Coming soon: MiniDSP Flex with HDMI input

[voodooless]

The Apple TV can decode ATMOS.

No it can’t. It will decode an E-AC-3 stream to 7.1 channel LPCM and deliver the Atmos metadata to an AV-receiver. It cannot however decode and mix the Atmos metadata itself. De the Flex will get a DD+ version of the Atmos stream as 8 channel LPCM.

 

[abdo123]

No it can’t. It will decode an E-AC-3 stream to 7 channel LPCM and deliver the Atmos metadata to an AV-receiver. It cannot however decode and mix the Atmos metadata itself. De the Flex will get a DD+ version of the Atmos stream.

That is also somewhat decoding. As long as sound is going out to a downstream device then it technically can decode.

My LG TV straight out outputs nothing with DTS.

 

[Sparky]

Just out of curiosity, my LG OLED C2 tv outputs to my RME via optical so the TV is doing the downmixing.
Would there be any audible difference between what my TV is doing as opposed to what this MiniDSP Flex is doing as far as the standard of the downmix or is it really as straightforward as a series of 1's and zero's being re-organised.

I've read a few things a while ago about the standard/quality of a TV's ability to accurately downmix multichannel audio that's all.

 

[abdo123]

Just out of curiosity, my LG OLED C2 tv outputs to my RME via optical so the TV is doing the downmixing.
Would there be any audible difference between what my TV is doing as opposed to what this MiniDSP Flex is doing as far as the standard of the downmix or is it really as straightforward as a series of 1's and zero's being re-organised.

I've read a few things a while ago about the standard/quality of a TV's ability to accurately downmix multichannel audio that's all.

Just to be clear, the miniDSP is not doing anything and it will only accept PCM audio.

Your TV would still be in charge.

 

[voodooless]

That is also somewhat decoding. As long as sound is going out to a downstream device then it technically can decode.

The point is that it (Apple TV) can decode DD+, not Atmos.

 

[Sparky]

Just to be clear, the miniDSP is not doing anything and it will only accept PCM audio.

Your TV would still be in charge.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[abdo123]

The point is that it (Apple TV) can decode DD+, not Atmos.

Is there any device capable of object resolution that is not an AVR?

 

[abdo123]

Apple TV is connected directly to AVR.

Yeah I basically have an Apple TV and a PS5 and i've been trying to figure out how to upgrade to a 5.1 setup forever without compromising in a way that will turn the device to E-waste in a few years.

So I want to figure out somehow if my TV is capable of downmixing the 7.1 the Apple TV is providing to 5.1 if that's what my downstream device supports / advertises.

 

[voodooless]

Is there any device capable of object resolution that is not an AVR?

Sure, a PC with the Dolby decoder software Soundbars do it as well.

 

[PHD]

I couldn't find a single use for this product, except for maybe controlling 8 subwoofers using REW and MSO. No Dolby/DTS decoding, no Atmos support even with a source decoder, and no DLBC capability.

 

[bungle]

The point is that it (Apple TV) can decode DD+, not Atmos.

And DD+ is what most streaming services use/offer, am I correct?

 

[voodooless]

And DD+ is what most streaming services use/offer, am I correct?

Yes it is.

 

[HooStat]

No it can’t. It will decode an E-AC-3 stream to 7.1 channel LPCM and deliver the Atmos metadata to an AV-receiver. It cannot however decode and mix the Atmos metadata itself. De the Flex will get a DD+ version of the Atmos stream as 8 channel LPCM.

I appreciate your correction. I was imprecise in my language. My point was that AppleTV would work with the new MiniDSP unit because it can output LPCM, and that it might be another option for people whose TV wouldn't work with the new MiniDSP.

Below is a more detailed description of what Apple TV does from

https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/comments/kdkz6a

and is a pretty good description for how all of this works.

• Apple TV works like this:
  • It will natively decode:
    • Dolby Digital
    • Dolby Digital Plus (inc Atmos)
    • Dolby TrueHD (but not Atmos)
  • It will not natively decode DTS or DTS-HD MA as they also are not licensed/installed.
  • Apps can however implement decoders to PCM (like Infuse).
  • Apps have no access to bitstream audio out. This means Atmos in TrueHD and DTS:X in DTS-HD MA cannot be played, as they are not supported in PCM.
  • It will mix the audio with system sounds, Siri audio etc. It's not possible to 'inject' these sounds into a bitstream, which is important to understand.
  • It will output 2.0/5.1/7.1 channel PCM by default.
  • If the source content is DD+ Atmos (which isn't supported over pure PCM), it will encode to Dolby MAT 2.0 (think PCM + extensions). The encoder piece is what allows Atmos content to be mixed with the system sounds and then sent on.
  • It will not output Dolby Digital Plus (with or without Atmos).
  • It can alternatively be forced to re-encode down to Dolby Digital and output a bitstream in Apple TV Settings. I believe this is the only bitstream option that Apple TV supports,. This is both lossy in terms of quality, and does not support Dolby Atmos - so spatial data is lost

 

[ehabheikal]

it seems they do not have a balanced option

 

[HooStat]

And DD+ is what most streaming services use/offer, am I correct?

Which is pretty frustrating to be honest. Particularly if, in the case of AppleTV, DD+ gets converted to Dolby MAT 2.0. Then the entire point of multichannel becomes a problem for the MiniDSP + AppleTV solution.

I have come around to the notion that modern-day "receivers" are amazing things given that they handle all of this mess.

 

[Matias]

it seems they do not have a balanced option

Yet. I wish they would also release this with balanced TRS.

 

[thegeton]

Need a balanced version...

Word.

 

[Left]

An HTPC makes more edge cases viable. Add enough edges and you get much of the whole pie.

And HTPC no longer need be an ITX board in an expensive heatsink case. A fanless raspberry pi hosting VLC or Kodi and perhaps an HDMI audio extractor can handle most of the necessary decoding. While it would be cleaner to have FlexHT decode the bitstreams, the patents on Prologic II, Dolby Digital, DTS have expired and AAC, AC3, TrueHD has been re-implemented from public specifications. So basically everything other than virtualized formats such as Atmos is playable.

Perhaps minidsp will offer a surround plugin. Or maybe even an HDMI in/HDMI out decoder.

 

[mdsimon2]

Yeah I basically have an Apple TV and a PS5 and i've been trying to figure out how to upgrade to a 5.1 setup forever without compromising in a way that will turn the device to E-waste in a few years.

So I want to figure out somehow if my TV is capable of downmixing the 7.1 the Apple TV is providing to 5.1 if that's what my downstream device supports / advertises.

I am out of my element here but seems that ideally the Flex HT would have customizable EDID settings like the Audiopraise VanityPro so you could tell the AppleTV that you want 5.1 LPCM. Otherwise maybe you could use a device like this -> https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=44086 upstream of the Flex HT to set the EDID settings you want?

Michael

 

[Paffi]

This device may also work as an decoder: https://feintech.eu/products/vsp01202-hdmi-2-0-splitter-1x2-mit-audio-edid-management