SPDIF from SACD

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pre65
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#1 SPDIF from SACD

Post by pre65 »

Is it possible to listen to SACD through my DAC if I were to use an HDMI to SPDIF converter ?
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Ali Tait
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#2

Post by Ali Tait »

No, don't think so, copyright software prevents it. There may be a way round it, dunno what it is though.
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#3

Post by pre65 »

On most DVD players (I think) proper SACD sound can only be outputted on the HDMI connection, and the lesser layers through the stereo out RCA connections. Nothing from the digital out.

That's how I understand things.

If a "box" can separate the video and sound from an HDMI lead (i believe they are transmitted together rather than separately ) then perhaps that would do the job.

I am aware that Sony designed things that way for copyright reasons.

A quick search found this.

http://www.startech.com/AV/Converters/V ... r~HDMI2DVI

OR this on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HDMI-3-1-Conv ... 4869791be4
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#4

Post by pre65 »

From what I've read these converters do work, but, it seems the highest resolution may not as when HDMI connects it reads what the receiving unit can accept and sets the resolution to suit. Using a cheap converter would not allow that to happen.

Unless I'm talking bollox of course. :lol: :lol:
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#5

Post by Ali Tait »

Yes, they didn't make it easy to output a digital signal. Might be easier to rip the disc (if that's possible) and then play through your dac via a pc.
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#6

Post by Alex Kitic »

First you need a DAC that is DSD capable, if you want to enjoy "real" SACD sound from some sort of digital input.

If you are interested just in standard digital output (PCM 16 or 24 bit), some BluRay players that are SACD compatible will have PCM digital output through SPDIF. Some will play back even SACD copies on DVD-R.

The best way for SACD digital DsD strem playback is using Foobar on a PC, reading SACD image files, with output set for DSD stream, into some external DAC that is capable of decoding such stream (TEAC has at least one such model).

Of course you need to rip your SACD discs to images, and the only way to do it is using an adequately tweaked PlayStation 3 (the very old type that could read SACD) with the appropriate software for SACD ripping.

So far this should be legal to do with your own discs, but your rights as disc owner are being violated by the content copyright owners in a rather subtle way... but you need not worry, since if you cannot rip your own discs, you can always download SACD image files that others have ripped! In that case you might choose to stop buying and start downloading?

All that aside, if you already own SACD discs and player, why would you need to playback through some external DAC? Maybe the simple choice is buying a DAC that is DSD capable and has an HDMI input?
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#7

Post by pre65 »

So, is the digital sound part of the HDMI output in a form that the average DAC can read ?
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Nick
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#8

Post by Nick »

I would very much doubt it. I expect the hdmi stream includes copy protection.
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#9

Post by pre65 »

Nick wrote:I would very much doubt it. I expect the hdmi stream includes copy protection.
OK, but if that is so, what use are those adaptors ? :?
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#10

Post by Nick »

pre65 wrote:
Nick wrote:I would very much doubt it. I expect the hdmi stream includes copy protection.
OK, but if that is so, what use are those adaptors ? :?
I don't know, but I doubt you will get DSD out of it. Maybe you will and it produces DSD over PCM.
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#11

Post by Alex Kitic »

This has nothing to do with copy protection!

You cannot rip SACD on a computer because there are no drives that can read them, although the SACD layer is a "normal DVD", but a chip is needed to allow reading it: this chip requires a royalty that manufacturers are not willing to pay (high?).

Proper SACD = DSD stream. Even if the player will output DSD via HDMI, "allegedly impossible through SPDIF" due to bandwidth limitations of the protocol, you need a DSD capable DAC.

Some modern players (mostly BluRay) will output PCM (during SACD reproduction) in a quality that most DACs can process: but that is not proper SACD!

Who and why would want to playback SACD through classic PCM DAC? Because of a belief that SACD will sound better converted to PCM and reproduced via "high quality PCM DAC"?

That is apples and oranges!

I am slightly amazed to be exposing this in "foreign language", i.e. that it seems you have not understood what I was saying in my first post?! Either knowledge of SACD is "major hack", or I am living in a parallel universe where we cannot hear IMD with 1kHz plus 80kHz (2nd harmonic of 40kHz) from HF AC ;)
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