Coming soon: MiniDSP Flex with HDMI input

[jaakkopetteri]

Wouldn't this have the routing matrix like other MiniDSPs? So with a 3.1 setup, for example, you could just route the surrounds to L/R?
I also wonder if you could also create a pseudo night mode using the compressor

 

[davkj]

Ugh. Have an Onkyo TX-RZ50 arriving today. This would have been a much better way to get Dirac in my non-surround TV system.

 

[Paffi]

Anyone knows a device, which converts analog rca multichannel input to USB output, in order to connect it to the minidsp?

 

[Ten42]

@peng @Sparky I have a 2.3 setup and I've been waiting for a device like the Flex HT for a long while. The reason why you want 8 inputs is because you can downmix from 7.1 in the miniDSP. This is a good thing because otherwise, the downmixing would have to occur in the upstream device. Most devices that downmix to stereo throw away the LFE channel which means movies have no bass. Also, having extra outputs is needed for use with MSO to minimize seat-to-seat variance.

 

[Joffy1780]

That is the choice of handling not what is available in the source.

I'm sorry, I really don't know what you mean. The reason I suggested an HDMI extractor, which is kind of a moot point now given the info regarding earc, is that it would output PCM even if the source is bitstream and then the Minidsp would be able to handle it.

 

[sarumbear]

I'm sorry, I really don't know what you mean. The reason I suggested an HDMI extractor, which is kind of a moot point now given the info regarding earc, is that it would output PCM even if the source is bitstream and then the Minidsp would be able to handle it.

An HDMI extractor does not decode the encoded bitstream to multichannel PCM. Almost any device that decodes encoded signal will have tge Dolby and or DTS logo on it. No logo no decode, no multichannel PCM…

 

[Joffy1780]

am I getting it right please let me know with FlexHT and Apple TV/ FireStick and 8 channel power Amplifier I can have Atmos home theatre not needing to buy a AV reciever? I find AV recievers end of life clunky and un intutive

No, the Flex HT cannot decode Atmos (or Dolby Digital, True HD, DTS et Al)

 

[dougi]

How many channels does it report?

At least 5.1, e.g. when using the TVs internal Netflix app. I will do some poking today to see if there are any quirks that could affect this possible use case.

 

[sweetchaos]

@AdamG247
Multiple threads detected.

Coming soon: MiniDSP Flex with HDMI input

Just got this from MiniDSP: The Flex HT is miniDSP’s answer to our customers looking for a pocket-sized multichannel processor with HDMI ARC/eARC capabilities. Our team was able to cram a full eight channels of DSP power and a wide range of I/O into the unbelievably compact enclosure...

www.audiosciencereview.com

New miniDSP Flex Home Theater device

Though of no use to me personally I read a lot of threads on multichannel DACs about the desire for HDMI. It seems miniDSP was listening to you all: Flex HT "STOCK UPDATE: This product is currently in final stages of manufacturing. We expect shipments to start in the coming Q2 2023."

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Joffy1780]

An HDMI extractor does not decode the encoded bitstream to multichannel PCM. Almost any device that decodes encoded signal will have tge Dolby and or DTS logo on it. No logo no decode, no multichannel PCM…

Oh OK. Forget I suggested it then haha.

 

[AdamG]

@AdamG247
Multiple threads detected.

Coming soon: MiniDSP Flex with HDMI input

Just got this from MiniDSP: The Flex HT is miniDSP’s answer to our customers looking for a pocket-sized multichannel processor with HDMI ARC/eARC capabilities. Our team was able to cram a full eight channels of DSP power and a wide range of I/O into the unbelievably compact enclosure...

www.audiosciencereview.com

New miniDSP Flex Home Theater device

Though of no use to me personally I read a lot of threads on multichannel DACs about the desire for HDMI. It seems miniDSP was listening to you all: Flex HT "STOCK UPDATE: This product is currently in final stages of manufacturing. We expect shipments to start in the coming Q2 2023."

www.audiosciencereview.com

Threads merged. The first linked thread date stamped as the 1st thread created. Accordingly the second duplicate thread was merged into the first one (this thread). It will admittedly be a bit of a mess because the System will rearrange every post by its individual time stamp. But going forward we will have just this one master thread. Until someone creates another duplicate thread and the beat goes on.

@sweetchaos thank you for the heads up! Much appreciated Sir.

 

[Joffy1780]

There is a free trial with both dolby atmos and lossless. let me know if you end up testing it.

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours via Apple Music with Atmos off

 

[dougi]

At least 5.1, e.g. when using the TVs internal Netflix app. I will do some poking today to see if there are any quirks that could affect this possible use case.

Further to this, I have been testing use cases with my TV using eARC. ATMOS turned off and AVR set to straight decode of the input.

For all sources internal to the TV, it works great, i.e. eARC digital audio out "auto mode" produces multichannel PCM to the AVR, even if sources are DD or DD+.

