to clarify, if I upgrade my low end Toshiba DVD player to a more expensive player it wont make any difference to the sound as my amp decodes it anyway? but it would make a difference to the picture?
I haven't seen a big difference between major brands of players in SD. If you want a real difference, you need a digital TV that can do progressive scan.
Cool, and by SD you mean standard definition? as opposed to high definition? which I assume refers to an HDTV broadcast or a picture from a progressive scan or HDMI DVD player?
Yes, SD is standard definition. I've never used a Toshiba player, I use a Toshiba recorder, but I've tried a bunch of other players, there isn't much picture difference between the ones I've tried in SD. You need a digital TV to use progressive scan, which will give a considerably better picture, a lot bigger difference than different brands of players.
And just two more dumb questions... can a PC based DVD player output a progressive scan HD picture? assuming you were connecting to your monitor using DVI?
Also can a PC based DVD/CD player produce DVD-A or SACD audio?
A PC based DVD/CD player will let you play DVD-A Tim but I'm not sure about SACD. I know DVD-A will work as I use them on my Emachines T6522 and I have fiber optic going from my computer to my stereo receiver so I get true 5.1 sound.
Charley, I thought the optical link into receivers was limited to only enough bandwidth for 2 channel PCM 16bit 44.1KHz audio (but that could be coax)? If you're getting 5.1 through that then it might be compressed through Dolby Digital thus negating the better sound quality of 96kHz or 192kHz 24bit sampling.
U are probably right BrianK because I haven't had a setting come up on my that says I can get 96kHz. I know that I am getting 5.1 for sure though so you must be right that the sound is being compressed through Dolby Digital. My question then is, how do you hook up into the receiver to get 96kHz? I know that even with just the 5.1 it sounds awesome and this card is a good card.
I don't think there is any standardized digital connection for SACD or DVD-A readily available. Many manufacturers have their own (i-link, Denon-link). I thought that I read that HDMI will be used for SACD and DVD-A. In any case you need a player that can output the high-bandwidth digital link and a reciever that can accept it. Otherwise you have to use the analog outs.