# Receivers - processing HDMI/MPCM to go from 5.1 HD to 7.1 HD



## RanZiv (Mar 1, 2008)

Hi Everyone. I am trying to get a list together of receivers that have the capability to take LPCM signal and Matrix 5.1 HD audio to 7.1 HD audio (PS3 as Blu-Ray player). I think a compiled list of confirmed receivers (i.e; have been tested by owners) is beneficial since many of the manuals are vague as to this particular capability. For me, I have a 7.1 home theater set-up and the TX-SR605 which doesn't do this so I am looking to upgrade to one that does. I know the higher version (SR706 and higher) of the Onkyo do this but I would like to see what my options are - and I imagine there must be others in the same boat. I have started a list below and as I get responses I will add to the list below.

All your help appreciated.

-MJ

Onkyo
TX-SR607
TX-SR706
TX-SR806
TX-SR876
TX-NR906

Pioneer
VSX-1019AH-K

Harman Kardon
AVR-254
AVR-354


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Any 7.1 channel receiver that is THX certified or has Dolby PLIIx, PLIIz will expand 5.1 to 7.1.


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## RanZiv (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks for the reply. My TX-SR605 does have the PLIIx however it is unable to expand the LPCM from 5.1 to 7.1. Maybe this is unusual for receivers but I am not convinced that if a receiver is listed with having PLIIx or PLIIz that it necessarily can matrix LPCM from 5.1 to 7.1. 

THX certified I understood as being the case - there is a steep price jump typically for this certification though.

-MJ


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

MysticalJet said:


> My TX-SR605 does have the PLIIx however it is unable to expand the LPCM from 5.1 to 7.1. Maybe this is unusual for receivers


That is odd, are you sure that the receiver is detecting the 6th and 7th channels in the setup?


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## salvasol (Oct 31, 2006)

MysticalJet said:


> I am trying to get a list together of receivers that have the capability to take LPCM signal and Matrix 5.1 HD audio to 7.1 HD audio (PS3 as Blu-Ray player).


If I'm not mistaken LPCM is the decoded signal that the DVD player sends to the AVR, Right??? ...specially when the AVR can't decode TrueHD, DD+, etc.....there's some AVR that shows MPCM (mine does it), or I'm confused :huh:

If that's the case, my Yamaha RXV 2700 plays any decoded HD audio from HD DVD.


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## RanZiv (Mar 1, 2008)

tonyvdb said:


> That is odd, are you sure that the receiver is detecting the 6th and 7th channels in the setup?


I am certain about this - I learned this about the 605 after I purchased the 605 of course. I like the receiver except for this issue. The issue really lies in the fact that the receiver doesn't have the computing power to take a multichannel PCM signal (HD audio) and matrix it beyond the native signal. If the native signal is 7.1 - no problem but most Blu-Rays are are unfortunately 5.1 lossless audio.


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## RanZiv (Mar 1, 2008)

salvasol said:


> If I'm not mistaken LPCM is the decoded signal that the DVD player sends to the AVR, Right??? ...specially when the AVR can't decode TrueHD, DD+, etc.....there's some AVR that shows MPCM (mine does it), or I'm confused :huh:
> 
> If that's the case, my Yamaha RXV 2700 plays any decoded HD audio from HD DVD.


Thanks for the reply. Let me explain a bit better. I have a PS3 as my blu-ray player. The PS3 decodes the HD Audio and sends as LPCM, however; PS3 does not have the capability to send HD audio via bitstream. My receiver (Onkyo TX-SR605) has the ability to decode all audio formats as well as accept LPCM. The issue is that my receiver (and others) cannot further manipulate the LPCM signal to matrix from 5.1 HD audio to 7.1 HD audio and will only play the LPCM in native form. Thus if the blu-ray movie is 5.1 D audio , the PS3 decodes to 5.1 LPCM and my system will play 5.1 HD Audio. If the signal was 7.1 HD Audio, then my system would play 7.1.

In order for me to use the 7.1 capabilities on 5.1 native audio, I need to set the PS3 to bitstream. In this case the audio is downgraded from lossless audio to a lower quality codec. The receiver then can utilize DDEX or PLIIx to get the 2 extra speakers going.

I am in a position to upgrade to a new receiver, but I do not want to run into the same issue and I do not want to spend a mint. Unfortunately, the user manuals of receivers do not typically have this type of detail in them - so I am looking for input from owners on this.

-MJ


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