A Quick Guide to HD Audio
Chris has put together a short guide to the wonders of high-definition audio...
High-definition players have been with us for some time now in the form of Blu-ray (and the now-defunct HD DVD), and people are slowly but surely embracing the technology. However, with new technology comes new terminology, which is rarely explained satisfactorily by the electronics manufacturers. A topic that seems to cause a lot of consumer confusion is high-definition audio, so I’ve compiled this little guide designed to offer a ‘laymen’s' explanation of the new formats and the hardware you’ll need to get the best from them.
By and large, DVD used two main formats: Dolby Digital and DTS. These are what is known as ‘lossy’ audio formats, in that they ‘discard’ the parts of the soundtrack that the human ear theoretically can’t hear, which greatly reduces the amount of space that the soundtracks occupy on the disc. This was more important for DVD than Blu-ray, because of the relatively restrictive size of the discs (8.5GB for a dual layered disc, as opposed to 50GB for Blu-ray).
Because of the massive storage afforded by Blu-ray, not only can it deliver superior video, but also high-definition audio. As with DVD the two dominant formats come from Dolby and DTS, but they differ slightly in their implementation and there are also more variants. Let’s take a look at the available Blu-ray audio formats, some of which are mandatory and must be supported by Blu-ray players, and some of which are entirely optional:
Which format is used is down to the content makers, but most Blu-ray Discs contain at least one lossless soundtrack. However, because these soundtracks are not mandatory, not all Blu-ray players and amplifiers can decode them (more on that later). Let’s take a look at the formats in a bit more detail.
Dolby Digital is the most commonly used format for DVD soundtracks and it also appears on a large number of Blu-ray Discs. As previously stated, Dolby Digital is a lossy format that discards information in order to compress a soundtrack down to a more manageable size. Common bitrates for Dolby Digital on DVD were 384Kbps and 448Kbps, but Blu-ray ups this to a maximum of 640Kbps. Although capable of delivering excellent audio, it’s not high-definition and supports a maximum of 5.1 channels.
Dolby’s newer format, Dolby Digital Plus, is similar to standard Dolby Digital in that it is a lossy format. However, it uses more efficient compression at higher bitrates (up to 1.7Mbps) and offers support for 7.1 channels. This produces superior results to standard Dolby Digital, but it is rarely employed on Blu-ray Disc because of its optional status. On HD DVD, where it was a mandatory format, it had a maximum bitrate of 3.0Mbps and was used on many titles.
Dolby’s most advanced format is TrueHD, which is lossless. What this means in simple terms is that although the format is compressed, no audio information is lost (in this respect it is analogous to a zip file). It allows for up to 7.1 channels of audio at bitrates of up to 18Mbps. TrueHD is widely used as the primary soundtrack on many Blu-ray Discs, but because it is an optional format it is always accompanied by a standard Dolby Digital track at 640Kbps for legacy compatibility. This track is usually hidden, but some studios (such as Warner Brothers) offer it as a selectable item in their menus.
DTS was a popular lossy audio format on DVD due to its alleged superiority over Dolby Digital (and no I don’t want to get into that debate here). DTS was commonly found on ‘premium’ editions of certain titles and was often used as a marketing tool to attract consumers who demanded the best audio-visual quality (Sony’s Superbit rage springs to mind). Standard DTS supported up to 5.1 channels of audio and offered bitrates of 768Kbps and 1.5Mbps, although the majority of titles were encoded at the lower bitrate.
DTS’ answer to Dolby Digital Plus is DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. This is a lossy format that offers up to 7.1 channels at a maximum bitrate of 6.0Mbps and its use is more widespread than Dolby Digital Plus on Blu-ray (at least in my experience). It is usually employed on titles where space is an issue, but it occasionally crops up on some big-name titles (the German release of Fight Club springs to mind).
Now this is where DTS’ naming conventions get a bit confusing. DTS’ answer to Dolby TrueHD is called DTS-HD Master Audio, but more often than not it is referred to simply as Master Audio. It supports up to 7.1 channels of audio at a maximum bitrate of 24.5Mbps. Whereas Dolby TrueHD includes a separate Dolby Digital track, DTS-HD (both variants) works on a slightly different principal. There is a single stream containing both the standard lossy DTS Core and the lossless extension, which combine to create the full DTS-HD track (this is referred to as Core+Extensions). This lossless extension contains the 'difference' between the standard Core audio and the full DTS-HD soundtrack. If a player does not support DTS-HD then the lossless extension is discarded and you are left with a 1.5Mbps DTS Core track.
PCM is the other main format in use on Blu-ray and is seen by some as the ‘holy grail’ of audio. Because it is uncompressed and identical to the studio master it occupies far more disc space than the compressed Dolby and DTS formats, and as such it is used less frequently. For example, many early releases from Sony featured PCM tracks, but they have now largely switched to TrueHD (and to a lesser extent Master Audio).
As you can see, high-definition audio is a bit of a minefield, what with all of the different formats and their variants. However, for the best possible quality you’re going to want to seek out Blu-ray Discs with Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio or PCM soundtracks. Although compressed, TrueHD and Master Audio are bit-for-bit identical to the studio mater, so there is theoretically no difference between these three formats other than space requirements and occasional volume differences (Dolby tracks tend to be quieter).
Now that you know about the available formats you’re probably wondering what equipment you need. Well, that’s just as confusing as the formats themselves. Much of the following depends on the capabilities of your Blu-ray player and your amplifier, so there’s no ‘one size fits all’ answer. Blu-ray players and amplifiers are usually equipped with two or more audio connectors, as outlined below:
Most amplifiers will support one or more of these interfaces, although only newer models will offer more advanced options. Ideally you will be looking to connect your Blu-ray player to your amplifier via HDMI 1.3 as it is the most elegant solution, but this is not always possible. Below is a summary of what you can expect to hear with each format over each interconnect.
S/PDIF utilises either coaxial RCA or optical TOSLINK (TOShibaLINK) connectors and is capable of transmitting both Dolby Digital and DTS bitstreams from your player to your amplifier, where they are decoded. However, it lacks the bandwidth necessary to transmit Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD and DTS-HD (both variants). In such cases most players will use the standard lossy Dolby or DTS track instead, but a few are capable of re-encoding soundtracks into 1.5Mbps DTS for arguably superior results. It's also worth noting that PCM soundtracks are downmixed to two channels due to bandwidth limitations.
