DVD-A's chances; Many Opinons, Some Premature

[timbre4]

I posted this in both camps; let the moderators decide!

The CD layer addition idea for reverse compatibilty would help DVD-A sales along with re-pricing them closer to CDs. How long will it take? Why not at the launch of the format or was that lurch?

Some say this is coming too late to save DVD-A, because there now so many commitments to the SACD camp.

I don't believe it. Not yet.

Until Sony makes a commitment to put more desireable multi-channel (thank you very much) Hybrid SACD discs in my hands at an affordable price, I don't see any victory yet.
Stereo only AND no CD layer? Don't even get out of the car.

Bob Dylan, The Police, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd. Wow, these names are huge, no question. But we're talking mere STEREO.

It's been done folks, more than once already, in fact many many times. We want to love it even more in a new way. Bring on the multi-channel mixes we want to buy. And don't hire anybody to mix these who doesn't get the fact that he has more channels to work with (along with all the latest audio mixing gear). Why bother? (Paul Simon - You're The One DVD-A, anybody? stereo for the price of 5.1)

Bill at the The DigitalBits must have better access to SACD titles than me, because this op-ed piece does not match what I'm seeing out there. Please follow this link to see the latest on this opinion. It's pretty much the best DVD news site around, even if they do settle for mere stereo too easily!

thedigitalbits.com/#foxclass

timbre4

 

[Cai Campbell]

Ugh, do we really have to start another DVD-A vs. SACD thread? This topic has been beaten beyond death on "other" discussion boards, can we please spare QuadraphonicQuad the misery?

Tim, I deleted your post in the DVD-A section. There is no need to cross-post, especially a potentially sensitive topic such as this.

 

[Dinko]

Poor you folks who have talked about it before. :lol:

Now the newbies (me) get to do it all over again. :evil:

But just so I say it and help inflaming the fight again: :
1) I guess I like both DVD/A and SACD for older recordings. Either would offer some sort of improvement, particularly in multichannel. but:

2) I prefer newly DSD-recorded music to PCM recorded music.

I find DSD adds so much more colour and depth to new recordings compared to PCM, that I can't live without it.

I think that even DSD-recorded but converted-to-PCM recordings offer more than direct PCM recordings. I can't speak for pop/rock music. But what orchestral music I have heard lately which was originally recorded in DSD is much more enjoyable than pretty much anything recorded in 20 or 24bit PCM.

I guess that if SACD dies, I'll gladly take DSD-recorded music converted to 24bit for DVD/A.

In any case, both should survive, accompanied by universal players. That way any label would be free to do whatever it wants, and the consumer would not be constrained. Just my two previously said cents.

 

[AllAroundSurround]

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Tim, I deleted your post in the DVD-A section. There is no need to cross-post, especially a potentially sensitive topic such as this.[/quote]
I agree No need to put this in both and have a rehash in both sections. It would make it hard to get the replies all together and cause more un needed confusion.
But some good points !
0] Rob

 

[Quadwreck]

I think the greatest threat to DVD-A's chances in the marketplace is the shoddy product being pumped out by Silverline. Being cheaper it's most likely the first DVD-A a curious customer buys, who is then unimpressed if not outright antagonized by what they call "surround" sound. A conspiracy buff would be tempted to think that Silverline is owned by a competing format.

 

[timbre4]

Thanks for narrowing to a single posting in this area, I honestly couldn't choose. No fanning of any flames were intentional. No animals were harmed in the creation of this message...

My motivation is simply to confront any opinions that say the format war has been decided already, especially when it doesn't match my personal experience with the format(s).

My intention is NOT to rehash any previous discussion about which format is better, but to point out the marketing mistakes and over-promising in terms of releases in either format.

What I wrote is based on current information which I find compelling, one way or the other. I'm also interested in helping generate more message traffic around here.

Do you speak for everyone here on the "misery" of this aspect, the chosen clique or just yourself? If we don't discuss the two current surround formats, must it all be picofarads?

Timbre4

 

[Scottmoose]

Fair points all. For the record, I wish both new formats well, but at the rate they are going, as far as surround sound goes, I am highly dubious about their likelihood of survival.
Like the rest of you though, I've no intention of getting involved in a 'which is better' argument.
As far as I am concerned regarding <em>that</em> argment, it's enough that both are high-res., and, <em>on paper</em>, better than redbook cd in terms of sound quality, be it stereo or multi-channel, not that 99.999% of the population will ever have the hardware or inclination to hear a blind bit of difference between them and redbook, as I discussed in my earlier posing (How did I forget? Wonderful new suit of clothes your Majesty!). :lol: .
Both <em>do</em> have excellent surround capabilities however, which is basically a positive thing. It's up to the big companies to get their advertising and priorities straight about what they are actually hoping to achieve with their flashy new formats.
Until then, I'm not jumping on either band wagon. Like I said before, for what it's worth, my view is that we might see a renessaince of DTS encoded music. And I'll wait quietly, and see what happens. 8o
Scott

 

[sspsandy]

Personnally, I like the fact that there the different formats, each with their own unique capabilities. I currently have a DVD-A player with DTS, no SACD player yet. I've been most impressed with the sound of both the DVD-A and DTS discs, and I suspect that the multichannel SACDs are also awesome sounding. While I am a "Mr. Nostalgia" person who has had an affinity for quad since it first came out, especially CD-4, these new discrete formats are like a new lease on life. What the average John Q. Consumer does or doesn't appreciate really doesn't concern me much, there will always be a dedicated pool of audiophiles that will keep the high end stuff being produced, and with much more attention to the quality of the product. Snake oil salemen like Silverline have been around since time immortal, but will ultimately only fail due to the shoddyness of what they offer. Despite the industry's pushing of CDs in competion with vinyl and turntables, there are more and more audiophile remastered lp's being produced, and high end turntables for reasonable prices, and someone is keeping it going, primarily because the sound blows the average CD away. Multichannel is here to stay this time, and no amount of confusion and downright boneheadedness can change the fact that when you hear a Hi-Res format through a decent system, you hear so much more of the music. The masses can have their cheesy MP3's that they rip off from the artists, people were attached to their all in one plastic mono record players with the nail on the end of a two-by-four tonarms when high end stereo first came out. Eventually even the clueless tire of low quality.

 

[Cai Campbell]

Obviously, I can speak only for myself and so the "misery" is my own, and there certainly is not any clique, as far as I'm concerned. This board is totally open and always welcomes new participation and shared experiences. It' just that I've seen the worst come out of people (myself included) when the format debate gets hot and heavy.

I'm not saying we can't discuss the topic. Who am I to say that? It is certainly a valid topic. I just caution against getting too religious about one format over another, that's all.

 

[timbre4]

Thanks for the desired response. I don't care to debate which format is technically better. My main mission is MORE titles becoming available under either one!

timbre4