I buy quite a few music video DVD's online and I always look for those with surround sound mixes. I am really getting tired of companies using deceptive labeling practices to sucker you into buying a stereo or "Dolby Surround" (aka Dolby Prologic) release.
Many times I will buy a title advertised online as "Dolby Digital Surround" only to end up with a "Dolby Digital Stereo Surround". What the hell is that? Stereo is stereo and stereo ain't surround! Most websites seem to think that if it is DD then it is surround and nothing could be further from the truth. Take the Clockwork Orange movie. It has a DD track but it is MONO!
At least with DTS you know you are getting surround sound. With Dolby Digital, it's a crap shoot. I've bought a couple of titles that claim Dolby Digital Surround that end up being Dolby Digital Stereo and the promise of "Surround" instructs you to employ your Prologic decoder. What a load of crap! These "surround" Prologic mixes are just plain-jane stereo. It's like the whole "fake quad" fiasco all over again!
Okay, I'll quit my rambling for now, but the moral of this story is BUYER BEWARE! The safest way to know if you're getting a true surround sound release is to get the thing in your hot little hand and scrutinize the labelling and the surround-sound icons they use. Usually you can wade through the misleading information to determine what is really being offered. Unfortunately, this requires a high degree of awareness and education, not to mention the fact that it discounts the convenience of internet shopping.
Many times I will buy a title advertised online as "Dolby Digital Surround" only to end up with a "Dolby Digital Stereo Surround". What the hell is that? Stereo is stereo and stereo ain't surround! Most websites seem to think that if it is DD then it is surround and nothing could be further from the truth. Take the Clockwork Orange movie. It has a DD track but it is MONO!
At least with DTS you know you are getting surround sound. With Dolby Digital, it's a crap shoot. I've bought a couple of titles that claim Dolby Digital Surround that end up being Dolby Digital Stereo and the promise of "Surround" instructs you to employ your Prologic decoder. What a load of crap! These "surround" Prologic mixes are just plain-jane stereo. It's like the whole "fake quad" fiasco all over again!
Okay, I'll quit my rambling for now, but the moral of this story is BUYER BEWARE! The safest way to know if you're getting a true surround sound release is to get the thing in your hot little hand and scrutinize the labelling and the surround-sound icons they use. Usually you can wade through the misleading information to determine what is really being offered. Unfortunately, this requires a high degree of awareness and education, not to mention the fact that it discounts the convenience of internet shopping.