This is the newest technology and the easiest way of obtaining HD audio from your Blu-ray player. The latest HDMI version (1.3) can support bitstreaming of all of the audio formats we’ve been talking about, so if you are in the market for a new amp it makes sense to go for one that supports this standard. Most recent modestly-priced amplifiers will decode all of the HD audio formats (check your manual if you are unsure).
However, not all amplifiers can decode HD formats or support HDMI 1.3. So, what if you have an older amp? Well, in this situation there could still be a way for you to enjoy HD audio without replacing an expensive piece of equipment. Many Blu-ray players are capable of internally decoding the HD audio formats and outputting them as PCM over HDMI. All HDMI versions can handle up to eight channels of PCM audio, so if you have an amp with HDMI 1.1 or 1.2 you could still hear the audio in all of its high-definition goodness providing it supports PCM over HDMI (if in doubt, consult your manual). For all intents and purposes there is little difference between the player and the amp handling the decoding, other than the thrill of seeing the Dolby and DTS lights appear on the amp when it decodes!
Another benefit of allowing the player to perform the decoding is that it can mix primary and secondary audio, which is not possible when bitstreaming. Why is this beneficial? Well, the main benefit is that it allows you to hear the audio on picture-in-picture tracks, but it also allows you to hear the various clicks that often accompany menu navigation. However, it is worth noting that some players cannot do this for DTS-HD tracks (notably the Sony BDP-S550).
Of course some Blu-ray players cannot decode all HD audio formats. Historically a number of players have lacked the ability to decode Master Audio, and in these cases the player would fall back on the 1.5Mbps DTS Core (which is still no slouch). The same is true of Dolby TrueHD etc., so you will need to consult your manual for details of which formats your player can decode. The PS3 was a favourite among early adopters because it could internally decode all formats to PCM except Master Audio, but support for that format arrived some time ago as part of an update. In addition to decoding, the newer PS3 Slim is also capable of bitstreaming the audio should you chose to do so.
What if you have a really old amp that doesn’t have HDMI? As we know, S/PDIF isn’t an option for HD audio, but if both your amp and Blu-ray player have multi-channel analogue interconnects there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Providing your player can decode all of the available formats, connecting it to your amp via six (or eight) RCA cables will allow you to enjoy HD audio with one or two caveats. Firstly, because the analogue decoding is done inside the player you must set speaker delay, distance and size manually using the player’s audio settings, rather than those of your amplifier. Secondly, the quality of the final audio is dependant on the quality of the DACs in the player, rather than those of the amp. I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up.
I hope this guide is useful to those of you dipping your toes in the high-definition waters. It's not designed to be an in-depth technical analysis of the formats, and as such some concepts have been 'dumbed down'. However, if you think that the article could benefit from more information or believe any of the above information to be erroneous, why not add your thoughts in the comments section?
Editorial by Chris Gould
Software
By and large, DVD used two main formats: Dolby Digital and DTS. These are what is known as ‘lossy’ audio formats, in that they ‘discard’ the parts of the soundtrack that the human ear theoretically can’t hear, which greatly reduces the amount of space that the soundtracks occupy on the disc. This was more important for DVD than Blu-ray, because of the relatively restrictive size of the discs (8.5GB for a dual layered disc, as opposed to 50GB for Blu-ray).
Because of the massive storage afforded by Blu-ray, not only can it deliver superior video, but also high-definition audio. As with DVD the two dominant formats come from Dolby and DTS, but they differ slightly in their implementation and there are also more variants. Let’s take a look at the available Blu-ray audio formats, some of which are mandatory and must be supported by Blu-ray players, and some of which are entirely optional:
- Linear PCM (Mandatory)
- Dolby Digital (Mandatory)
- Dolby Digital Plus (Optional)
- Dolby TrueHD (Optional)
- DTS (Mandatory)
- DTS-HD High Resolution Audio (Optional)
- DTS-HD Master Audio (Optional)
Which format is used is down to the content makers, but most Blu-ray Discs contain at least one lossless soundtrack. However, because these soundtracks are not mandatory, not all Blu-ray players and amplifiers can decode them (more on that later). Let’s take a look at the formats in a bit more detail.
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the most commonly used format for DVD soundtracks and it also appears on a large number of Blu-ray Discs. As previously stated, Dolby Digital is a lossy format that discards information in order to compress a soundtrack down to a more manageable size. Common bitrates for Dolby Digital on DVD were 384Kbps and 448Kbps, but Blu-ray ups this to a maximum of 640Kbps. Although capable of delivering excellent audio, it’s not high-definition and supports a maximum of 5.1 channels.
Dolby’s newer format, Dolby Digital Plus, is similar to standard Dolby Digital in that it is a lossy format. However, it uses more efficient compression at higher bitrates (up to 1.7Mbps) and offers support for 7.1 channels. This produces superior results to standard Dolby Digital, but it is rarely employed on Blu-ray Disc because of its optional status. On HD DVD, where it was a mandatory format, it had a maximum bitrate of 3.0Mbps and was used on many titles.
Dolby’s most advanced format is TrueHD, which is lossless. What this means in simple terms is that although the format is compressed, no audio information is lost (in this respect it is analogous to a zip file). It allows for up to 7.1 channels of audio at bitrates of up to 18Mbps. TrueHD is widely used as the primary soundtrack on many Blu-ray Discs, but because it is an optional format it is always accompanied by a standard Dolby Digital track at 640Kbps for legacy compatibility. This track is usually hidden, but some studios (such as Warner Brothers) offer it as a selectable item in their menus.
Digital Theater Systems
DTS was a popular lossy audio format on DVD due to its alleged superiority over Dolby Digital (and no I don’t want to get into that debate here). DTS was commonly found on ‘premium’ editions of certain titles and was often used as a marketing tool to attract consumers who demanded the best audio-visual quality (Sony’s Superbit rage springs to mind). Standard DTS supported up to 5.1 channels of audio and offered bitrates of 768Kbps and 1.5Mbps, although the majority of titles were encoded at the lower bitrate.
DTS’ answer to Dolby Digital Plus is DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. This is a lossy format that offers up to 7.1 channels at a maximum bitrate of 6.0Mbps and its use is more widespread than Dolby Digital Plus on Blu-ray (at least in my experience). It is usually employed on titles where space is an issue, but it occasionally crops up on some big-name titles (the German release of Fight Club springs to mind).
