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Oppo 203 SPDIF Digital Coax output

Question: Does the SPDIF digital coax audio output of the Oppo 203 send the input (HDMI) audio signal unaltered when bitstream is selected? If it's possible, what are the settings to use? My use case is 2-channel streaming music from an NVidia Shield Pro 2017 using the HDMI input of the Oppo, with the SPDIF digital out feeding an external DAC. I've tried various settings, and the telltale sign of alteration is when I change the speaker config (e.g., distance of front left speaker), it changes the sound on the digital coax out! Direct A/B comparison between the USB (both Stereo and high resolution stereo) out of the NVidia Shield and the SPDIF digital out also sound markedly different. Maybe it's some setting with the Shield, maybe it's some setting with the Oppo.

Somewhat related question: is there a difference in USB sound between the Shield 2017 vs. 2019?
jitenn
jitenn OP
8 posts
 
Thanks folks. Working with Oppo tech support. Something is awry, but a full power cycle seems to have changed something as well.
rego
378 posts
 
Please follow through with an update ...
rego
378 posts
 
@jdub39, to address the idea of 'streamer' (which to use), both players are very good and both are centered in a AV use capacity as opposed to
UHD Audio.
Streaming development is fluid and evolving.
Shield development has shown less emphasis on Audio Playback which may change.
Oppo dropped the UDP line ... !

Shield with a Linear PS could be good performer (not that it is not already) ... and then with an OS upgrade could be better ...
 
UDP-203 User Manual pg. 57 - S/PDIF Output / Bitstream shows:

" Bitstream (default) – Passes audio as compressed bit-stream format to the receiver/amplifier. Choose this setting if your receiver/amplifier is capable of decoding Dolby Digital and/or DTS.".  

Showing 'compressed bit-stream format'.
 

jitenn OP
8 posts
 
Limited insight from Oppo at as now. They insist the player shouldn't be doing what it's doing. I insist otherwise. Stalemate.
rego
378 posts
 
Meantime here is info from GeForce Forum on Shield ...

Audio pass-through vs local decoding

Shield can pass-through of all the mainstream codecs, but is not licensed to locally decode nor transcode of them. If the Shield detects that the device it is plugged into has the ability to handle the codec being used, the unaltered audio feed will be passed forward to be decoded out there. If it does not, Shield will simply fall back to basic decoding, and output a PCM 16bit stereo signal. In order to check the decoding formats ready to be passed forward by the Shield, go to Settings/About/Status/HDMI/Audio mode.

 

From <https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/discover/297989/-

guide-audio-pass-through-hdmi-arc-physical-setup-settings/>

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