For sources external to the TV, things are a bit different:

Using an Oppo BDP-93 player, "Screamadelica Live" bluray which has DTS-HD master audio 5.1, DD 5.1, LPCM 2.0, with the Oppo left in "BItstream" audio output over HDMI:

- The TV digout mode of "passthrough" decodes DTS to LPCM 5.1, DD is passthrough to DD 5.1, PCM is passthrough to PCM 2.0.
- The TV digout mode of "AUTO" downmixes all to PCM 2.0
- The TV digout mode of "PCM" downmixes all to PCM 2.0

With the Oppo set to LPCM out over HDMI instead:

- The TV digout mode of "passthrough" source DTS produces PCM 5.1 at AVR, source DD produces PCM 5.1 at AVR, source PCM produces PCM 2.0 at AVR
- The TV digout mode of "AUTO" downmixes all to PCM 2.0
- The tV digout mode of "PCM" downmixes all to PCM 2.0

The conclusion is for my Samsung TV (2021 QLED) is that, if you want to get MC PCM out of it, internal sources are fine, external DTS is fine, but to get external DD to MC PCM requires use to do the decoding in the external source.

I'm not sure why the TV decodes DTS for the passthrough case, as the AVR does support the decoding of it! The result was the same regardless if the AVR was in DTS mode 1 (normal) or mode 2 (if input was not producing DTS HD properly)

I hope this was useful to someone considering the Flex HT with a Samsung TV using eARC. Of course, the Flex HT may not present the same audio decode options to the TV in handshaking so actual results with it may be different.

 

[peng]

@peng @Sparky I have a 2.3 setup and I've been waiting for a device like the Flex HT for a long while. The reason why you want 8 inputs is because you can downmix from 7.1 in the miniDSP. This is a good thing because otherwise, the downmixing would have to occur in the upstream device. Most devices that downmix to stereo throw away the LFE channel which means movies have no bass. Also, having extra outputs is needed for use with MSO to minimize seat-to-seat variance.

Not for my application, it is purely used for stereo contents with a sub.

 

[Ten42]

Not for my application, it is purely used for stereo contents with a sub.

Then why not just use the regular miniDSP flex?

 

[peng]

Then why not just use the regular miniDSP flex?

I have a 2X4 HD that is an older model but similar. I can's use it or the miniDSP flex because again, I want to use DLBC so the unit has to have an independent subwoofer output that windows or Mac can map 2.1 correctly such that Dirac Live can detect all 3 channels and can then sweep the left, right, and subwoofer channels during calibration.
The flex HT should be able to do that but I just don't feel like paying for 8 channels when I will never use more than 3 in my little two channel system, with sub.

 

[abdo123]

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours via Apple Music with Atmos off

That’s awesome! Are you using eARC btw or is the Apple TV directly connected to the AVR?

 

[MCH]

Further to this, I have been testing use cases with my TV using eARC. ATMOS turned off and AVR set to straight decode of the input.

For all sources internal to the TV, it works great, i.e. eARC digital audio out "auto mode" produces multichannel PCM to the AVR, even if sources are DD or DD+.

For sources external to the TV, things are a bit different:

Using an Oppo BDP-93 player, "Screamadelica Live" bluray which has DTS-HD master audio 5.1, DD 5.1, LPCM 2.0, with the Oppo left in "BItstream" audio output over HDMI:

- The TV digout mode of "passthrough" decodes DTS to LPCM 5.1, DD is passthrough to DD 5.1, PCM is passthrough to PCM 2.0.
- The TV digout mode of "AUTO" downmixes all to PCM 2.0
- The TV digout mode of "PCM" downmixes all to PCM 2.0

With the Oppo set to LPCM out over HDMI instead:

- The TV digout mode of "passthrough" source DTS produces PCM 5.1 at AVR, source DD produces PCM 5.1 at AVR, source PCM produces PCM 2.0 at AVR
- The TV digout mode of "AUTO" downmixes all to PCM 2.0
- The tV digout mode of "PCM" downmixes all to PCM 2.0

The conclusion is for my Samsung TV (2021 QLED) is that, if you want to get MC PCM out of it, internal sources are fine, external DTS is fine, but to get external DD to MC PCM requires use to do the decoding in the external source.

I'm not sure why the TV decodes DTS for the passthrough case, as the AVR does support the decoding of it! The result was the same regardless if the AVR was in DTS mode 1 (normal) or mode 2 (if input was not producing DTS HD properly)

I hope this was useful to someone considering the Flex HT with a Samsung TV using eARC. Of course, the Flex HT may not present the same audio decode options to the TV in handshaking so actual results with it may be different.

Valuable information, thanks

Given the overwhelming offer of quality multichannel DACs with HDMI inputs in the market.... I think in this case one approach will be to buy the flex ht and then find the tv (be it regular tv, apple tv, combination of, or whatever) that works with it for one's use case, not the other way around
And minidsp would do themselves a favor if they proactively gather this sort of information and make it available...

 

[Joffy1780]

That’s awesome! Are you using eARC btw or is the Apple TV directly connected to the AVR?

Apple TV is connected directly to AVR.

 

[abdo123]

I have difficulty understanding what point there is to a multichannel processor that cannot decode Dolby or dts. This seems like a device that would have been interesting 10 years ago (maybe), but is hopelessly out of date at this point. It looks like a DDRC 88A with added HDMI input and a stereo input. Seems pretty useless.

I have the same feeling, lets just hope it’s not priced in a way that is disconnected from reality.