Now this is where DTS’ naming conventions get a bit confusing. DTS’ answer to Dolby TrueHD is called DTS-HD Master Audio, but more often than not it is referred to simply as Master Audio. It supports up to 7.1 channels of audio at a maximum bitrate of 24.5Mbps. Whereas Dolby TrueHD includes a separate Dolby Digital track, DTS-HD (both variants) works on a slightly different principal. There is a single stream containing both the standard lossy DTS Core and the lossless extension, which combine to create the full DTS-HD track (this is referred to as Core+Extensions). This lossless extension contains the 'difference' between the standard Core audio and the full DTS-HD soundtrack. If a player does not support DTS-HD then the lossless extension is discarded and you are left with a 1.5Mbps DTS Core track.
Linear PCM
PCM is the other main format in use on Blu-ray and is seen by some as the ‘holy grail’ of audio. Because it is uncompressed and identical to the studio master it occupies far more disc space than the compressed Dolby and DTS formats, and as such it is used less frequently. For example, many early releases from Sony featured PCM tracks, but they have now largely switched to TrueHD (and to a lesser extent Master Audio).
As you can see, high-definition audio is a bit of a minefield, what with all of the different formats and their variants. However, for the best possible quality you’re going to want to seek out Blu-ray Discs with Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio or PCM soundtracks. Although compressed, TrueHD and Master Audio are bit-for-bit identical to the studio mater, so there is theoretically no difference between these three formats other than space requirements and occasional volume differences (Dolby tracks tend to be quieter).
Hardware
Now that you know about the available formats you’re probably wondering what equipment you need. Well, that’s just as confusing as the formats themselves. Much of the following depends on the capabilities of your Blu-ray player and your amplifier, so there’s no ‘one size fits all’ answer. Blu-ray players and amplifiers are usually equipped with two or more audio connectors, as outlined below:
- S/PDIF (Sony Philips Digital InterFace): Optical or Coaxial digital audio connection
- HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface): Digital connection for both audio and video
- Multi-Channel Analogue: Analogue audio connection
Most amplifiers will support one or more of these interfaces, although only newer models will offer more advanced options. Ideally you will be looking to connect your Blu-ray player to your amplifier via HDMI 1.3 as it is the most elegant solution, but this is not always possible. Below is a summary of what you can expect to hear with each format over each interconnect.
S/PDIF
S/PDIF utilises either coaxial RCA or optical TOSLINK (TOShibaLINK) connectors and is capable of transmitting both Dolby Digital and DTS bitstreams from your player to your amplifier, where they are decoded. However, it lacks the bandwidth necessary to transmit Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD and DTS-HD (both variants). In such cases most players will use the standard lossy Dolby or DTS track instead, but a few are capable of re-encoding soundtracks into 1.5Mbps DTS for arguably superior results. It's also worth noting that PCM soundtracks are downmixed to two channels due to bandwidth limitations.
HDMI
This is the newest technology and the easiest way of obtaining HD audio from your Blu-ray player. The latest HDMI version (1.3) can support bitstreaming of all of the audio formats we’ve been talking about, so if you are in the market for a new amp it makes sense to go for one that supports this standard. Most recent modestly-priced amplifiers will decode all of the HD audio formats (check your manual if you are unsure).
However, not all amplifiers can decode HD formats or support HDMI 1.3. So, what if you have an older amp? Well, in this situation there could still be a way for you to enjoy HD audio without replacing an expensive piece of equipment. Many Blu-ray players are capable of internally decoding the HD audio formats and outputting them as PCM over HDMI. All HDMI versions can handle up to eight channels of PCM audio, so if you have an amp with HDMI 1.1 or 1.2 you could still hear the audio in all of its high-definition goodness providing it supports PCM over HDMI (if in doubt, consult your manual). For all intents and purposes there is little difference between the player and the amp handling the decoding, other than the thrill of seeing the Dolby and DTS lights appear on the amp when it decodes!
Another benefit of allowing the player to perform the decoding is that it can mix primary and secondary audio, which is not possible when bitstreaming. Why is this beneficial? Well, the main benefit is that it allows you to hear the audio on picture-in-picture tracks, but it also allows you to hear the various clicks that often accompany menu navigation. However, it is worth noting that some players cannot do this for DTS-HD tracks (notably the Sony BDP-S550).
Of course some Blu-ray players cannot decode all HD audio formats. Historically a number of players have lacked the ability to decode Master Audio, and in these cases the player would fall back on the 1.5Mbps DTS Core (which is still no slouch). The same is true of Dolby TrueHD etc., so you will need to consult your manual for details of which formats your player can decode. The PS3 was a favourite among early adopters because it could internally decode all formats to PCM except Master Audio, but support for that format arrived some time ago as part of an update. In addition to decoding, the newer PS3 Slim is also capable of bitstreaming the audio should you chose to do so.
Multi-Channel Analogue
What if you have a really old amp that doesn’t have HDMI? As we know, S/PDIF isn’t an option for HD audio, but if both your amp and Blu-ray player have multi-channel analogue interconnects there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Providing your player can decode all of the available formats, connecting it to your amp via six (or eight) RCA cables will allow you to enjoy HD audio with one or two caveats. Firstly, because the analogue decoding is done inside the player you must set speaker delay, distance and size manually using the player’s audio settings, rather than those of your amplifier. Secondly, the quality of the final audio is dependant on the quality of the DACs in the player, rather than those of the amp. I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up.
I hope this guide is useful to those of you dipping your toes in the high-definition waters. It's not designed to be an in-depth technical analysis of the formats, and as such some concepts have been 'dumbed down'. However, if you think that the article could benefit from more information or believe any of the above information to be erroneous, why not add your thoughts in the comments section?
Editorial by Chris Gould
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Existing Posts
Not really sure why you felt the need to drag this up again over a month later. I'm a member of their forums because I'm a member of many forums, and like any other website I will question things that I believe to be wrong (it's difficult to take software reviews that go on about how great Gladiator looks on BD seriously, especially when the same person has called CE3K poor).
I read and trust the AVForums over any print magazine, because the users there have no individual agenda. They're not 'paranoid berks' as you put it, they're home cinema enthusiasts who frequently demonstrate superior knowledge to the professionals who write What Hi-Fi. Just because it's their job it doesn't mean that they're infallible, or more knowledgeable than an amateur enthusiast come to that.
