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RPI 3 playback of multichannel DSD using HDMI

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kolia:
Hello everyone,
Is there a chance that RPI HDMI output, with MC setup as a client, will play multichannel DSD files sent to an a/v receiver (the receiver is known to play DSD only when using its HDMI input).
Are there any specific considerations I should be aware of to setup the HDMI output in order to maximize SQ?
Thank you

Awesome Donkey:
A couple of potential issues come to my mind.

1. Multichannel DSD is one of the most demanding tasks MC does, so there's a chance the Pi might not even be remotely powerful enough to handle it (not too sure with DSD bitstreaming, but if you're converting to DSD on-the-fly that won't work at all with a Pi). Not sure, I don't own any Pis to test this.
2. I don't think it's possible to output DSD over HDMI with a Pi (depending on where the HDMI output is connected, e.g. onboard video). In fact, I'm not sure if DSD over HDMI is even possible (or feasible) on a computer in general, partly due to video cards not supporting DSD via their HDMI outputs.
3. The receiver would have to support DoP, which is how MC for Linux handles and sends bitstreamed DSD.

Of course, I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that being the case. If I'm wrong, hopefully somebody corrects me. ;)

Zhillsguy:
Here is another JRiver related thread:
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=97510.0

I find the RPI to be underpowered for any kind of reliable playback, but it makes a cool little music server.

IMO you may find a way to pass through multichannel audio to your AVR, but DSD wouldn't be possible.

kolia:
Thanks for your valuable inputs and the links provided. I don't want to convert on the fly, I'm just looking for playing files at the original sampling rate and bit depth. I was not aware that MC converts DSD to DoP, is it a CPU intensive task? When using a MC client, is the conversion done at the server level or client level?
I will try first connecting the HTPC HDMI output to the the player and see how it goes it will help to validate the whole setup.

Awesome Donkey:
Bitstreaming DSD via DoP isn't a conversion. In a nutshell it's a nice little trick to transmit DSD over PCM without any conversion, which is what a lot of DACs these days support. Not sure about receivers - if the receiver doesn't support DoP then then entire idea here is probably a non-starter to begin with, never mind the DSD over HDMI issues from a computer (or a Pi in this case). Native DSD playback (without DoP) with MC is only currently supported on Windows.


--- Quote ---The original idea for DoP was invented by dCS in 2011. It involves taking groups of 16 adjacent 1-bit  samples from a DSD stream and packing them into the lower 16 bits of a 24/176.4 data stream. Data from the other channel of the stereo pair is packed the same way. A specific marker code in the top 8 bits identifies the data stream as DoP, rather than PCM. The resulting DoP stream can be transmitted through existing 24/192-capable USB, AES, Dual AES or SPDIF interfaces to a DoP-compatible DAC, which reassembles the original stereo DSD data stream COMPLETELY UNCHANGED.
--- End quote ---

https://www.dcsltd.co.uk/support/what-is-dop-dsd-over-pcm/
http://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/dop-isnt-pcm/13568/
https://www.northstar.it/dsd-native-vs-dop/
http://dsd-guide.com/dop-open-standard#.Wg1eWkqnEuU

If I had to guess where DSD over HDMI works with your receiver, it's probably from something like a SACD player to the receiver.

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