HDMI to IIS/Coax DoP Converter

[olieb]

The extracted samples are running with intrinsic jitter of the video clock. The solutions in higher end processors is to use asynchronous resampler in ESS chips. Or have a high performance PLL that cleans up the jitter. None of these are in the cards for this little box.

I am a noob in these things.
If the coax or optical signal is run through a Minidsp (flex digital) with ASRC and DSP, how much jitter will still be there at the output?
I am using AppleTV with a similar HDMI to Spdif box.

 

[Haskil]

A much better way to play SACDs is to extract the original DSD64 files and stream them.
There is an extensive thread on how to apply a simple hack to the most common blueray players from Oppo, Sony, Pioneer,…

SACD Ripping using an Oppo or Pioneer? Yes, it's true!

Note: I told the PS3 thread I would announce what I've found, so I am writing this first post, long before I am ready to (i.e I don't have the links ready yet, nor the instructions). I expect my second post to be ready in a few more days. Thanks to some very ingenious folks on other forums around...

audiophilestyle.com

Or use a player that will do DSD to PCM transcoding internally to send it to the DAC via its HDMI output: what I do with an Oppo mutistandard CD/SACD/DVD player (generation just before Blu Ray)...

 

[PoorishDecision]

thanks for the review, i use a similar devive for stripping the digital audio from my old xbox 360s hdmi. had issues with the toslink output intermittently clicking/popping like the signal is having clocking issues on my smsl/littledot dacs, works fine with the inbuilt dac on my rotel intergrated idk if the toslink jacks are to blame or theres more indepth issues going on.

 

[gvl]

In HDMI, the audio clock is derived from video. Video signals are immune to jitter as the pixel position is fixed (was an issue with CRT terminals). Audio was an afterthought and added in spare scan areas of video. The extracted samples are running with intrinsic jitter of the video clock. The solutions in higher end processors is to use asynchronous resampler in ESS chips. Or have a high performance PLL that cleans up the jitter. None of these are in the cards for this little box.

Is DSD affected by jitter same as PCM, more or less? It’s much higher sampling, so my guess is the same amount of jitter time-wise will cause more damage to the resulting analog signal for DSD data than PCM? Considering the clock is not properly recovered on the DAC as it’s often the case when using I2S input.

 

[TNT]

That jitter is of course only harmful if the signal measured is used to drive a DA conversion process used as a clock. Any ARSC, FIFO, storage (HD etc) or even simple re-clocking using an other (hopefully better) clock would remove all trace of it. No bits where lost... or - no integrity tests made....

//

 

[Beershaun]

In HDMI, the audio clock is derived from video. Video signals are immune to jitter as the pixel position is fixed (was an issue with CRT terminals). Audio was an afterthought and added in spare scan areas of video. The extracted samples are running with intrinsic jitter of the video clock. The solutions in higher end processors is to use asynchronous resampler in ESS chips. Or have a high performance PLL that cleans up the jitter. None of these are in the cards for this little box.

Does this create the added broadband noise as well?

 

[Stoutblock]

A much better way to play SACDs is to extract the original DSD64 files and stream them.
There is an extensive thread on how to apply a simple hack to the most common blueray players from Oppo, Sony, Pioneer,…

SACD Ripping using an Oppo or Pioneer? Yes, it's true!

Note: I told the PS3 thread I would announce what I've found, so I am writing this first post, long before I am ready to (i.e I don't have the links ready yet, nor the instructions). I expect my second post to be ready in a few more days. Thanks to some very ingenious folks on other forums around...

audiophilestyle.com

agree.

 

[amirm]

Does this create the added broadband noise as well?

Yes.

 

[pseudoid]

Thank you for the review, @amirm,
Unfortunately, you forgot to weigh this thing and how are we to determine if it could potentially be used as a pricey door-stop?

I apologize for my laziness and my senility... but do you do any sort of HDMI extraction testing for reviews of receivers and pre-amps which have HDMI inputs?

 

[amirm]

but do you do any sort of HDMI extraction testing for reviews of receivers and pre-amps which have HDMI inputs?

Such extraction if it exists, would have to abide by rules of HDCP copy protection for HDMI which forces output to be 16 bits and 48 kHz at best. These other devices ignore that license agreement and pass through the bits as is.

 

[mgbpuff]

I have a GeerFab Audio D.Bob Box which costs quite a bit more and seems to do the same thing sans IIS. GeerFab, however is licensed to do this, whereas I doubt this one is legal.

 

[AuricGoldfinger]

I sent this device to Amir, as this specific one has been mentioned in many discussions on various forums as a solution to allow a user to play the 24-bit layer of SACD from a universal player through their own DAC.

The reason for this was I found the reliability of SACD disc players be wanting. I can now see this device is not an acceptable answer where performance is concerned.

Thank you Amir!

 

[AuricGoldfinger]

A much better way to play SACDs is to extract the original DSD64 files and stream them.
There is an extensive thread on how to apply a simple hack to the most common blueray players from Oppo, Sony, Pioneer,…

SACD Ripping using an Oppo or Pioneer? Yes, it's true!

Note: I told the PS3 thread I would announce what I've found, so I am writing this first post, long before I am ready to (i.e I don't have the links ready yet, nor the instructions). I expect my second post to be ready in a few more days. Thanks to some very ingenious folks on other forums around...

audiophilestyle.com

I wonder if the BDP-X800M2 has been worked out for extraction yet?

 

[VQR]

Thank you for the review, Amir! Couple questions:

1) Is the jitter performance mostly from the source being HDMI?

2) Would pumping only audio with no video affect the jitter performance?

Some BD and 4K players have HDMI ports dedicated for audio output only, so there could be genuine cases of such a scenario.

 

[Lambda]

How can there be some Power supply Noise in a Digital to Digital system?

 

[GWolfman]

“DOU” mode? Audiophonics has a description (something about 5.1 audio), but what’s it supposed to stand for?

 

[amirm]

1) Is the jitter performance mostly from the source being HDMI?

2) Would pumping only audio with no video affect the jitter performance?

It could be in the source or the device itself or combination.

On #2, it is not possible to only send audio over HDMI. The "Audio Only" HDMI ports send out black video signal. Video is the master and audio is the slave and it must always be there.

 

[lewdish]

Im curious w/ other tools that serve the same function if they also perform as equally poor

 

[Sonic-Wall]

“DOU” mode? Audiophonics has a description (something about 5.1 audio), buts what’s it supposed to stand for?

It‘s a typo and should be „DUO“ to route the TV signal to the HDMI output and the extracted audio to the digital outputs.

 

[raif71]

I bought a similar hdmi to a variety of digital out converter but it was just in pcb with no covering like what amir has in this review. I used it convert dsd output from Sony bluray player (playing SACD) via hdmi out which was fed to the converter and the IIS output was fed to a Gustard X16 dac like so, in this link

I2S via HDMI pinout wiring.

Update. I confirmed that native DSD over HDMI I2S works on my DAC. So this implies that the issue I am having is with the HDMI audio extractor. I ordered another one, this model supports DoP, but I am still adamant about getting the DSD over HDMI I2S to work. Will report back.

www.audiosciencereview.com