I read and trust the AVForums over any print magazine, because the users there have no individual agenda. They're not 'paranoid berks' as you put it, they're home cinema enthusiasts who frequently demonstrate superior knowledge to the professionals who write What Hi-Fi. Just because it's their job it doesn't mean that they're infallible, or more knowledgeable than an amateur enthusiast come to that.
Chris Gould wrote: I don't really have a problem, but it's a bit impolite to post on my article about HD audio formats claiming the best place to get the info is another website. If your recommendation had been limited solely to advice on speakers I would be more understanding, but in your original post it wasn't. It's like walking into a shop and announcing that you have a shop down the road that sells the same thing, only better and cheaper. What Hi-Fi would have moderated your post and given you a warning for doing that on their forums.
I happen to disagree with you when you say it's the best place to get reliable info, and to be honest the magazine is a bit of joke among the AV enthusiasts I talk to. I always favour the opinions of knowledgeable people who own the products and have no agenda over those of people reviewing for magazines, in much the same way that I always read multiple reviews of DVDs/BDs on different websites rather than trusting one person's opinion. That's my preference. As it happens, I have visited their forums and posted on topics where they are, how should I say, out of touch with reality. It wasn't particularly interesting.
What Hi-Fi's reviews of HDMI cables and the 'obvious' improvements offered by more expensive ones make for 'interesting' reading, as do their responses to people who challenge their findings.
As I said, if they have a guide to HD audio please link to it so I can take a look.
BoBoi wrote: Check the PS3 status bar and if your AVR shows "PCM Multi Channel", then you are getting the HD Audio that you are decoding. There's no such thing as decoding partial lossless audio (unless you use Optical and get DTS "Core", but you stated clearly that you used HDMI), so if you are decoding say DTS-HD MA, either by Internal Decoding or Bitstream you are getting DTS-HD MA.
Unless it's one of the new slim models the PS3 can only send legacy audio when set to bitstream, even over HDMI.
Bradavon wrote: Regarding this:
"I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up."
How much better do you find it?
Like night and day, but not necessarily because all analogue is poor. With my old configuration I was lucky in that my amp allowed me to adjust the volume of individual channels for analogue audio, but a lot of AVRs don't offer that. Even so, it meant that while BD soundtracks were at roughly the right levels, DVD soundtracks over coaxial were wrong (for convoluted reasons involving boosting the centre and LFE channels).
The Audyssey technology in my new amp did a really good job with speaker distances, delays and EQ. Now that everything is running though HDMI there's no fiddling about either (my Oppo also has HDMI, so I run the DVD player through the amp as well). Of course the dramatically improved audio is probably partly due to the fact that the new amp is just a better all-rounder than the seven year old Kenwood. It has a much 'fuller' sound and I can really hear subtle effects that weren't as clear with the older amp. The placement of effects is much more precise as well. Onkyos are said to be good for people who watch films, but they are supposed to be less 'musical' than other amps. That's not really an issue for me though.
Not sure why anyone would sign up and post on a website that is out of touch and a bit of a joke as you say but there you go, anyway i find their reviews, opinions and moderating of their website to be a bit more hmmm professional than a lot of websites i've visited. Maybe you can point me in the direction of some of your AV enthusiasts reviews perhaps? Maybe they do get a few posts from paranoid berks who believe whathifi does have hidden agendas with regards to their reviews but every forum has trolls right? Trust your own eyes and ears as they say and you can't go wrong with their best buy guides and just demo as much as you can. You think whathifis c**p but i've set up a great system thanks to their mag.
I happen to disagree with you when you say it's the best place to get reliable info, and to be honest the magazine is a bit of joke among the AV enthusiasts I talk to. I always favour the opinions of knowledgeable people who own the products and have no agenda over those of people reviewing for magazines, in much the same way that I always read multiple reviews of DVDs/BDs on different websites rather than trusting one person's opinion. That's my preference. As it happens, I have visited their forums and posted on topics where they are, how should I say, out of touch with reality. It wasn't particularly interesting.
What Hi-Fi's reviews of HDMI cables and the 'obvious' improvements offered by more expensive ones make for 'interesting' reading, as do their responses to people who challenge their findings.
As I said, if they have a guide to HD audio please link to it so I can take a look.
BoBoi wrote: Check the PS3 status bar and if your AVR shows "PCM Multi Channel", then you are getting the HD Audio that you are decoding. There's no such thing as decoding partial lossless audio (unless you use Optical and get DTS "Core", but you stated clearly that you used HDMI), so if you are decoding say DTS-HD MA, either by Internal Decoding or Bitstream you are getting DTS-HD MA.
Unless it's one of the new slim models the PS3 can only send legacy audio when set to bitstream, even over HDMI.
Bradavon wrote: Regarding this:
"I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up."
How much better do you find it?
Like night and day, but not necessarily because all analogue is poor. With my old configuration I was lucky in that my amp allowed me to adjust the volume of individual channels for analogue audio, but a lot of AVRs don't offer that. Even so, it meant that while BD soundtracks were at roughly the right levels, DVD soundtracks over coaxial were wrong (for convoluted reasons involving boosting the centre and LFE channels).
The Audyssey technology in my new amp did a really good job with speaker distances, delays and EQ. Now that everything is running though HDMI there's no fiddling about either (my Oppo also has HDMI, so I run the DVD player through the amp as well). Of course the dramatically improved audio is probably partly due to the fact that the new amp is just a better all-rounder than the seven year old Kenwood. It has a much 'fuller' sound and I can really hear subtle effects that weren't as clear with the older amp. The placement of effects is much more precise as well. Onkyos are said to be good for people who watch films, but they are supposed to be less 'musical' than other amps. That's not really an issue for me though.
Not sure why anyone would sign up and post on a website that is out of touch and a bit of a joke as you say but there you go, anyway i find their reviews, opinions and moderating of their website to be a bit more hmmm professional than a lot of websites i've visited. Maybe you can point me in the direction of some of your AV enthusiasts reviews perhaps? Maybe they do get a few posts from paranoid berks who believe whathifi does have hidden agendas with regards to their reviews but every forum has trolls right? Trust your own eyes and ears as they say and you can't go wrong with their best buy guides and just demo as much as you can. You think whathifis c**p but i've set up a great system thanks to their mag.
