# Sqbox v3 output question



## monkeypimp (Sep 11, 2006)

I have a Squeezebox V3 and just upgraded from my Denon 2805 to a UMC-1. I was using analog outs from the Sqbox before as it sounded far better with its Dacs than the Denons. Well now that I have upgraded I want to compare again. But for the life of me I cannot seem to get my thinking straight. I have both analog and optical cables hooked up from the Sqbox to the UMC-1. and can easily move back and forth on the UMC as to which input to accept. My question is with the Sqbox when using optical the input on the UMC says PCM. 

Should and can I output from the Sqbox a Bitstream? If so how as I cannot find these settings in slimserver.


----------



## imported_obie_fl (Apr 13, 2008)

Monkeypimp said:


> My question is with the Sqbox when using optical the input on the UMC says PCM.
> 
> Should and can I output from the Sqbox a Bitstream? If so how as I cannot find these settings in slimserver.


What were you expecting to see on the UMC? MP3 or FLAC? To the best of my knowledge the SB only outputs PCM digitally. What are you trying to do? Have the UMC decode MP3s or FLACs? Bitstream usually comes into play on DVDs for Dolby or DTS. 

wje - I believe the settings you refer to has to do where the decoding of the various formats take place, either on the SB server or on the hardware (SB, Duet, Xporter etc).


----------



## monkeypimp (Sep 11, 2006)

obie_fl said:


> What were you expecting to see on the UMC? MP3 or FLAC? To the best of my knowledge the SB only outputs PCM digitally. What are you trying to do? Have the UMC decode MP3s or FLACs? Bitstream usually comes into play on DVDs for Dolby or DTS.
> 
> wje - I believe the settings you refer to has to do where the decoding of the various formats take place, either on the SB server or on the hardware (SB, Duet, Xporter etc).


I actually think I have confused myself and don't fully understand PCM. My thought was that if I output via the analog cables then the DAC's from the Sqbox were being used. If I output via the optical or Coaxial cable using bitstream then the UMC's DAC's were being used. So then I was thinking that if the Sqbox was outputting using the Optical or Coaxial cable and was PCM then the Sqbox DAC's were being used.

I am all confused about PCM and Bitstream.


----------



## dvenardos (Sep 27, 2008)

You are fine. When using the digital outputs (toslink or coax) you are not using the DAC in the squeezebox. The DAC implementation in the SB3 is okay, but a good external DAC smokes the output of the SB3. I use the channel islands VDA-2 and it sounds suburb with the SB3.
Here is an explanation of PCM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation


----------



## imported_obie_fl (Apr 13, 2008)

Just think of it this way PCM is what DACs eat, it is a digital signal. :huge:
S/PDIF (Coaxial/TOSLINK) was created to carry PCM. Bitstreaming was kind of tacked on to S/PDIF after the fact for use with Dolby and DTS.


----------



## monkeypimp (Sep 11, 2006)

Thanks guys!!! I fully understand now.


----------

