2014 Acura MDX does NOT play DVD-A

It appears that the end of an era is approaching: Acura's MDX redesign for 2014 eliminates DVD-A playback. The ELS system still plays DTS discs, but no DVD-A. If you opt for the entertainment system, the separate DVD player will play the standard DVD 48khz audio track from a DVD-A, but not the DVD-A track.

Unfortunately, Acura also cripples the DVD playback system so that front-seat passengers cannot see the DVD menus, etc., on the front screens, even when the car is in park. AS a result, if you need to get to the menus to access the audio track from a DVD, you have to park, get in the back seat, use the remote, access the menus, set things up, then get back in the front seat and drive. What idiocy!

The entertainment system does have an HDMI input; no word yet as to whether it will work with 5.1 suround sound, but if it does, one might be able to use a portable blu-ray player with HDMI output to play Blu-Ray audio through the sound system.

That's weird. Looks like they did the same thing to the RLX.
The 2014 ILX still has that feature though.
Acura needs to think hard before they start taking out DVD-A compatibility. Personally that's the main reason I bought my TL and I wouldn't buy another Acura without it.

Now I'm curious if the 2014 MDX Advance+Entertainment with an HDMI input will play 5.1 sound from a portable blu-ray player! (I can't find any listing for a portable DVD player that will also play DVD-Audio and/or SACD, alas...)

Does anyone know if a DVD player can be upgraded to a DVD-A player with a firmware update? If so, is it possible that existing customers might be able to petition Acura to issue such an update that could be applied to the DVD player in those 2014 MDX vehicles with entertainment systems?

cliffbig said:

Does anyone know if a DVD player can be upgraded to a DVD-A player with a firmware update?

Click to expand...

I've never seen that option yet. It doesn't have an HDMI input does it? You could plug a laptop with thunderbolt or HDMI into it if it did.

That's the thing with the standalone hardware players. Always locking out competing formats.

jimfisheye said:

Nope. That's the thing about the standalone hardware players. The features are static. Go with your computer with either a nice audio interface or a good surround receiver with HDMI input and you will have access to all formats and be able to update to any future formats.

Click to expand...

Oh, I have a great system for home listening, but that doesn't help with the Acura, alas.

And I can't find any HDMI-equipped portable DVD players that list DVD-A playback among their features, so even if the HDMI input on the Acura Advance+Entertainment DOES process 5.1 surround sound, that'll only help with blu-ray audio (if I get a portable blu-ray player), but not DVD-A.

Certainly makes me happy I picked up my 2013 MDX with Tech package in April (at a great price, too). The ELS package with DVD-A has been amazing. Most people can't believe their ears when the entire cabin fills with 5.1 surround music. I keep my cars an average of 6-7 years, so the timing couldn't be better. In 7 years my youngest will be in college and then I can get my home stereo back and start playing my music in the house. With the lack of new DVD-A material being mass produced, it's probably just another way Acura is trying to cut costs, just like they are doing with all the plastic coverings replacing the fabric interior pillars.

Sad to hear as I was just googling to see which Acura models still have a DVD-A ELS system.
I took a Hyundai Genesis R-spec for a spin on the week-end (test drive) and wasn't thrilled with the handling of the car but it was the 17-speaker 7.1 system and the DVD-A discs I brought all played perfectly, sounded terrific. I actually had no interest in really taking on a new car payment at the moment, just wanted to test drive to hear the audio system. haha. I'm sure people on this forum can empathize.

Dobyblue, that is outstanding. I can completely relate to that state of mind.

I was still holding out some very faint hope for DVD-A support in the upcoming 2015 Acura TLX, but official word from the ELS facebook page:

Me: " I'm looking forward to the 2015 TLX and the improved ELS system, but I really need it to be able to play the hundreds of DVD-Audio discs I started acquiring when I got my 2004 TL! And continued to acquire when I got my 2009 TL! Thanks,
April 2 at 8:31am · Like · 1"


ELS Premium Audio: "Ah Steve it seems even ELS Premium Audio coudn't save the DVD-A format. We're as bummed as you about it. No DVD-A capabilities in the RLX, MDX or TLX. There will however, be a setting for surround sound."

Page URL: https://www.facebook.com/ELSPremiumAudio

I guess I'll have a decision to make regarding a 2014 TL with DVD-A or a 2015+ TLX with a surround sound "setting". Or another automaker.

That really sucks, I'm leasing a 2013 TL and I was planning to get a TLX. Not anymore I guess.
The surround setting on my ELS sucks and I never use it. I don't play CD's (unless they're DTS) or use the USB port because they both sound terrible compared to DVD-A. What's the point of the ELS or the Krell if you can't play DVD audio in discrete 5.1? Bad move Acura.
I have no problem switching to Lexus or maybe a Hyundai Genesis.

Just keep this in mind courtesy of Wavelength, I'm cautiously hopeful on this one:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?18864-Aupeo-Announces-Plans-for-Surround-Sound-Music-Streaming

Cygnus_X1 said:

That really sucks, I'm leasing a 2013 TL and I was planning to get a TLX. Not anymore I guess.
The surround setting on my ELS sucks and I never use it. I don't play CD's (unless they're DTS) or use the USB port because they both sound terrible compared to DVD-A. What's the point of the ELS or the Krell if you can't play DVD audio in discrete 5.1? Bad move Acura.
I have no problem switching to Lexus or maybe a Hyundai Genesis.

