neil wilkes
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
These long-awaited encoders are finally out of Beta, and are due to be released any time soon.
Cannot go into too much detail as I'm still under NDA, but what I can say is, I feel, worth posting.
The new DTS-HD encoders are going to be the only High Resolution Audio codec that is fully mandated by both Blu Ray & HD DVD - although the full lossless support (or DTS-HD MAS as it is called) is not mandated. However, the DTS-HD High Resolution format is.
This will allow up to 7.1 with a maximum bitrate of 3Mb/sec, which is double the current DTS ceiling of 1.5Mb/sec. Additionally, the placement of the extra 2 channels is very flexible and pretty well down to the user.
It will be possible to emulate the SDDS type of 5 across the front with 2 surrounds & LFE, or L,C,R,Ls,Rs,Lr,Rr, or even to use the additional 2 channels as height channels. Lots of possibilities.
Best of all is that because of the way it all works with DTS, all players/amplifiers will use the same streams and automatically output the highest possible quality the system is capable of.
This is cool for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Authoring houses will need just one DTS stream and that will cover all possibilities for each format.
How does this work?
Simple - DTS are still using the original "core plus extensions" method of encoding, where the core is the 24/48 stream, and the extra channel information, extended frequency response and the "lossless" flags (DTS-HD MAS) are all in the extensions. As a result, the worst-case output will be the "core" stream of 24/48, and depending on your decoder (either in the amplifier or DVD player/Blu Ray Player/HD DVD player) will also output the 96KHz stream, or the 6.1 or 7.1 information as well. It's automatic too, so no need for any resetting of the players is required.
The SAS version of the encoder will handle everything up to (and including) the High Resolution streams.
The MAS version will deal with everything, including lossless. Additionally in the MAS encoder will be a decoder, as well as a stream player (for checking your encodes without wasting a lot of money burning stupidly expensive Blue-ish discs) and best of all, Stream Tools (for DTS-HD only) that will include a joiner (for stitching together several streams), a Timecode striper (for replacing bad or incorrect embedded timecode), an Append tool, a trimmer and a splitter. Naturally there will also be a verification tool.
What does it all sound like?
To be brutally blunt, much much better than even the DTS-PSE encoder.
I have 4 encoders, and in order of sound quality they run something like this:
4 - SurCode DTS-Pro (or DTS-DVD)
3 - Nuendo DTS Encoder
2 - DTS-PSE - this one creeps in over the Nuendo Encoder for 2 reasons:
A - It is actually a superior version of the algorithm
B - it can handle 24/96 as well as DTS-ES. This allows us to create a (stereo only) DTS-CD using 24/88.2 source files.
1 - DTS-HD series. The top end is cleaner, more detailed & generally much more open sounding. And this is in "Legacy" mode, not the Lossless version.
We ran a series of blind tests, using files created from all 4 encoders.
The ones at 3 & 4 on the list fell out of the reckoning early on, as the difference between a 24/96 stream and a 24/48 stream is easily detected.
With the latter two, you can clearly hear the difference. It is admittedly subtle, but clearly audible. Top marks to DTS here, as a lot of other companies would have simply left the so-called "Legacy" core well alone. Not DTS.
What do they cost?
Here's the great news - the DTS-HD SAS will be around $800, and the full MAS version will be around $1500 or so, with full upgrade path available from earlier DTS versions. What SurCode will do remains to be seen, but I suspect they will soon license a version. I'll try to find out.
This may seem dear, but when you stack it all up against the Dolby Media Tools, at a cool $12,000, it's sale of the century.
Plus with the Dolby versions, you MUST encode - if using Dolby True HD (The format formerly known as Meridian Lossless Packing) - a standard Dolby Digital stream as well, with a peak bitrate of 640Kb/sec. If using a stream like this, then a third stream with a peak of 448Kb/sec will also be required to ensure full compliance with specs for playback on all players.
Additionally, the Dobly tools are Mac OSX-Garfield only.
No contest.
As soon as I am allowed, I will post details on specs & price/availability.
