Dolby Digital V. DTS

[agabriel]

Hello,
I would like a quick run down on the differences between Dolby Digital & DTS. I'm curious to see if there one or another is clearly better; DD seems to have more supporters - other than that are they pretty much the same? Does this thread just create a GIF v.s. PNG type of a debate? Another words should the content of both be the same just a different encoding scheme?

Thanks,
Anthony

 

[j_garcia]

www.dolby.com

www.dts.com

I prefer the dts mix quite often, but the engineer(s) who do(es) the mixing are really responsible for how it ulitmately sounds. There is no clear winner, and when both are present, each person can decide for themselves for a particular movie. It's a never ending debate that generally goes nowhere.

 

[My Rantz]

Hello,
I would like a quick run down on the differences between Dolby Digital & DTS. I'm curious to see if there one or another is clearly better; DD seems to have more supporters - other than that are they pretty much the same? Does this thread just create a GIF v.s. PNG type of a debate? Another words should the content of both be the same just a different encoding scheme?

Thanks,
Anthony

I believe DTS sountracks are less compressed than Dolby Digital and I usually choose DTS5.1 over DD5.1 for movies and music DVD's. The DTS sound is usually more open and natural IMHO. However, both formats can sound very good or not so good depending on the sound mix. It is worth investigating their websites for more information and new developements.

 

[jaxvon]

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9088&highlight=DTS

Useth the search!

 

[agabriel]

Anyone know if there is an open source encoder around for either?

Why would I want to use search, just because the answer was there. I mean really now.... Ugh; yes I should check the search more often.

Thanks,
Anthony

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

I'll go out of my way to rent/buy DTS over DD. Ever listen to a DTS ES Discrete 6.1 dvd? Until Blue Ray or HD-DVD comes along, that's the creme de la creme.

 

[majorloser]

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9088&highlight=DTS

Useth the search!

But that takes the fun out of asking the same questions over and over and over.........
(Oh, and I go out of my way to get movies with DTS soundtracks)

 

[Cygnus]

I preffer DD over DTS because it seems like itll always be on my DVD's, and also because alot of the theatres use it.

 

[Blundaar]

I preffer DD over DTS because it seems like itll always be on my DVD's, and also because alot of the theatres use it.

That's got to be one of the lamest reasons I've ever heard.
Just because it's "everywhere", that doesn't make it better.
DTS audio does take up more space on a DVD than DD, sometimes requiring two DVD's compared to just one (gotta think about the bottom line $$). A few rare exceptions aside, DTS is clearly better.

 

[shokhead]

I preffer DD over DTS because it seems like itll always be on my DVD's, and also because alot of the theatres use it.

Why dont you rent some DTS and then you'll see how good they sound or better yet get an DTS music disc. All this said,it doesnt matter if you dont have DTS decorders. What if a theater only used stereo?

 

[MDS]

I don't think Cygnus' reason for preferring DD over DTS is lame at all. What is lame is attacking his statment with 'DTS is clearly better'. That is purely subjective and the opinion of the poster.

What Cygnus is really getting at (I believe) is that DD is required for DVD, while DTS is optional. Therefore, more people have been exposed to DD than DTS and yes DD is the fomat used in theaters.

 

[m3Ch]

I preffer DD over DTS because it seems like itll always be on my DVD's, and also because alot of the theatres use it.

Movie theaters use projectors and charge 10.00 a ticket, do you do the same also??

 

[majorloser]

BE NICE TO CYGNUS

I have heard quite a few movies in both DTS and DD. Quite frankly the quality the soundtrack and mixing is more important than what type of system is used. I've heard many soundtracks that are better on DD.

The real reason studios use DD over DTS on a DVD is the amount of disc space used for a DTS soundtrack. "Extras" are an important selling point with DVD's. A studio must sacrifice some of these extra features if they wish to add the DTS soundtrack. And as stated earlier, DTS is an option that the everyday consumer does not have. The studios MUST cater to the masses. Those of us that desire quality over quantity are in the minority. Which is why we pay more for what we want. I will gladly pay extra for a "director's cut" or a "special edition" to get the audio and video I'm looking for.

 

[shokhead]

BE NICE TO CYGNUS

I have heard quite a few movies in both DTS and DD. Quite frankly the quality the soundtrack and mixing is more important than what type of system is used. I've heard many soundtracks that are better on DD.

The real reason studios use DD over DTS on a DVD is the amount of disc space used for a DTS soundtrack. "Extras" are an important selling point with DVD's. A studio must sacrifice some of these extra features if they wish to add the DTS soundtrack. And as stated earlier, DTS is an option that the everyday consumer does not have. The studios MUST cater to the masses. Those of us that desire quality over quantity are in the minority. Which is why we pay more for what we want. I will gladly pay extra for a "director's cut" or a "special edition" to get the audio and video I'm looking for.

I've never got a DVD because of extras.

 

[majorloser]

I've never got a DVD because of extras.

Same for me, but you and I are not the regular everyday consumer who pays the studio's bills. We are willing to pay for better quality and less "fluff". Even though I have many DVD's with excellent extra features, I would gladly give them up for better picture and sound.

But you and I are also the kind of guys who get a kick out of bringing people into our dedicated home theater rooms and blowing their socks off! Most people have never seen a home theater. If it wasn't for shows like MTV Cribs, most people still wouldn't know what we are talking about.

 

[Blundaar]

I don't think Cygnus' reason for preferring DD over DTS is lame at all. What is lame is attacking his statment with 'DTS is clearly better'. That is purely subjective and the opinion of the poster.

What Cygnus is really getting at (I believe) is that DD is required for DVD, while DTS is optional. Therefore, more people have been exposed to DD than DTS and yes DD is the fomat used in theaters.

I don't read that into his statement, whatsoever. What I'm attacking is the mentality of the "everybody has it, that's why I use it" mindset (if everybody jumped off a cliff, blah, blah, blah). Star Wars episodes I & II are great examples of DD at its' best, but I still believe DTS is the better format.

 

[JVC]

and yes DD is the fomat used in theaters.

That depends on the theater.
When I saw War Of The Worlds, a couple months ago, it was in DTS, at the theater. There are quite a few movies shown with DTS soundtracks.

 

[JVC]

I preffer DD over DTS because it seems like itll always be on my DVD's, and also because alot of the theatres use it.

Don't mean to sound like I'm jumping on anyone, but if this is your reasoning for which soundtrack is preferrable, you SHOULD prefer 2.0 (stereo).
Not ALL dvds have a DD track. But close to 99% of them have a stereo track. A few have a mono track....................

 

[MDS]

What kind of stereo are you talking about JVC?

All DVDs must have either a DD OR 2 channel PCM track to be compliant with the rules of the dvd consortium. DD 2.0 qualifies as stereo.

You just can't have DTS unless there is also some flavor of DD as well. I believe the rules are changing for HD-DVD and DTS will now be a recommended format - so it may be possible in the future to have a DVD with only a DTS track and no others.

 

[agabriel]

I thought the HD-DVD would be using MLP - which seemed about as cool as there going to get for awhile.

Believe it or not I wasn't trying to start a religous war...