# What's the point of analog outs?



## cdunphy (Aug 25, 2012)

I am new to home theater and audiophile stuff and I am interested in oppo blu ray player for no other reason that they seem to be a slam dunk according to everyone.Why are analog outs important and why should they matter when hdmi to your receiver should give you all the video and audio out to your receiver ?I realize this should be a basic question but I really don't know alot of this stuff I basically listen to 256k aac files from my iMac


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Many BDPs have 5.1 or 7.1 analog outputs for people who do not have HDMI inputs on their AVRs. This allows them to listen to lossless audio (DTS-MA/DD-TruHD) without having said HDMI inputs. Also, as some BDPs (Oppo being one of them) are also capable of playing SA-CDs, a lot of people use the analog outputs of their players as HDMI isn't considered an "audiophile" sound connection. 

They also allow for upgrading without buying a new AVR.


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

BTW-Oppo makes BDPs (*b*lu ray *d*isc *p*layers)that are among the best a person can buy.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

I bought a BDP that did not have analog outs and returned it for one that did so I could use it with my AVR and my stereo integrated amplifier.


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## NotBananas (Apr 4, 2012)

I heard that all Blu-ray players will eliminate the analog output as per industry agreement. They claim that analog output allows you to copy BR movies because the copy protection can only be encoded with the digital format like HDMI.


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## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

I have not heard that, but it would not surprise me. HDMI is a digital connection and does incorporate copy protection. The analog outs can be protected but not as securely. VHS used a system called "Macrovision" (??) to deter illicit copies, but it degraded the PQ and was quite easy to defeat.


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## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

Analog being discontinued on Blu-Ray players

http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...o-out-being-discontinued-blu-ray-players.html


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## mbastami (Jul 1, 2011)

NotBananas said:


> I heard that all Blu-ray players will eliminate the analog output as per industry agreement. They claim that analog output allows you to copy BR movies because the copy protection can only be encoded with the digital format like HDMI.


Yaa that's correct technically ...


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

I use 5.1 ANALOG out of my ASUS HDAV Dleuxe 1.3 almost exclusively... with the upgrades to discreet OpAmps from IC the analog sound is far and above the quality of sound from the HDMI ....thats not to say that the sq from the HDMI output is inferior...no its quite good...on an sq scale its like going from an 8 to a 10 for the analog... the analog is very very smooth and dynamic and never fatiguing .... It is as has been mentioned the "choice" of preference for SACD and DVD-A of which I have many... I understand that most do not require this type of connection..
And it is also been mentioned that it allows for analog decoding >AVR of Bluray audio without having to spring for a new AVR ...prided of course that you have multi-channel input...


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## cdunphy (Aug 25, 2012)

thanks for your response I have a lot to learn


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

I have an Oppo BDP and I like to listen to music with the analog outputs, both stereo and surround. I find the analog sound better than the digital (HDMI). Movies however I listen with HDMI output.

The problem with the analog outputs is that the player needs good bass management. Most receivers have this covered, but that's not always the case with BDP's.


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

mbastami said:


> Yaa that's correct technically ...


Are we confusing 5.1 analog audio outputs with component video outputs here? As I understand it ,analog VIDEO outputs have been largely discontinued for copy protection reasons, but discontinuing analog AUDIO outputs would make the high powered DACs that you buy premium disc players for pretty useless. lddude:


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## WRYKER (Jan 23, 2009)

A while ago I had my 3D BD player connected for audio via component since my Denon 3808 didn't support full 3D. I found the sound to not be as 'refined' as I heard via HDMI BDs. I've since moved to a Denon 3312 and running everything via HDMI (and satisfied). I don't listen to lossless audio files (for reference).


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