RANT: Lack of DTS ES or 7.1 discrete DVDs.

[Bluesmoke]

Do people even buy 5.1 receivers anymore? So why do studios produce DVDs with 5.1 DD or even DTS? Let's face it, only folks with any interest in the audio side of things will take advantage of surround sound, and I think most have upgraded to at least a 6.1 receiver. 6.1 discrete should now be the standard - minimum!

Let's take the Gladiator DVD for example. It came out in early 2001 I believe. That's a damn long movie, and yet they managed to cram a DTS 6.1 ES track on it that's still almost reference quality. Almost nobody owned a 6.1 system then. 5 years later, DTS ES or DD EX is still nowhere near as common as you'd expect yet everyone and their mother seems to own a receiver capable of decoding it.

What about 7.1 discrete audio? No DVDs that I know of carries it. I was quite shocked when Star Wars III came out on a stinking 5.1 mix (a damn nice sounding mix still), but being such pioneers of digital sound, I would have expected a 7.1 mix from the THX crew to serenade the release of the film. So what's the excuse? I'm baffled....

 

[Sheep]

Do people even buy 5.1 receivers anymore? So why do studios produce DVDs with 5.1 DD or even DTS? Let's face it, only folks with any interest in the audio side of things will take advantage of surround sound, and I think most have upgraded to at least a 6.1 receiver. 6.1 discrete should now be the standard - minimum!

Let's take the Gladiator DVD for example. It came out in early 2001 I believe. That's a damn long movie, and yet they managed to cram a DTS 6.1 ES track on it that's still almost reference quality. Almost nobody owned a 6.1 system then. 5 years later, DTS ES or DD EX is still nowhere near as common as you'd expect yet everyone and their mother seems to own a receiver capable of decoding it.

What about 7.1 discrete audio? No DVDs that I know of carries it. I was quite shocked when Star Wars III came out on a stinking 5.1 mix (a damn nice sounding mix still), but being such pioneers of digital sound, I would have expected a 7.1 mix from the THX crew to serenade the release of the film. So what's the excuse? I'm baffled....

Star Wars (I II III) are in DD EX. You have to enable it though, for some reason it is screwed up and doesn't default to EX.

I don't think there is enough room for 7.1 on a standard DVD. PLus, they will need to make a new Decoder for it aswell. Its not as simple as sticking 8 audio tracks on a disk.

SheepStar

 

[racquetman]

Do people even buy 5.1 receivers anymore? So why do studios produce DVDs with 5.1 DD or even DTS? Let's face it, only folks with any interest in the audio side of things will take advantage of surround sound, and I think most have upgraded to at least a 6.1 receiver. 6.1 discrete should now be the standard - minimum!

I think that you're underestimating the number of people that have HTIB's and that have no clue how to hook up a more complicated system. Most people couldn't tell you the difference between DD 5.1 and DD 5.1 EX or it DTS counterpart. 90% to 95% of people just throw in a DVD and watch it without regard for how many audio channels are being reproduced. The other 5% to 10% are people like us. Unfortunately we don't make up the majority.

 

[jmgillespie]

I think all new movies need to come out in DTS. 6.1 doesn't matter to me though because I do not have it, no need the room isn't that big and my speakers are damn good enough that they are able to simulate a 6th speaker. 7.1 is only needed if you have a long room with multiple rows of seats like a theatre and I don't think we will see that on DVD you'll have to wait for the next gen format. I don't know what the difference actually is for 5.1 and 5.1 ex but I do know ex kicks *** and that dts es kicks even more ***

 

[The Chukker]

6.1 discrete is overrated. All of my best sounding DVD's are 5.1 DD EX or DTS 5.1 mixes that my pre/pro then matrixes for the rear channel information. It is utterly convincing. Don't believe me? Pop in Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and wait for the gunshots that happen directly behind your head in the shootout scene. Or later in the same movie in the convenience store when someone cocks the hammer on a gun directly behind you and it is so subtle and convincing that I guarantee you will turn around to make sure there is nobody there. All this without any bleeding in the surround channels, and a regular DD EX DVD to boot.
If you want 7.1 discrete, blu-ray and hd-dvd are "right" around the corner...

 

[j_garcia]

Well done 6.1 is not overrated, IMO, but I also don't see it as a MUST. I went to 6.1 and back to 5.1 (due to my room), and I can't say that I've missed the rear center.

There are no discrete 7.1 titles because there really isn't a need for it in the typical home setup, and I'd question whether 6.1 is even necessary in most cases.

 

[GlocksRock]

It's not necessary, but it sure is nice. I always have either the EX/ES or PL IIx decoder on when watching 5.1 movies.