Dts Hd-ma

[natiahs]

I just got the CES DTS HD-Master Audio HD-DVD demo disc and compared the BT tracks against the DVD DTS versions of the same songs. Happily, videos were included even though the packaging did not mention them. The difference between DVD & HD-DVD video is well documented, so I won't dwell on it here.

I have a fairly old receiver, a Pioneer VSX-D811S. It supports 7.1 but predates HDMI. As a result, I was only able to hear the 5.1 DTS Encore versions of the songs. They were astounding! The surround sound was always present, unlike the regular DTS soundtrack in which the rear speakers seemed to activate only occassionally. The overall effect was much warmer, fuller, and far more satisfying.

The DTS track on the DVD runs at 784kbps. DTS Encore streams at 1568kbps. Now I really want to hear the full DTS HD-MA 7.1 tracks (which run 18Mbps on HD-DVD and 23Mpbs on Blu-Ray), but to do so I'd need to replace the receiver and wait for a compatible player. I'm running my HD disks through PS3 and XBox 360's HD-DVD drive, so running 8 channel analog is out of the question.

Anyway, I know we've gome some engineers here who have probably had the opportunity to hear DTS HD-MA in all its glory. How does it compare to DTS Encore?

JET

 

[Desmo888]

Where did you get it and how do I get one too?

 

[natiahs]

I got mine off eBay for $19 shipped. There's a Blu-Ray version as well that features 11 videos but sells for quite a bit more. Just punch up CES DTS on eBay and you should be able to find them fairly easily.

JET

 

[neil wilkes]

Presumably you mean the DTS Core streams, not DTS Encore.
Encore is an abstraction layer DVD-Video authoring system.

DTS-HD MAS encoder offers several possibilities:
1 - DTS-HD MAS. This is bit-for-bit identical to the output, and it is lossless. Identical to PCM/PPCM/MLP
2 - DTS-HD High Resolution. This offers encoding at bitrates of up to 3Mb/sec. In anything up to 7.1 at 24/96.
3 - DTS 96/24
4 - DTS-ES
5 - DTS "Legacy" or "Core" stream, which can be either 768 or 1509Kb/sec.
Numbers 1 & 2 are for straight desktop or BD/HD DVD playback only.
Numbers 3 to 5 will all author to SD DVD.

The full DTS-HD MAS encoder includes a stream player, 2 decoders & stream editing tools. It is all you need for creating any audio stream for
HD DVD
HD DVD Sub Audio
Blu Ray
DVD
DTS-CD will be added in an update.

BTW - DTS-HD MAS is certainly NOT as high as 18Mb/sec. Not even in decoded lossless modes. 5.1 at 24/96 PCM is 13.8Mb/sec. MLP 24/96 5.1 is at most 9.6Mb/sec, usually much less depending on the complexity of the material encoded. Run the numbers.....

 

[natiahs]

Neil, normally I'd defer to your vastly superior experience, but here are the quotes from DTS's website:

"DTS-HD Master Audio delivers audio at super high variable bit rates -24.5 mega-bits per second (Mbps) on Blu-ray discs and 18.0 Mbps on HD-DVD"

Of course, the whole purpose of my post was to see if those claims are in fact true and if the streams really sound 12x better than 1.5Mbps DTS.

Interestingly, it looks like DTS Encore has in fact been renamed DTS Core. The original text stated: "You can enjoy DTS Encore Audio by hooking up any Blu-ray Disc or HD-DVD player with DTS-HD Digital Out to your existing AV Receiver." It has now been changed to "DTS-HD can contain the full DTS core*, so your receiver will play back DTS surround audio at over twice the data rate of other formats." I guess the change was made specifically to avoid the confusion you referenced.

JET

 

[neil wilkes]

Or the change was because of a typo originally!

From my experience of the DTS-HD MAS encoder, it definitely sounds better - even in "Legacy" core modes.
I also have the SurCode DTS-DVD, the Nuendo encoder, the DTS-PSE version (for 96KHz and DTS-ES) and if I take a 24/96 file, and encode to legacy at 24/96, then take the same file & encode to 24/96 legacy (not even DTS-HD HR or MAS) it definitely sounds better - more open & detailed in the top end.

 

[Ge Someone]

..from DTS's website:
"DTS-HD Master Audio delivers audio at super high variable bit rates -24.5 mega-bits per second (Mbps) on Blu-ray discs and 18.0 Mbps on HD-DVD"

Those data rates are the maximum rates, as in "limits". It looks like the mentioned limits are part of the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray specs. So they are not necessarily the "used" bitrates.

 

[DaneelOlivaw]

and compared the BT tracks

BT? As in Brian Transeau and his "This Binary Universe" 5.1 surround dvd?

unlike the regular DTS soundtrack in which the rear speakers seemed to activate only occassionally.

I have owned the TBU dvd since it came out and have lsitened to it many times and its surround mix is very active on most tracks - maybe DTS remixed it for this HD video release to make it even more active?

 

[natiahs]

Indeed, that would be the one. The disk features 2 tracks from TBU: Dynamic Symmetry and 1.618, each redone in lossless 7.1 audio. Since I only have the cheapo Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive, I can't decode the 7.1 track. But even at 1.5Mbps 5.1, the difference is still astounding.

If you're able to decode the audio and like BT, I highly recommend picking up the disk. Prices have fallen dramatically now that CES is long over ($15 should get it). Please note there are 2 versions: the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray disks have slightly differing track listings (the Blu-Ray has more video but only claims two 7.1 tracks (1.618 and a song by Omar Hakim).

JET