GavSalkeld wrote: Just a couple of points:
"Common bitrates for Dolby Digital on DVD were 384Kbps and 448Kbps, but Blu-ray ups this to a maximum of 640Kbps."
The 640kbps is actually Dolby Digital Plus, so you should move that into the paragraph about Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby Digital standard only goes up to 448kbps.
That's not the case, as evidenced by Dolby's own specifications.
"Common bitrates for Dolby Digital on DVD were 384Kbps and 448Kbps, but Blu-ray ups this to a maximum of 640Kbps."
The 640kbps is actually Dolby Digital Plus, so you should move that into the paragraph about Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby Digital standard only goes up to 448kbps.
That's not the case, as evidenced by Dolby's own specifications.
Just a couple of points:
"Common bitrates for Dolby Digital on DVD were 384Kbps and 448Kbps, but Blu-ray ups this to a maximum of 640Kbps."
The 640kbps is actually Dolby Digital Plus, so you should move that into the paragraph about Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby Digital standard only goes up to 448kbps.
Also -- and this generally speaking, not with regards to the article -- in my experience using an HDMI with the PS3 bizarrely downmixes any HD audio output so it has a roll-off around 16khz (I ran it into my PC in Audition to check). Yet when I output the sound via the composite white and red leads, I get full-spectrum HD sound.
It does this on TrueHD and Master Audio tracks, and I have no idea why.
"Common bitrates for Dolby Digital on DVD were 384Kbps and 448Kbps, but Blu-ray ups this to a maximum of 640Kbps."
The 640kbps is actually Dolby Digital Plus, so you should move that into the paragraph about Dolby Digital Plus. Dolby Digital standard only goes up to 448kbps.
Also -- and this generally speaking, not with regards to the article -- in my experience using an HDMI with the PS3 bizarrely downmixes any HD audio output so it has a roll-off around 16khz (I ran it into my PC in Audition to check). Yet when I output the sound via the composite white and red leads, I get full-spectrum HD sound.
It does this on TrueHD and Master Audio tracks, and I have no idea why.
I didn't know you could even buy expensive Dolby-only kit nowadays. What model is your amp?
Question.
I have just started to buy BD's, I notice that some of them are DTS only and some are Dolby only...is this going to be infinity?
I just purchased a huge Dolby Digital set up. Sounds great on those but, am I going to have to buy a whole new system?
Thanks
I have just started to buy BD's, I notice that some of them are DTS only and some are Dolby only...is this going to be infinity?
I just purchased a huge Dolby Digital set up. Sounds great on those but, am I going to have to buy a whole new system?
Thanks
Damn how do you know all this?
I already knew, but thanks for addressing the issue 
If one gets all-new tech, I say go HDMI all the way, for everything.
If one gets all-new tech, I say go HDMI all the way, for everything.
There's also the need to boost the LFE when using multi-channel analogue, because it's normally about 10dB too low. Some BD players are also better than others when it comes to allowing you to tweak crossover settings and the like.
Added a paragraph about mixing primary/secondary audio in the player. Also, I'm aware that this article is pretty much ignoring HDMI 1.4, but that's because it's not widely available yet and doesn't really affect anything I've covered because it's primarily for other features.
Added a paragraph about mixing primary/secondary audio in the player. Also, I'm aware that this article is pretty much ignoring HDMI 1.4, but that's because it's not widely available yet and doesn't really affect anything I've covered because it's primarily for other features.
Interesting thanks Chris.
If memory serves me correctly I could adjust the volume from the Players end but I'm pretty sure those settings were locked on the Amp, when using Analogue Multi-channel. At the time I used them (SACD/DVD-A) I was using a top of the range Pioneer DVD Player, still easily the best DVD Player I've ever owned, but not good enough to own as well as my LG Combo Player.
If memory serves me correctly I could adjust the volume from the Players end but I'm pretty sure those settings were locked on the Amp, when using Analogue Multi-channel. At the time I used them (SACD/DVD-A) I was using a top of the range Pioneer DVD Player, still easily the best DVD Player I've ever owned, but not good enough to own as well as my LG Combo Player.
I don't really have a problem, but it's a bit impolite to post on my article about HD audio formats claiming the best place to get the info is another website. If your recommendation had been limited solely to advice on speakers I would be more understanding, but in your original post it wasn't. It's like walking into a shop and announcing that you have a shop down the road that sells the same thing, only better and cheaper. What Hi-Fi would have moderated your post and given you a warning for doing that on their forums.
I happen to disagree with you when you say it's the best place to get reliable info, and to be honest the magazine is a bit of joke among the AV enthusiasts I talk to. I always favour the opinions of knowledgeable people who own the products and have no agenda over those of people reviewing for magazines, in much the same way that I always read multiple reviews of DVDs/BDs on different websites rather than trusting one person's opinion. That's my preference. As it happens, I have visited their forums and posted on topics where they are, how should I say, out of touch with reality. It wasn't particularly interesting.
What Hi-Fi's reviews of HDMI cables and the 'obvious' improvements offered by more expensive ones make for 'interesting' reading, as do their responses to people who challenge their findings.
As I said, if they have a guide to HD audio please link to it so I can take a look.
BoBoi wrote: Check the PS3 status bar and if your AVR shows "PCM Multi Channel", then you are getting the HD Audio that you are decoding. There's no such thing as decoding partial lossless audio (unless you use Optical and get DTS "Core", but you stated clearly that you used HDMI), so if you are decoding say DTS-HD MA, either by Internal Decoding or Bitstream you are getting DTS-HD MA.
Unless it's one of the new slim models the PS3 can only send legacy audio when set to bitstream, even over HDMI.
Bradavon wrote: Regarding this:
"I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up."
How much better do you find it?
Like night and day, but not necessarily because all analogue is poor. With my old configuration I was lucky in that my amp allowed me to adjust the volume of individual channels for analogue audio, but a lot of AVRs don't offer that. Even so, it meant that while BD soundtracks were at roughly the right levels, DVD soundtracks over coaxial were wrong (for convoluted reasons involving boosting the centre and LFE channels).
The Audyssey technology in my new amp did a really good job with speaker distances, delays and EQ. Now that everything is running though HDMI there's no fiddling about either (my Oppo also has HDMI, so I run the DVD player through the amp as well). Of course the dramatically improved audio is probably partly due to the fact that the new amp is just a better all-rounder than the seven year old Kenwood. It has a much 'fuller' sound and I can really hear subtle effects that weren't as clear with the older amp. The placement of effects is much more precise as well. Onkyos are said to be good for people who watch films, but they are supposed to be less 'musical' than other amps. That's not really an issue for me though.
