Mercury

So the PS2 which I use to watch DVDs doesn't output SACD, or does it? Do I need to buy a player that supports this format? Maybe the reciever decodes this? Would someone mind clearing this up for me?

Thanks, I wanna check out Pink Floyd in SACD.

lordzeppelin

The PS2 does not support SACD's. You have to get a player that decodes the format and can output the surround on it. One of the new "all in one" players such as the Denon 2900 player would help you out on this...or you could wait about a year and get one of the players that is going to have firewire interface so that you don't have to hook up all 5.1 channels individually (analog).

Mercury

I assumed SACD used the optical output. Does DVD audio use it? Why is this new format still using the analog outputs.
I thought everything was going digital. Seems to me that if there isn't a digital surround sound format for music now there will be eventually.

chipmac

SACD is a digital surround format just like DVD Audio but in order to listen to it the player must do the decoding and pass along a decoded signal in analog form to your amp. This is because the music industry was afraid of people making perfect digital copies of their discs the way you can with regular stereo CDs. Sure you can still copy these discs but only in 2 channel form not 5.1.

Mercury

Interesting!

How about the firewire interface mentioned by lordzeppelin. Is that digital, and am I right in thinking we'll all need to buy new recievers to make use of it?

steebo777

lordzeppelin is referring to a receiver that accepts wideband coaxial signals using digital coaxial cables. I BELIEVE (but not positive) that this is the connection you use from your DVD player to your receiver for SACD. This type of connection uses 6 seperate coxial cables for the digital pass of the signal from the DVD player to the receiver. For DVD-A, I believe you can use your digital (coxial or optical) connection to your receiver for the sound. My 2 cents, I think DVD-A is the way to rock, but just my opinion.

Mercury

My Onkyo TS-XR600 appears to have the 6 analog inputs for a DVD player, and I'm a little relieved that I don't need a different reciever to do SACD. So DVD-A is decoded by the player and not the reciever, good. It appears I'm all set up for a good time with surround sound music.

Thanks to everyone for the info. I