Click to expand...

I could even maybe see it if they were just going discless, but I believe there is DTS disc support of some kind. How hard is it to support another format that was previously supported.

I'll stop whining...now.

elroy said:

I could even maybe see it if they were just going discless, but I believe there is DTS disc support of some kind. How hard is it to support another format that was previously supported.

I'll stop whining...now.

Click to expand...

I just got the 2014 MDX Nav and have a large collection of DVD-A discs as well. After a week of testing and trying different things I have finally created the perfect way to rip your DVD-A's and convert them to DTS-CD's that will play 5.1 surround in the MDX. Saved me a ton on my DVD-A investment : > I'll gladly walk you through it if you are interested. I'm using a mac computer. Quality is great, not as full bodied as a DVD-a but at least you'll be able to see the names of the tracks now too.

gtgt said:

I just got the 2014 MDX Nav and have a large collection of DVD-A discs as well. After a week of testing and trying different things I have finally created the perfect way to rip your DVD-A's and convert them to DTS-CD's that will play 5.1 surround in the MDX. Saved me a ton on my DVD-A investment : > I'll gladly walk you through it if you are interested. I'm using a mac computer. Quality is great, not as full bodied as a DVD-a but at least you'll be able to see the names of the tracks now too.

Click to expand...

Please enlighten us on your ripping process?

gtgt said:

I just got the 2014 MDX Nav and have a large collection of DVD-A discs as well. After a week of testing and trying different things I have finally created the perfect way to rip your DVD-A's and convert them to DTS-CD's that will play 5.1 surround in the MDX. Saved me a ton on my DVD-A investment : > I'll gladly walk you through it if you are interested. I'm using a mac computer. Quality is great, not as full bodied as a DVD-a but at least you'll be able to see the names of the tracks now too.

Click to expand...

It's a damn shame they are phasing out the DVD-A portion of the ELS system. I can understand their logic, but am unhappy about it none the less. I only wish they would have added SACD capability to the system years ago. That would have made these systems perfect.

JonUrban said:

It's a damn shame they are phasing out the DVD-A portion of the ELS system. I can understand their logic, but am unhappy about it none the less. I only wish they would have added SACD capability to the system years ago. That would have made these systems perfect.

Click to expand...

The head scratcher for Acura ELS moving forward is the fact that DTS CD's are supported but not dvd-audio. As we all know, there are way more dvd-audio versus dts-cd out in the retail world. DTS-CD's are almost exclusively homebrew stuff now. This should forecast things to come even for dts-cd support down the line.

I guess I'm too OCD about dvda and sacd discs and disc feeders in general in cars or my PS3. I refuse to feed any valuable disc through my in-dash player. These disc feeders have a tendency to scratch up the discs. I usually burn a copy if it does not have a watermark to play in my car. Although rare, some great dvda's don't have watermarks (we should start a separate thread for these discs). Otherwise, I am content listening at home or playing the dts cd version in my car. My valuable sacd's have been fed once to rip a backup copy. I have sacd and dvda iso's of my entire hirez collection. Thanks to my Oppo93, playing dvda's are easy breezy. I am slowly ripping my sacd iso's to flac 5.1 via foobar. I don't mind playing the shiny sacd discs in the Oppo, but it sure is nice not having to get up!

On a side note, I tried ripping Talking Heads dvda to dts-cd via dvd audio extractor. It works as advertised, but there is definitely some thinning in the conversion. The fullness of the original content along with some bass is lost in translation. But as gtgt has mentioned, it is better than nothing in the car.

I have chided Acura and ELS on their respective pages that they should have stuck with DVD-A until a Blu Ray drive could become available. Then make that universal and play them all.


Tapatalk

timbre4 said:

I have chided Acura and ELS on their respective pages that they should have stuck with DVD-A until a Blu Ray drive could become available. Then make that universal and play them all.


Tapatalk

Click to expand...

I get free XM radio in my car, but rarely ever listen to it because of the horrible compression. I'll listen to classical music here and there and the comedy channels when I'm stuck in miserable Atlanta traffic. Otherwise, it's am talk radio or regular fm radio for me. XM radio hurts my ears. The majority of car owners unfortunately don't know what they are missing. Crappy mp3 and XM compressed 128Kb or less is their norm.

quattroatl said:

Please enlighten us on your ripping process?

Click to expand...

I have a 2014 Acura RDX that does play DVD-A. However, I generally create DTS CDs from my DVD-As for playback in the car since a) DTS CDs show track names and b) I don't want to ruin my DVD-As by handling them in my car. The DTS CD creation process is super easy if you use a program like DVD Audio Extractor.

http://dvdae.com/dvdaudioextractor/tutorial-dtscd.php

I use the same process to create DTS CDs from DVD-Vs, BD, and BDAs. By the way, you don't need Nero to burn the DTS CD. You can use any software that supports images like ImgBurn.