I happen to disagree with you when you say it's the best place to get reliable info, and to be honest the magazine is a bit of joke among the AV enthusiasts I talk to. I always favour the opinions of knowledgeable people who own the products and have no agenda over those of people reviewing for magazines, in much the same way that I always read multiple reviews of DVDs/BDs on different websites rather than trusting one person's opinion. That's my preference. As it happens, I have visited their forums and posted on topics where they are, how should I say, out of touch with reality. It wasn't particularly interesting.
What Hi-Fi's reviews of HDMI cables and the 'obvious' improvements offered by more expensive ones make for 'interesting' reading, as do their responses to people who challenge their findings.
As I said, if they have a guide to HD audio please link to it so I can take a look.
BoBoi wrote: Check the PS3 status bar and if your AVR shows "PCM Multi Channel", then you are getting the HD Audio that you are decoding. There's no such thing as decoding partial lossless audio (unless you use Optical and get DTS "Core", but you stated clearly that you used HDMI), so if you are decoding say DTS-HD MA, either by Internal Decoding or Bitstream you are getting DTS-HD MA.
Unless it's one of the new slim models the PS3 can only send legacy audio when set to bitstream, even over HDMI.
Bradavon wrote: Regarding this:
"I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up."
How much better do you find it?
Like night and day, but not necessarily because all analogue is poor. With my old configuration I was lucky in that my amp allowed me to adjust the volume of individual channels for analogue audio, but a lot of AVRs don't offer that. Even so, it meant that while BD soundtracks were at roughly the right levels, DVD soundtracks over coaxial were wrong (for convoluted reasons involving boosting the centre and LFE channels).
The Audyssey technology in my new amp did a really good job with speaker distances, delays and EQ. Now that everything is running though HDMI there's no fiddling about either (my Oppo also has HDMI, so I run the DVD player through the amp as well). Of course the dramatically improved audio is probably partly due to the fact that the new amp is just a better all-rounder than the seven year old Kenwood. It has a much 'fuller' sound and I can really hear subtle effects that weren't as clear with the older amp. The placement of effects is much more precise as well. Onkyos are said to be good for people who watch films, but they are supposed to be less 'musical' than other amps. That's not really an issue for me though.
SexyToad wrote: Multi-Channel Analogue is a great way to listen to a lot of DVD-A and SACD content. This is how my all-region player is setup. The quality can be quite superior to any AAC, AC3 or DTS 96/24 track on any DVD.
Agreed. I listened to both using analogue outputs for years but obviously today HDMI would still technically beat it.
That said, the Genesis SACD re-releases feature and SACD and second DVD, of which contains a DD5.1 track and DTS 96/24 track. The DD sounded hideous but I was really hard pressed to tell the difference between the SACD and DTS track. A lot I think is because both the SACD and DTS track are 96/24.
Chris Gould wrote: Can you cite any examples of players that can't handle the legacy DD tracks?
My LG BH-200 Super-Blu Combo Player was unable to find the hidden DD track on TrueHD (you only got stereo) for about 6 months after launch, which caused major problems for those discs where only TrueHD was visible. It's fixed in a several firmware releases now. Agreed. I cannot imagine any even half-modern players will have a problem.
Chris Gould wrote: I'm trying to keep it simple though
Definitely. Parts of the article are already getting a little bit too techical. The whole bitstream vs. on-board decoding thing alone is easy to confuse many people. Especially as 99% of people have always only ever bitstreamed on DVD Players.
Chris Gould wrote: The PiP thing was initially outside of the scope of the article because it's technically to do with bonus features, but it's probably worth updating to included the info because - as you say - it's actually an advantage in that respect.
A quick sentence would be a good idea.
Regarding this:
"I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up."
How much better do you find it?
As it happens my LG Player has no multi-channel analogue outputs but my original plan was to continue to use my existing Amp with them. I currently use Optical and rather nicely the LG Player can transcode all formats to 1.5Mbps DTS. Something I was shocked to see the new Panasonic BD Players cannot do (so for many BDs I'd be stuck with the 640Kbps DD).
Agreed. I listened to both using analogue outputs for years but obviously today HDMI would still technically beat it.
That said, the Genesis SACD re-releases feature and SACD and second DVD, of which contains a DD5.1 track and DTS 96/24 track. The DD sounded hideous but I was really hard pressed to tell the difference between the SACD and DTS track. A lot I think is because both the SACD and DTS track are 96/24.
Chris Gould wrote: Can you cite any examples of players that can't handle the legacy DD tracks?
My LG BH-200 Super-Blu Combo Player was unable to find the hidden DD track on TrueHD (you only got stereo) for about 6 months after launch, which caused major problems for those discs where only TrueHD was visible. It's fixed in a several firmware releases now. Agreed. I cannot imagine any even half-modern players will have a problem.
Chris Gould wrote: I'm trying to keep it simple though
Definitely. Parts of the article are already getting a little bit too techical. The whole bitstream vs. on-board decoding thing alone is easy to confuse many people. Especially as 99% of people have always only ever bitstreamed on DVD Players.
Chris Gould wrote: The PiP thing was initially outside of the scope of the article because it's technically to do with bonus features, but it's probably worth updating to included the info because - as you say - it's actually an advantage in that respect.
A quick sentence would be a good idea.
Regarding this:
"I used to use multi-channel analogue for my HD audio, and while it is an effective way of wringing a bit of extra life from an old amp, it's really no substitute for an all-digital set-up."
How much better do you find it?
As it happens my LG Player has no multi-channel analogue outputs but my original plan was to continue to use my existing Amp with them. I currently use Optical and rather nicely the LG Player can transcode all formats to 1.5Mbps DTS. Something I was shocked to see the new Panasonic BD Players cannot do (so for many BDs I'd be stuck with the 640Kbps DD).
Frodo wrote: Quick question...
I have got a PS3 (not slim) connected by HDMI to a Kenwood KRF-V 7300D which says it supports all the HD formats including Master Audio, so does the PS3. How do I know if I am getting the full Master Audio or just the core track? I understand that the amp will not show the lights on the front as the PS3 is decoding. Things like Cutthroat Island show up on the amp as receiving 7.1, etc so I know it is receiving the full amount of channels, I am just not sure whether I am getting the full Master Audio. Is there a way of checking this?
