A bitstream audio connection is a continuous stream of data that contains not only critical audio information encoded as a bitstream, but also additional data, metadata, and a plethora of other information shepherded along with it.Īll told, bitstream audio is a continuous stream that contains all the information about the audio signal that’s played through it.Īs we said, both PCM and bitstream contain crucial audio information, such as the digital representation of the analog audio signal. The second method involves what some call bitstream, and others call it straight PCM. The receiver does the job of mixing the different channels together and creating a deep, cinematic sound. The analog signal is then sent into the receiver for amplification. This is typically done with a digital-to-analog converter. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts a digital stream of ones and zeros to an analog signal. The first way your home entertainment system decodes an audio signal is the most common, and the system works the same for both PCM and bitstream. If you have this capability, you can choose bitstream or PCM for the audio tracks that you want to play. If your receiver or AVR has audio jacks that are labeled as bitstream or PCM, then you can try playing the audio tracks that you have encoded in either format and listen directly (without a decoder). When it comes to choosing the best lossless compression format for audio, bitstream is said to offer a more transparent and linear listening experience. This is the default format for several types of surround sound and audio formats. For this reason, it's known as lossless compression. It encodes the signal directly from the source to the processing module using a format that doesn't change the audio with the help of uncompressed data. For this reason, it's known as lossy compression.īitstream is a bit different. When an audio source is encoded in PCM, it's somewhat altered from its original format. It's a system that processes sound encoded on a disc into a digital signal and sends it to your speakers. To choose the optimal format, you'll need to understand the difference between the two. Most modern receivers and AVRs have audio decoding that can accept signals in bitstream and PCM formats.
PCM VS DOLBY DIGITAL FULL
The audio bitstream is a wider bandwidth, a digital signal and user generated files, so it’s NOT the same as a CD.ĭigital files are like a full spectrum of color, while analog files are like the black and white picture in a coloring book. Put simply, the bitstream can output anything from a fax machine to the 9th harmonic of a 3rd octave C note off a glockenspiel with the right gear. PCM is only capable of outputting a mono or stereo audio signal but the bitstream can output virtually every audio signal format known to man if you've got the ducats to pay for a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) capable of handling it. PCM is pristine like a mime, it’s all about noiseless information while bitstream is audio straight from the horse’s mouth as the loudest flute at a renaissance fair.
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The PCM system is akin to the baby steps of an infant, and the bitstream is the giant leap as the child grows. The Basics of BitstreamĪn audio system can be compared to a programming language like C or Python. PCM audio maintains its quality through the digitization process and is unlikely to see any degradation in quality. This is due to the fact that the audio is not converted from digital to analog, and then converted back to digital again.
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PCM technology allows for a uniform audio output quality with no distortion. However, the digitization process may differ from one device to another. Here, the digital signal is kept in its original form.įor example, a recording that had PCM encoding will be able to be played wherever a player capable of decoding the content is available. PCM is a form of digital audio that happens to be the most common way of transporting audio content for the purposes of either transmission or storage. Therefore, there is a need to constantly monitor the audio for quality control and/or ask the content providers to re-encode the audio to maintain the desired quality standards.
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The drawback of this system is that it is prone to electrical digital noise and distortion, producing an inconsistent and imperfect issue of the converted content. Outputs can be speakers, or DACs, or even another digital device. It is the simplest form of digital audio transfer as digital data is decoded without converting into analog. What is the difference between PCM and Bitstream? Which is better?īitstream audio makes use of the digital decoding process to convert the digital file into an analog signal.