Expanded DVD-A Worldwide Release List

[Cai Campbell]

Hey all,

With Mike Cunningham's permission, I have utilized his excellent DVD-A Worldwide Release List to create my own expanded list. Basically, I have added a bunch of specific information for each title that I am insterested in, such as resolution (both stereo and multi-channel), multi-channel configuration (4.0, 5.1, etc.), and other details. I figure if I'm interested in this type of info then others are bound to be interested as well.

I've got a good start on the list, but there is a lot of "fill in the blanks" work that I will slowly get completed as time permits. Check it out and let me know what you think:

www.greatgig.com/quad/dvd-a-list.html

Regards,
Cai

 

[Frank]

I have entered my collection in a database and have sorted out the track resolutions, pc playback ability and soouround formats.

I'm now trying to figure out how to identify real stereo tracks and downmix versions.
So far it looks like I need to calculate the disc size from the total playing time multiplied by the bit resulotion by sample rate by the number of channels and devide by 2 for mlp tracks. A comparison with the actual amount of disc space can give a clue.

As soon as I finished working on this I will E mail my list if that's alright with you.
I could mail it sooner if you want to fill in the blanks on your own webpage.

Regards,

Frank

 

[Cai Campbell]

Hey Frank, that would be great! I can wait until you are done. As for real stereo tracks vs. downmix, I'm going with the assumption that if there is a separate stereo play list, then there is a separate stereo track on the disc. Perhaps this is not a safe assumption...

On a related note, is there any place to find out just what the DVD-A specification is, along with all the variables that a producer has control over? The reason I ask is because I've been able to achieve two contradictory results when playing back a DVD-A in stereo where there is no separate stereo play list (player set to stereo-analog output, receiver set to corresponding input).

One result is that the disc simply plays the front left and front right channels. The other result is a seeming downmix to those two channels. If either result were the function of my player, I would think the results would be consistent. The fact that they are not consistent makes me think that there is something in the DVD-A specification where the producer can define this behavior, and thus, the disc itself becomes the deciding factor and not the player.

Any information on this topic would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Frank]

Hi,

If there is a seperate tracklist you still don't know for sure.

This link has a nice explanation about the mlp possibilities:

www.hometheaterhifi.com/v...-2001.html

Note the DVD directory section and the file structure.
The eagles DVD has just one big ATS 'file' which contains both the 24/192 stereo mix and the 24/96 surround mix.

Can you handle an Acces mdb file or do you prefer the list as excel file (office2000) ?

MLP is really amazing ! And if you can comprehend the part about the 'dreaded' downmix option you will understand that if it's properly executed there is no difference between a downmix and a seperate 24/96 stereo track !
See it this way: A seperate 24/96 track is mixed in the studio into 2 channels. A downmix is partly mixed in the studio and during mastering mixdown steering data is embedded in the mlp stream your player then executes the final downmix to stereo.
But there will be a difference in sound if the seperate stereo mix is directly taken from the stereo mastertape and the downmix is created from the multitrack recorder because in effect it's an entirely new mix.

The fuzz about the downmix issue is all a matter of bad marketing, opinions from people with a severe sacd bias who didn't even have heard this, It's not 'audiophile' as in cool to have a downmix and sadly, there are not many examples where it is executed properly.

In theory mlp can deliver 63 audio channels at 24b 192ks !
But for DVD Audio only 8 channels are embedden if there is a downmix available in the stream.

Think of it as a giant 63 channel mixing console sitting in your player. ( actually 6 or 8 channels for the Current DVD Audio spec and perhaps in the future Blue Ray technology will be using more of the mlp capabilities )

The problem with your player could be a result of the mastering practice or a combination of player behaviour with the setting dictated by the disc.
The 24/96 track can reside in the video section so it can be played in a DVD Video only player. The output will appear at the stereo L&R outputs.
Playback in a DVD Audio player of this stereo track is possible if a pointer to the track in the video section is created in the DVD Audio directory of the disc.
The multichannel track is of course placed in the DVD Audio section of the disc.
This way you can have 2 channel 24/96 playback on a DVD Video player without DVD Audio capabilities.

I must admit that this issue was overlooked by the DVD Audio camp. If there was a policy created to streamline the stereo issue a lot of audiophile minds could have been set at rest.
Now it is a 'weakness' and it's fiercly attacked by some of the audiophiles in the sacd camp.

Frank

 

[Cai Campbell]

Frank, thanks for the explanation and link. That really helps clear things up for me (and at the same time raises a whole new set of questions!) You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned there should have been a policy (stricter specification) set for stereo playback on DVD-A. The SACD camp has really grabbed hold of this oversight and has hurt DVD-A in a big way.

I can take an Access database file, so no problem there. I am curious to know your findings regarding titles with downmix vs. static stereo tracks.

 

[Frank]

Now I'm only need to get hold of your email adress.

I tried to send an internal message but I think I need a global membership to be able to do this.

Frank

 

[Cai Campbell]

Click on my name to see my bio, then click on "My Personal Link". Click on my name from the front page of my website to send me e-mail.