F.
Check the PS3 status bar and if your AVR shows "PCM Multi Channel", then you are getting the HD Audio that you are decoding. There's no such thing as decoding partial lossless audio (unless you use Optical and get DTS "Core", but you stated clearly that you used HDMI), so if you are decoding say DTS-HD MA, either by Internal Decoding or Bitstream you are getting DTS-HD MA.
I have got a PS3 (not slim) connected by HDMI to a Kenwood KRF-V 7300D which says it supports all the HD formats including Master Audio, so does the PS3. How do I know if I am getting the full Master Audio or just the core track? I understand that the amp will not show the lights on the front as the PS3 is decoding. Things like Cutthroat Island show up on the amp as receiving 7.1, etc so I know it is receiving the full amount of channels, I am just not sure whether I am getting the full Master Audio. Is there a way of checking this?
F.
Check the PS3 status bar and if your AVR shows "PCM Multi Channel", then you are getting the HD Audio that you are decoding. There's no such thing as decoding partial lossless audio (unless you use Optical and get DTS "Core", but you stated clearly that you used HDMI), so if you are decoding say DTS-HD MA, either by Internal Decoding or Bitstream you are getting DTS-HD MA.
Chris Gould wrote: I'd trust reviews from people on AVF over those in that magazine. Some of the advice and opinions their editorial staff come out with are priceless. Their editor in chief is the one who slagged off the Close Encounters BD saying it was a bad transfer, and has since called Gladiator a 10/10 effort. Um, yeah, okay then love. At least with regular members of the public there's no agenda and you get many more opinions than just one reviewer's take.
Please, point me to their guide to HD audio so I can see for myself.
What are you saying exactly? That they don't know anything about hi-fi or home cinema? they post regularly on their website so argue with them (that should be interesting). I'm pretty sure they know what their talking about when it comes to speakers, amps, tvs, cables etc etc and i was just pointing someone who was asking about speakers in that direction, so what your problem is i don't know.
Please, point me to their guide to HD audio so I can see for myself.
What are you saying exactly? That they don't know anything about hi-fi or home cinema? they post regularly on their website so argue with them (that should be interesting). I'm pretty sure they know what their talking about when it comes to speakers, amps, tvs, cables etc etc and i was just pointing someone who was asking about speakers in that direction, so what your problem is i don't know.
I'd trust reviews from people on AVF over those in that magazine. Some of the advice and opinions their editorial staff come out with are priceless. Their editor in chief is the one who slagged off the Close Encounters BD saying it was a bad transfer, and has since called Gladiator a 10/10 effort. Um, yeah, okay then love. At least with regular members of the public there's no agenda and you get many more opinions than just one reviewer's take.
Please, point me to their guide to HD audio so I can see for myself.
Please, point me to their guide to HD audio so I can see for myself.
I'm not really the best person to ask about speakers because I'm not a true audiophile. You might want to try somewhere like the AVForums, as there are a lot of enthusiasts out there who are far more knowledgeable than me on that particular subject.
Like i said, the whathif site is the best place or pick up a copy of the mag, either way.
Like i said, the whathif site is the best place or pick up a copy of the mag, either way.
Chris dude..your sig is soo making me paranoid now. I keep thinking my boss is watching me saying "Why is Nicola looking at sexy boobie ladies"
Agh!
Someone mention Onkyo? I have the 507 and omg, it's awesome.
Agh!
Someone mention Onkyo? I have the 507 and omg, it's awesome.
What Hi-Fi isn't the best place for any sort of info. Thanks for the vote of confidence though.
The best place for this sort of info is on the whathifi website.
bored wrote: question Mr. Gould. what speakers do you recommend, you know not necessary one that comes all in one like a HTiB thing, but what do you recommend that can handle the bass without any distortion and can handle the surrounds without any mess. heard good things about Onkyo but just curious to see what you would go with
I'm not really the best person to ask about speakers because I'm not a true audiophile. You might want to try somewhere like the AVForums, as there are a lot of enthusiasts out there who are far more knowledgeable than me on that particular subject. I just went to an independent hi-fi store, told them my budget and went with that. I should really upgrade one of these days.
Frodo wrote: Quick question...
I have got a PS3 (not slim) connected by HDMI to a Kenwood KRF-V 7300D which says it supports all the HD formats including Master Audio, so does the PS3. How do I know if I am getting the full Master Audio or just the core track? I understand that the amp will not show the lights on the front as the PS3 is decoding. Things like Cutthroat Island show up on the amp as receiving 7.1, etc so I know it is receiving the full amount of channels, I am just not sure whether I am getting the full Master Audio. Is there a way of checking this?
F.
As you say, the 'problem' is that the PS3 is decoding and outputting as PCM, so the amp has no idea if the track originally started life as TrueHD or DTS-HD. The only way to tell (that I am aware of) is to check the PS3's on-screen display. It's intelligent enough to tell you when it's only using the core, at least in my experience. I used to have a KRF-V5050D, which served me well for seven years or more until I upgraded earlier this year.
I'm not really the best person to ask about speakers because I'm not a true audiophile. You might want to try somewhere like the AVForums, as there are a lot of enthusiasts out there who are far more knowledgeable than me on that particular subject. I just went to an independent hi-fi store, told them my budget and went with that. I should really upgrade one of these days.
Frodo wrote: Quick question...
I have got a PS3 (not slim) connected by HDMI to a Kenwood KRF-V 7300D which says it supports all the HD formats including Master Audio, so does the PS3. How do I know if I am getting the full Master Audio or just the core track? I understand that the amp will not show the lights on the front as the PS3 is decoding. Things like Cutthroat Island show up on the amp as receiving 7.1, etc so I know it is receiving the full amount of channels, I am just not sure whether I am getting the full Master Audio. Is there a way of checking this?
F.
As you say, the 'problem' is that the PS3 is decoding and outputting as PCM, so the amp has no idea if the track originally started life as TrueHD or DTS-HD. The only way to tell (that I am aware of) is to check the PS3's on-screen display. It's intelligent enough to tell you when it's only using the core, at least in my experience. I used to have a KRF-V5050D, which served me well for seven years or more until I upgraded earlier this year.
Quick question...
