Converting a Blu-ray/SACD player into a digital DSD transport

[UCrazyKid]

Has anyone done this?

What I want to do: Take my Oppo universal disk player and have it output a DSD bitstream over I2S to my Topping D90 “HDMI” style I2S input.

My Oppo BDP-83 will output SACD in bitstream over HDMI HDCP. (Intended for an AVR that decodes DSD/SACD) Controlled by settings menu.

My Topping D90 MQA DAC will accept an I2S DSD signal.

I have found this box https://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-MHL-t...1&pageci=9a34179c-48c2-4d5a-bef2-93025efc42de
That will take an HDMI/HDCP signal, extract the digital audio and construct an IS2 signal and the. Outputs it as I2S over HDMI(cable, not HDCP format) or an I2S bus.

My thought is that this will allow me to “read” my SACD disks on the Oppo and have the D90 do the DSD decoding, since the Oppo DAC and analog stage is nothing special.

Has anyone done this with any success? I know there are companies that have sold cards that tap the I2S signal internally (before the HDMI signal is generated) and then output it from an added I2S over HDMI outlet on the back. This is the same result, usually much more expensive and not available for the model of disk spinner I have.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[ericisright]

I have this exact scenario and box (it actually arrived). I have yet to test, but I will be doing it this weekend. I have a UBP-X800 going to this box and then into a D90. I'll report back on this thread.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Who knows? There is a glaring lack of technical information on that ad and on the related one for the board only. It's cheap but I'd look for a technical document before buying.

I have this exact scenario and box (it actually arrived). I have yet to test, but I will be doing it this weekend. I have a UBP-X800 going to this box and then into a D90. I'll report back on this thread.

Whoops. Mebbe we'll know soon.

 

[UCrazyKid]

@ericisright Cool! Excited to find out!

 

[UCrazyKid]

Who knows? There is a glaring lack of technical information on that ad and on the related one for the board only. It's cheap but I'd look for a technical document before buying.
Whoops. Mebbe we'll know soon.

I think they are intentionally vague as the board essentially defeats the SACD DRM.

 

[UCrazyKid]

Here is more info on the board and the chips used. https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/diy-...ut-to-i2s-coaxial-optique-output-p-13419.html

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I think they are intentionally vague as the board essentially defeats the SACD DRM.

Not unique. Note also the D-BOB (https://www.stereophile.com/content/geerfab-audio-dbob-digital-breakout-box) based on the SiI9533 Port Processor chip.

 

[ericisright]

The board

Here is more info on the board and the chips used. https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/diy-...ut-to-i2s-coaxial-optique-output-p-13419.html

The board in the box is actually different (new revision?). The main chip is not placed at an angle. Also the HDMI input and output have been switched. There is now a green light on the "back" and the i2s is now accessible to the outside as the picture indicates (attached). The picture shows the HDMI input and output (I believe this is passthrough) on the left. I'll hook everything up tomorrow as promised and will try and document as much as I learn about it's workings.

 

[UCrazyKid]

The board


The board in the box is actually different (new revision?). The main chip is not placed at an angle. Also the HDMI input and output have been switched. There is now a green light on the "back" and the i2s is now accessible to the outside as the picture indicates (attached). The picture shows the HDMI input and output (I believe this is passthrough) on the left. I'll hook everything up tomorrow as promised and will try and document as much as I learn about it's workings.

I noticed that. I saw they same reseller sells the naked board you describe.

 

[UCrazyKid]

Not unique. Note also the D-BOB (https://www.stereophile.com/content/geerfab-audio-dbob-digital-breakout-box) based on the SiI9533 Port Processor chip.

Ah, well it’s new to me. And at $55 instead of $999 it seems like if this works it’s a real bargain.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Ah, well it’s new to me. And at $55 instead of $999 it seems like if this works it’s a real bargain.

Indeed...............if it works as expected.

 

[ericisright]

Well bad news fellas. I could not get it to work with DSD. I was able to get PCM to work even up to 176.4k but no dice on dsd. Tried directly from SACDs and DSF files I have from usb. Powered/unpowered(HDMI powered), topping IIS settings of every combination, different HDMI cables. Just no worky.

That being said, I see over at the PS Audio forums a guy with an Oppo player that this was plug and play for with the box and a Topping D90 so maybe it's the way Sony is sending DSD over HDMI that is the problem. I don't have another DSD over HDMI capable machine so I can't test further.

Since I'll just have to live with DSD to PCM conversion on the Sony box for now... if you want the box to test with Andy (UCrazyKid) you are welcome to it. PM me and I'll get it in the mail to you. Hopefully your Oppo cooperates more than the Sony did.

 

[UCrazyKid]

Well bad news fellas. I could not get it to work with DSD. I was able to get PCM to work even up to 176.4k but no dice on dsd. Tried directly from SACDs and DSF files I have from usb. Powered/unpowered(HDMI powered), topping IIS settings of every combination, different HDMI cables. Just no worky.

That being said, I see over at the PS Audio forums a guy with an Oppo player that this was plug and play for with the box and a Topping D90 so maybe it's the way Sony is sending DSD over HDMI that is the problem. I don't have another DSD over HDMI capable machine so I can't test further.

Since I'll just have to live with DSD to PCM conversion on the Sony box for now... if you want the box to test with Andy (UCrazyKid) you are welcome to it. PM me and I'll get it in the mail to you. Hopefully your Oppo cooperates more than the Sony did.

Bummer, DM sent.
Does your player have a way to choose the SACD output? LPCM or Bitstream?

 

[ericisright]

Bummer, DM sent.
Does your player have a way to choose the SACD output? LPCM or Bitstream?

Sony has Auto and Off for DSD over HDMI. Typical WTF nomenclature for Sony.

Auto means it sends DSD and Off means PCM (conversion). It's a great box for PCM to i2s conversion!! Hopefully it's good for DSD out of an Oppo.

Good Luck!

 

[UCrazyKid]

Well I spent about an hour and a half working every which combination with this thing and no dice. I read everything I could at the PS Audio forums and I even pinged Oppo for advice. I learned that if anything else in the HDMI chain doesn’t support DSD, the Oppo reverts to PCM. So I tried everything all over again, removing my monitors connection and restarting the HDMI handshake with each trial. No difference. Maybe it has to do with my DAC being the MQA version? I have no idea.

 

[zentiques]

Plug and play DSD
Oppo 93 > Wireworld Silver Starlight > 2nd Gen naked board / printed box (new aluminum case looks sweet)>
generic HDMI 2.2 cable > D90 MQA w/original firmware
No additional 5V needed, instantly recognizes DSD signal

 

[ericisright]

That board has slight differences to the board that was in the aluminum case (pictured above). LED light in the back is green, the switch is marked for function, the I2S header is soldered in the back. Glad you got it working. Unfortunately the eBay auctions don't show you the real board that you are potentially getting.

For now, I'm fine with the PCM conversion that the Sony X800 does.

 

[UCrazyKid]

I am still playing with this. I'm using Oppo BDP-83. I might buy some newer rated HDMI cables, I have requested the f/w bin files from Topping to see if I can roll back the f/w. Maybe it is just a bad board?

 

[Arvind]

I am already using this board since last six months, successfully, to send dsd signal of sacd played on my Sony ubpx800M to SabajD5.

 

[UCrazyKid]

So I tried it with a bunch of different settings, different cables, and even reset my BDP-83 to factory standard and no love. My last try will be to rollback the firmware on the D90, but I haven't had a response from Topping yet.