Playing SACDs on a 9700

[Rin]

Direct link, just change to the language you need:
http://www.p4c.philips.com/cgi-bin/d...&slg=en&scy=DE

System Software Version 3.76
- Improvement on playback of 3D blu-ray disc “Avengers” (Asia Pacific version only)
- Enhance Blu-ray disc playability
- Enhance SACD playability
- Enhance the performance of HDMI connection
- Enhance playback performance
- Various bug fix

System Software Version 3.71.01
Fixes the following issues:
- Transparent black bar seen on the bottom of the screen during 3D playback.
- Device hang-up when loading 3D discs while it is connected to HDMI TV and HDMI AV receiver.

[WillemV]

Thanks Rin for the direct link.

Unfortunately it did not solve the issues related to SACD playback, other than the accidental stop after tracks. All the main problems are still there. In a reply I will include a table with the test results.

[WillemV]

Below a list of SACD behaviour of the player with FIrmware 3.7

Philips BDP9700 Firmware 3.76

Scenario 1: HDMI centric high quality SACD playback according to manual

Connections: HDMI AVR to AVR, HDMI Main to Digital TV set.
Audio Settings BDP9700: HDMI AVR: Bitstream, HDMI Main: Off
Result: No six channel DSD bitstream fed into AVR. Instead PCM at 88Khz mch. Analog audio not high quality (Probably a PCM derived signal, too many conversions).
Video: Video available through TV set channel.

Scenario 2: AVR only, AVR connected to TV set via monitor out

Connections: HDMI AVR to AVR, HDMI Main to AVR, Analog 7.1 to AVR.
Audio Settings BDP9700: HDMI AVR: Bitstream, HDMI Main: Off
Result: 6 channel (or 5 since most SACD’s are 5.0) DSD bitstream and /or DSD direct analog sound available in very high quality.
Video : Not available without interrupting the DSD stream.

Scenario 3: Analog centric to external HDMI TV set (for AVR’s without HDMI input)

Connections: HDMI AVR not connected, HDMI Main to digital TV, Analog 7.1 to AVR.
Audio Settings BDP9700: HDMI AVR:Bitstream, HDMI Main: Off
Result: 6 channel (or 5 since most SACD’s are 5.0) analog sound available in moderate quality. Most likely a PCM derived signal.
Video (for selection of tracks and progress of the player) available through TV

Required behaviour (is according to user manual): Maximum utilization of 1795 DSD architecture.

Connections: HDMI AVR to AVR or Analog 7.1 to AVR, HDMI Main to TV.
Audio Settings BDP9700: HDMI AVR: Bitstream, HDMI Main: Off
Result: High quality six channel DSD bitstream fed into AVR and DSD based D/A conversion for analog out7.1 connectors
Video: External TV set.

"Note 1: It looks like as if the BDP9700 takes feedback from the HDMI main connection to decide whether to go DSD direct or convert to PCM.

In addition when you switch off the TV set the 9700 stops playing no matter if you have connected any of the HDMI outputs or just the analog cable set.

This is unwanted behaviour. In fact the player should completely ignore the attributes of the HDMI Main connection when playing SACD or CDDA as it is
set to go the DSD route based on the user setting in the audio settings menu.


Note 2: SACD 2ch versus SACD 6 Ch. How can users set the BDP9700 to read the 2channel portion on the SACD ? THere should be a setting in the
audio settings menu to enable the selection of the SACD two channel portion like all other brands do and like all former Philips SACD players.
"

[Gerhard]

Thank you Willem for the good summary.

I can confirm that the tracks of a SACD are now played without stopping after each track and the behaviour that you need to disconnect HDMI Main from the TV set when you want to have DSD direct from the player. As soon as you plug in the the TV set, the player falls back to PCM (after the update now to multi-channel mode).

Each change on HDMI Main (hot-plugging, switching the TV on etc) causes an unwanted "feedback" to the player - either the sound gets interrupted, or it starts a disk from the very beginning.

So it seems that there's some work to be done to solve these issues.

Wrt "Note 2": I thought that the audio option button on the remote is exactly for this in SACD mode.

- Gerhard

[WillemV]

Hallo Gerhard,

A very good summary and I fully concur. I think we are narrowing down to the roots or starting point of the failure.

And good point re note 2. It makes sense and I did not test audio option on the remote; I may have assumed that this button drives BR and DVD audio options. Nothing is mentioned in the manual though. Anyway will try it out.

Willem

[WTLOM]

Hi there

Having updated to the SW v3.76, my 9700 have the similar problem sending DSD signal to AVR when playing sacd.

Setting 1
Audio Menue:HDMI Main OFF
Connection: 2 HDMI Cables
A.) 9700 HDMI Main Off > AVR Main In and B) 9700 HDMI AV Bitstream> AVR HDMI IN
Result: AVR receives PCM 88.2kHz/ No DSD signal detected by AVR

Setting 2
Audio Menue: HDMI Main OFF
Connection: 1 HDMI Cable (9700 HDMI Main > AVR Main, unplugged, both end)
i.e. HDMI Main OFF; 9700 HDMI AVR > AVR HDMI IN
Result: AVR detects DSD but only 44.1 kHz. I don't know this sample rate is correct or not.

Hope a new update can fix the above.

Thanks,
WTLOM

[WillemV]

Hallo Angus,

Just a note re: sample rate when feeding DSD over HDMI;

The sample rate of DSD is 2,8 Mhz but the way it is send over the HDMI connection is somewhat trivial in the sense that it cuts the total stream in portions of (8bits) 44.1 Khz (for transport purposes only) after which the Delta-Sigma CHip at the reciever end builds the sent information back into a meaningfull DSD stream. So, the 44.1 Khz indication is misleading and as it is not what you hear.