I have got a PS3 (not slim) connected by HDMI to a Kenwood KRF-V 7300D which says it supports all the HD formats including Master Audio, so does the PS3. How do I know if I am getting the full Master Audio or just the core track? I understand that the amp will not show the lights on the front as the PS3 is decoding. Things like Cutthroat Island show up on the amp as receiving 7.1, etc so I know it is receiving the full amount of channels, I am just not sure whether I am getting the full Master Audio. Is there a way of checking this?
F.
I have got a PS3 (not slim) connected by HDMI to a Kenwood KRF-V 7300D which says it supports all the HD formats including Master Audio, so does the PS3. How do I know if I am getting the full Master Audio or just the core track? I understand that the amp will not show the lights on the front as the PS3 is decoding. Things like Cutthroat Island show up on the amp as receiving 7.1, etc so I know it is receiving the full amount of channels, I am just not sure whether I am getting the full Master Audio. Is there a way of checking this?
F.
question Mr. Gould. what speakers do you recommend, you know not necessary one that comes all in one like a HTiB thing, but what do you recommend that can handle the bass without any distortion and can handle the surrounds without any mess. heard good things about Onkyo but just curious to see what you would go with
The amount of space occupied varies depending on the length of the film and the audio format.
Nice guide dude. Can't wait to get The Gremlins BD.
Thanks for this.
Just out of curiosity, if you know the answer to this, how much memory does a lossless audio track usually take up on the blu-ray disc?
Just out of curiosity, if you know the answer to this, how much memory does a lossless audio track usually take up on the blu-ray disc?
Indeed.
If you let the player do the work those lovely little "TrueHD" and "DTS-HD" lights won't light up on your player....right?
Multi-Channel Analogue is a great way to listen to a lot of DVD-A and SACD content. This is how my all-region player is setup. The quality can be quite superior to any AAC, AC3 or DTS 96/24 track on any DVD.
The PiP thing was initially outside of the scope of the article because it's technically to do with bonus features, but it's probably worth updating to included the info because - as you say - it's actually an advantage in that respect.
I think DD+ is actually 6.1 and 7.1 on BD, but I stated 7.1 to keep things simple.
Can you cite any examples of players that can't handle the legacy DD tracks? I didn't come across any when researching and I'd be interested to know. I can't imagine there are any current models with this issue, so I'm guessing it's the very early players that had problems.
According to everything I've read, only HDMI can transport a DD+ bitstream. With HD DVD I believe that some players could perform a DTS re-encode, but on Blu-ray I think it's limited to the legacy track (but I've read conflicting info on that, as usual). Again, things are muddy, but what I've read indicates that DD+ does actually work a bit like DTS-HD in that the + part is built on the standard DD (whereas TrueHD uses MLP). I'm trying to keep it simple though
I think DD+ is actually 6.1 and 7.1 on BD, but I stated 7.1 to keep things simple.
Can you cite any examples of players that can't handle the legacy DD tracks? I didn't come across any when researching and I'd be interested to know. I can't imagine there are any current models with this issue, so I'm guessing it's the very early players that had problems.
According to everything I've read, only HDMI can transport a DD+ bitstream. With HD DVD I believe that some players could perform a DTS re-encode, but on Blu-ray I think it's limited to the legacy track (but I've read conflicting info on that, as usual). Again, things are muddy, but what I've read indicates that DD+ does actually work a bit like DTS-HD in that the + part is built on the standard DD (whereas TrueHD uses MLP). I'm trying to keep it simple though
Nice article, Mr G.
Using the player to do the donkey-work of decoding is the way to go, and there are a load of very reasonable amps out there which support the LPCM version of an HD audio track.
One of us has a Sony WG800 handling the amplification from a Sony 550, and the results really are damned nice. Naturally, PCM is the best of the formats, but DTS-Master Audio comes a VERY close second. Take a listen to the PCM on the original Blu-ray of Casino Royale, and for a good example, just feel the plane flying overhead at the airport rattle your very bone-marrow!
This is an odd thing to say, but finally a format has been found to best LaserDiscs audio capabilities.
THE WILSON BROS
Using the player to do the donkey-work of decoding is the way to go, and there are a load of very reasonable amps out there which support the LPCM version of an HD audio track.
One of us has a Sony WG800 handling the amplification from a Sony 550, and the results really are damned nice. Naturally, PCM is the best of the formats, but DTS-Master Audio comes a VERY close second. Take a listen to the PCM on the original Blu-ray of Casino Royale, and for a good example, just feel the plane flying overhead at the airport rattle your very bone-marrow!
This is an odd thing to say, but finally a format has been found to best LaserDiscs audio capabilities.
THE WILSON BROS
Great guide Chris, just a few things to note:
* On HD-DVD, DD Plus was compatible from 1.0 to 7.1 but on BD it's only compatible at 7.1 (as odd as that sounds). Which is why I believe it's rarely used on BD, in place of the legacy DD.
* The hidden DD track inside the TrueHD track isn't compatible with some older players, causing problems being able to get any form of 5.1 out of the BD Player (id you cannot listen to TrueHD). The DTS-HD approach is a much better one.
* DD Plus is compatible with SPDIF btw, it's the same bitrate as DTS. At least I think it is, maybe it re-codes to DD?
* There is one rather large advantage to allowing the Player to on-board decode. The Picture-in-Picture extra on some discs, isn't compatible if you allow the Amplifier to Decode (i.e - the Player bitstreams for the Amp to decode).
* On HD-DVD, DD Plus was compatible from 1.0 to 7.1 but on BD it's only compatible at 7.1 (as odd as that sounds). Which is why I believe it's rarely used on BD, in place of the legacy DD.
* The hidden DD track inside the TrueHD track isn't compatible with some older players, causing problems being able to get any form of 5.1 out of the BD Player (id you cannot listen to TrueHD). The DTS-HD approach is a much better one.
* DD Plus is compatible with SPDIF btw, it's the same bitrate as DTS. At least I think it is, maybe it re-codes to DD?
* There is one rather large advantage to allowing the Player to on-board decode. The Picture-in-Picture extra on some discs, isn't compatible if you allow the Amplifier to Decode (i.e - the Player bitstreams for the Amp to decode).
Nice job there, Mr. Gould. Very useful for people who aren't very well-versed on the ins and outs of the various digital/HD audio formats....
Awesome guide!! An eye opener for me since I am not too picky when it comes to the audio on DVD or blu-ray. Thanks!
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