Cannot go into too much detail as I'm still under NDA, but what I can say is, I feel, worth posting.
The new DTS-HD encoders are going to be the only High Resolution Audio codec that is fully mandated by both Blu Ray & HD DVD - although the full lossless support (or DTS-HD MAS as it is called) is not mandated. However, the DTS-HD High Resolution format is.
This will allow up to 7.1 with a maximum bitrate of 3Mb/sec, which is double the current DTS ceiling of 1.5Mb/sec. Additionally, the placement of the extra 2 channels is very flexible and pretty well down to the user.
It will be possible to emulate the SDDS type of 5 across the front with 2 surrounds & LFE, or L,C,R,Ls,Rs,Lr,Rr, or even to use the additional 2 channels as height channels. Lots of possibilities.
Best of all is that because of the way it all works with DTS, all players/amplifiers will use the same streams and automatically output the highest possible quality the system is capable of.
This is cool for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Authoring houses will need just one DTS stream and that will cover all possibilities for each format.
How does this work?
Simple - DTS are still using the original "core plus extensions" method of encoding, where the core is the 24/48 stream, and the extra channel information, extended frequency response and the "lossless" flags (DTS-HD MAS) are all in the extensions. As a result, the worst-case output will be the "core" stream of 24/48, and depending on your decoder (either in the amplifier or DVD player/Blu Ray Player/HD DVD player) will also output the 96KHz stream, or the 6.1 or 7.1 information as well. It's automatic too, so no need for any resetting of the players is required.
The SAS version of the encoder will handle everything up to (and including) the High Resolution streams.
The MAS version will deal with everything, including lossless. Additionally in the MAS encoder will be a decoder, as well as a stream player (for checking your encodes without wasting a lot of money burning stupidly expensive Blue-ish discs) and best of all, Stream Tools (for DTS-HD only) that will include a joiner (for stitching together several streams), a Timecode striper (for replacing bad or incorrect embedded timecode), an Append tool, a trimmer and a splitter. Naturally there will also be a verification tool.
What does it all sound like?
To be brutally blunt, much much better than even the DTS-PSE encoder.
I have 4 encoders, and in order of sound quality they run something like this:
4 - SurCode DTS-Pro (or DTS-DVD)
3 - Nuendo DTS Encoder
2 - DTS-PSE - this one creeps in over the Nuendo Encoder for 2 reasons:
A - It is actually a superior version of the algorithm
B - it can handle 24/96 as well as DTS-ES. This allows us to create a (stereo only) DTS-CD using 24/88.2 source files.
1 - DTS-HD series. The top end is cleaner, more detailed & generally much more open sounding. And this is in "Legacy" mode, not the Lossless version.
We ran a series of blind tests, using files created from all 4 encoders.
The ones at 3 & 4 on the list fell out of the reckoning early on, as the difference between a 24/96 stream and a 24/48 stream is easily detected.
With the latter two, you can clearly hear the difference. It is admittedly subtle, but clearly audible. Top marks to DTS here, as a lot of other companies would have simply left the so-called "Legacy" core well alone. Not DTS.
What do they cost?
Here's the great news - the DTS-HD SAS will be around $800, and the full MAS version will be around $1500 or so, with full upgrade path available from earlier DTS versions. What SurCode will do remains to be seen, but I suspect they will soon license a version. I'll try to find out.
This may seem dear, but when you stack it all up against the Dolby Media Tools, at a cool $12,000, it's sale of the century.
Plus with the Dolby versions, you MUST encode - if using Dolby True HD (The format formerly known as Meridian Lossless Packing) - a standard Dolby Digital stream as well, with a peak bitrate of 640Kb/sec. If using a stream like this, then a third stream with a peak of 448Kb/sec will also be required to ensure full compliance with specs for playback on all players.
Additionally, the Dobly tools are Mac OSX-Garfield only.
No contest.
As soon as I am allowed, I will post details on specs & price/availability.
. Dolby claims that it is not that expensive compared to a (set of) hardware encoder box(es) 
