DTS-HD MA bugs me

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Okay, I know. I know. I should NOT be so obsessed with this DTS-HD MA. Of the 64 HD movies I currently own, only 9 have this format. But waiting for a BD/HDDVD Player that can actually DECODE this DTS-HD MA is getting to me.
Sony is coming out with their new $700 HDMI 1.3 BDP-S500. It can decode TrueHD & DTS-HD HR, but NOT DTS-HD MA. It can't even send DTS-HD MA vis bitstream.
Samsung is coming out with their new $1,000 HDMI 1.3 DUAL-FORMAT (BD/HDDVD) BD-UP5000. It can decode TrueHD & DTS-HD HR, but NOT DTS-HD MA. Samsung says DTS-HD MA can be upgraded via firmware. Right. I've heard that one before (Panasonic BD).

Do I have to wait 3 more months & pay $2,000 (Denon BD) to get this ridiculous DTS-MA decoding or do I have to wait another 12 months for a more affordable one?

I really do hate movie studios that use this DTS-HD MA. I also hate DTS for this. Damn them!

 

[avaserfi]

First off you should check this link out.

Secondly, almost all HD discs have some form of LOSSLESS encoding why do we need more? If a track is lossless who cares if it is PCM, DTS-MA or Dolby TrueHD if they are all truly lossless shouldn't they sound the same?

 

[Adam]

Breathe, my friend, breathe. It'll come out eventually. Besides, I'll guess that it won't make that much of a difference in the sound once you get it.

I poke fun, but I also get worked up about technology that I know is coming but that I can't have right now. Less now than when I was younger, but it still happens.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

First off you should check this link out.

Secondly, almost all HD discs have some form of LOSSLESS encoding why do we need more? If a track is lossless who cares if it is PCM, DTS-MA or Dolby TrueHD if they are all truly lossless shouldn't they sound the same?

Well, that firmware for the new Samsung is only for the bitstream, but internal decoding, which I need.

All the DTS-HD MA movies I know of don't offer the other two Lossless formats (TrueHD & Uncompressed PCM). For example, most of the FOX studio movies have DTS-HD MA, but not TrueHD or Uncompressed PCM.

Yeah, if they all offered TrueHD or Uncompressed PCM, then there would be no need for DTS-MA.

Now there are movies that have both TrueHD & Uncompressed PCM (300, Fifth Element).

But there are no movies that have DTS-MA with another Lossless format.

 

[Seth=L]

I wouldn't get to worked up over the formats, I suspect DTS is near death at this point anyway.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Breathe, my friend, breathe. It'll come out eventually. Besides, I'll guess that it won't make that much of a difference in the sound once you get it.

I poke fun, but I also get worked up about technology that I know is coming but that I can't have right now. Less now than when I was younger, but it still happens.

Yes. Thanks. Breathe. Breathe.

I'm just venting. I just read about these NEXT generation BD players. Got a little excited. Then read in the fine print about NO internal decoding for DTS-MA. So I just had to vent a little.

Yeah, unfortunately, DTS-MA probably won't be a tremendous improvement.

It seems like these companies are coming out with "new" HD players every 6months. They want people to think that their new HD players are so much better and improved. And they can't even get internal DTS-MA decoding.

Yeah, I will have to wait another year. It does seem like a long wait from today, though.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I wouldn't get to worked up over the formats, I suspect DTS is near death at this point anyway.

DTS is near death? I haven't heard of that.
What do you mean?

 

[Seth=L]

DTS is near death? I haven't heard of that.
What do you mean?

Meaning Dolby is the big dog and now DTS doesn't really have any authentic bragging rights over Dolby and Dolby's formats. Like mentioned before, once it's lossless, what is the point in having multiple formats that can do exactly the same thing?

 

[no. 5]

Meaning Dolby is the big dog and now DTS doesn't really have any authentic bragging rights over Dolby and Dolby's formats. Like mentioned before, once it's lossless, what is the point in having multiple formats that can do exactly the same thing?

Hmm, hadn't really though of that, I guess it was in the back of my mind though...

I always liked DTS over Dolby, but as you said, why have the choice between two formats that do exactly the same thing.

Cuz' I love a good three acronym, that's why.

 

[Seth=L]

Hmm, hadn't really though of that, I guess it was in the back of my mind though...

I always liked DTS over Dolby, but as you said, why have the choice between two formats that do exactly the same thing.

Cuz' I love a good three acronym, that's why.

DDP = Dolby Digital Plus

There you go, happy now?

 

[skriefal]

I'm not "bugged" by the inability of the players to decode DTS-HD/MA -- although such support would be nice. I *am* bugged by the fact that certain studios continue to release discs with DTS-HD/MA tracks, in spite of the fact that no one can listen to them.

