This just in from Ken Caillat, late of 5.1 entertainment

1. How do you feel DVD-Audio is now competing in the marketplace?

I think it's still pretty slow. More titles need to come out in the format and get people talking and speading the word. I believe the whole industry is about to jump into hyperdrive soon with the devolepment and acceptance of DVDplus which allows to put a CD layer on one side of the DVD and DVD -Audio (or Video) 5.1 mix on the other side. We think everone will accept this as great added value.

2. If DVD-A projects are so onerous for a major, coupled with a simmering format war, will it ever catch on more widely in the independent arena?

They don't need to be onerous, the beauty of DVD (Audio or Video) is that the artist/label can choose to include whatever pleases him or leave it out. It's an artistic expression. They can put no visuals in and just go with the remix or add commentary and pictures 20 years later. It's easy and quick. Which is why I left 5.1 Entertainment and started my own studios, to mix and consult for DVD Music. DVDplus makes it impossible to overlook the surround mix opportunity. A surround mix can take less than 2 weeks to mix. And it is not that expensive. It's only a matter of time before all new albums are released this way. And here's a tip, while a band is mixing the stereo version, they should mix it on a 5.1 board with "total recall" (like mine) and then it only takes a couple of days to derive the 5.1 mix!

3. Are Fleetwood Mac and Tusk now complete, have the Buckingham/Nicks multitracks been found yet, and do you have any idea if the new one will be on DVD-A?

Complete! Ha! I finally got the Tusk Multi-tracks yesterday after 3 months of waiting for internal paperwork and I still can't get the green light on Fleetwood Mac even though the band approved it in December. No the multi-tracks have not been found for Buckingham/Nicks yet and I'm not sure they ever will be, unless one of your readers can help find them. I'm offering a reward if someone finds them. I've even sent people inside the attic of the studio they were recorded at (Sound City). Regarding the new Fleetwood Mac album I am told that will be released in DVD Audio.

4. What is your favourite multichannel mix (not counting your own/5.1 work)?

That's no fair, I like my mixes. Well, ok, I can't say I've heard everything that's out there, but I still like Elliot Scheiners' 5.1 mix of Steely Dan's "Goucho" and Claus Trelby did some great work on the "Rambient" album released by 5.1 Entertainment.

Nice job, Patrick. Thanks for all of your informative posts.

:-jon

Great stuff!
Think Ken can give us any insight into the mentality of the cut and paste releases coming from Silverline since they are a part of the 5.1 Entertainment group?

Thanks for the information!

While I'm delighted to know that Tusk and FM are still in the works for DVD-A release (Tusk is my favorite FM album by far), I am still frustrated that it looks like it will be many months before either gets to the market . I was holding out hope that they would be released in conjunction with the new FM album due in April.

3 months of waiting just to get the tracks because of internal paperwork?! I'm sure it's not Ken's fault, but something needs to be done here to improve these kinds of situations if DVD-A is going to survive...

Anyway to find out how long it will take to complete the DVD-A of Tusk now that Ken has the tapes in his possession? Anyway we could "encourage" him to give it top priority? I'm still salivating pretty heavily at the prospect of hearing Tusk in DVD-A and in multichannel...

Jonathan

It had occurred to me to ask him by return what he thinks of the Silverline situation, now he is not linked directly to them. He usually says what he thinks anyway.

I am sure Tusk is a priority already. Remember there is twice as much to mix! My concern is that even if Ken turns the mix around, authoring and politics could take up a long time delaying release, as shown by the FM situation.

Anyone got anything else they would like me to run past Ken?

Did I misunderstand his comment then about the FM "White" album? Does he mean that the DVD-A is done, but its release is just being held up by red tape?

That would be a terrible shame! Why would they want to delay its release in this case, especially with the new album coming out in just a few weeks now?


Jonathan

I'd be interested to know what the name of his company is, what titles he will be releasing, and where will they be available for purchase. Thanks. Also, will be he doing new production work ala AIX and Tacet, and a few of the 5.1 releases.

My understanding would be the same as yours, but let's face it, it's only a couple of months. I will ask for more detail as to whether Ken has simply done the mix, and it is now in Warners' hands for authoring.

Don't discount the possibility that titles are now being held over to be released as what Ken calls DVDplus, or whatever the correct name for hybrid DVD-A will be.

DualDisc. Argh!

Um... never too late to register disgust?

Patrick Cleasby said:

My understanding would be the same as yours, but let's face it, it's only a couple of months. I will ask for more detail as to whether Ken has simply done the mix, and it is now in Warners' hands for authoring.

Don't discount the possibility that titles are now being held over to be released as what Ken calls DVDplus, or whatever the correct name for hybrid DVD-A will be.

Click to expand...

DualDisc by any other name.
This is not good news, really - the DVD side will be restricted to a single layer DVD5 image.
It's another backwards step.
CD/DVD double package is actually
A - Cheaper to replicate
B - will play on all players
C - allows almost twice as much content on the DVD side.
D - has a separate CD.
Yet again we see compromise to maintain CD compatibility. Personally, if Red Book has to be included, keep it separate. Personally, I could not care less about CD - especially at the cost of High Resolution DVD-A, as the vast majority of these are going to be DVD-V.
Why?
DVD-V will be the "compromise", so we can expect yet more Dobly Dirgital.

neil wilkes said:

DualDisc by any other name.
This is not good news, really - the DVD side will be restricted to a single layer DVD5 image.
It's another backwards step.

Click to expand...

Um, Neil, Jon, um ... Patrick's post is 4 1/2 years old ...

Mike.

Well, ya know, things have been a little S-L-O-W around here lately. Looking back at 5 year old threads is refreshing!

Quadzilla said:

Um, Neil, Jon, um ... Patrick's post is 4 1/2 years old ...

Mike.

Click to expand...

I too read that first thread like it was posted yesterday.

Was a bit confusing at first.

Well, I guess that means there will be no Tusk in 5.1 ever. Yeah, I read it as if it was recent also.

The Quadfather

But it does exist, if only as a test disc that Mike Metterling at Sound & Vision was using it in the magazine's automotive audio review back in 2003 or so. It was very close to commercial reality!!

We just have to find the right people to bitch at; er, put together in meaningful marketing synergy.

What ever happened to Patrick? Hey Patrick, are you out there?

"IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?"

Well, that would shoot down the "It costs too much money to mix it" arguement they always cite. If it's that close, they just need to finish it. So who are "They" is it Warner Bros? If so, maybe we could b*tch at them through the "Because Sound Matters" website. If it's anyone else, that strategy is no good.

The Quadfather

The old favourite "It costs too much to mix" is a non starter.
There are so many that we know are done - just never released.
Same thing happened with Quad too - lots mixed that stayed in the vaults.
Why? Who can say - but it is nothing to do with cost.
It may be down to Universal & Warners refusing to agree on High Rez release formats. Universal (being owned by Sony) will not handle DVD-A, and Warners will not handle SACD.
SO they "compromise" with Dolby bloody Digital DVD-V, which then do not sell as they sound like crap, so the excuse is given that "There is no demand for surround". Truth is there is no demand for DD surround.

Of course I'm referring to Warner by way of BSM.

I'll start a thread for Tusk DVD-A when I get the backstory references correct.