Multi Channel Output Vs. Optical/Coaxial (Sony BDP-S5000)

[Fidel47]

[qanda]This thread is about the Sony BDP-S5000. Click here to see full specs[/qanda]Hello:
What is the best way and why, to connect the Audio output portion from a Blu-Ray player to a Receiver with no HDMI Input port:

a) Using Analog MultiChannel output to Analog Multi Channel Input?
b) Using the Digital/Coaxial output to Digital/Coaxial Input?
c) What is the meaning of DolbyDigital/DTS LPCM 2 CH*6?
d) How Real is HDMI Audio channel separation, compared to a) and b) above?

Thank you

[Dogg]

a) allows surround sound for all formats that can be hardware decoded by the player

b) allows DD5.1 and DTS to be output to the receiver for decoding

c) Dolby Digital (DD5.1) and DTS are the standard DVD surround sound formats. LPCM tracks are typically stereo. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-Audio

d) it’s the same, except the HDMI output allows the use of the new HD audio formats

[Fidel47]

Thank you Dogg.