 

[Adam]

I *am* bugged by the fact that certain studios continue to release discs with DTS-HD/MA tracks, in spite of the fact that no one can listen to them.

Ahh, you two are assuming that there actually is a DTS-HD MA track on those discs. Perhaps the studios put nothing there, and knowing that you couldn't tell, said that it was there.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'm not "bugged" by the inability of the players to decode DTS-HD/MA -- although such support would be nice. I *am* bugged by the fact that certain studios continue to release discs with DTS-HD/MA tracks, in spite of the fact that no one can listen to them.

Yes, you are right. That really bugs me probably even more! If Fox & Lionsgate had NOT adopted DTS-MA in the first place, it would not have mattered at all.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Ahh, you two are assuming that there actually is a DTS-HD MA track on those discs. Perhaps the studios put nothing there, and knowing that you couldn't tell, said that it was there.

It is very possible that we really cannot tell the difference between plain DTS & DTS-MA---at least not a dramatic difference. Just like I have never been able to tell the difference between DTS & DD. To be completely honest, I can't say I can actually tell a significant difference between DD, DD+, & TrueHD. It's probably just psychological---kind of like bi/tri-amping.

But alas, I am an audioholic. I must have DTS-HD MA!

That is unless some authority would do a A/B comparison between DTS & DTS-MA & find that there is no difference.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Meaning Dolby is the big dog and now DTS doesn't really have any authentic bragging rights over Dolby and Dolby's formats. Like mentioned before, once it's lossless, what is the point in having multiple formats that can do exactly the same thing?

Yes, I wish DTS would just roll over and die! That would make the digital surround formats a little easier & save me some money.

 

[Seth=L]

Yes, I wish DTS would just roll over and die! That would make the digital surround formats a little easier & save me some money.

To be perfectly honest, you needn't worry about it. Use what is available. If you can get 7.1 LPCM (doesn't matter how you get it, so long as you get it) then it doesn't matter which format is being decoded. It could be DTS-HD MA or Dolby TrueHD and their won't likely be a tinge of difference, IT'S LOSSLESS!!!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

To be perfectly honest, you needn't worry about it. Use what is available. If you can get 7.1 LPCM (doesn't matter how you get it, so long as you get it) then it doesn't matter which format is being decoded. It could be DTS-HD MA or Dolby TrueHD and their won't likely be a tinge of difference, IT'S LOSSLESS!!!

Uncompressed Audio LPCM would be perfect. We don't need Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD HR, or DTS-HD MA. Unfortunately, they don't offer LPCM on every BD movie & they don't even offer LPCM on any HD DVD movie.

I think if Toshiba had never released HD DVD, this mess would have never happened. Sony wanted Uncompressed LPCM all along. It would have been perfect: Blu-ray & LPCM.
But oh, no. Now we have HD DVD, Blu-ray, DD Plus, D TrueHD, DTS-HR, DTS-MA. No wonder the average consumer is so confused.

 

[Seth=L]

Uncompressed Audio LPCM would be perfect. We don't need Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD HR, or DTS-HD MA. Unfortunately, they don't offer LPCM on every BD movie & they don't even offer LPCM on any HD DVD movie.

I think if Toshiba had never released HD DVD, this mess would have never happened. Sony wanted Uncompressed LPCM all along. It would have been perfect: Blu-ray & LPCM.
But oh, no. Now we have HD DVD, Blu-ray, DD Plus, D TrueHD, DTS-HR, DTS-MA. No wonder the average consumer is so confused.

Once Dolby TrueHD is processed from the bitstream it becomes 7.1 LPCM Lossless. Dolby TrueHD is the packing method. Same for DTS-HD MA, it is a bitstream that is later converted to 7.1 LPCM.

Since most HD DVD players and Blu-ray machines process Dolby TrueHD internally they convert it to 7.1 LPCM lossless and sent it out over HDMI to an appropriate pre/pro or receiver.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Once Dolby TrueHD is processed from the bitstream it becomes 7.1 LPCM Lossless. Dolby TrueHD is the packing method. Same for DTS-HD MA, it is a bitstream that is later converted to 7.1 LPCM.

Since most HD DVD players and Blu-ray machines process Dolby TrueHD internally they convert it to 7.1 LPCM lossless and sent it out over HDMI to an appropriate pre/pro or receiver.

True. The problem is that Fox & Lionsgate (possiblly others) don't even offer TrueHD. They only offer DTS-MA (or DTS-core). So in this case, you cannot get LPCM Lossless unless you can decode DTS-MA first, right?

 

[Seth=L]

True. The problem is that Fox & Lionsgate (possiblly others) don't even offer TrueHD. They only offer DTS-MA (or DTS-core). So in this case, you cannot get LPCM Lossless unless you can decode DTS-MA first, right?

Oh, I hadn't realized that, I suppose I should have read this thread more closely.