DVD and DVD-Audio I'm guessing
ROLL CALL: Who has surround sound in their car(s)?
- Thread starter JonUrban
- Start date
Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:
It should play all FLAC files from USB, assuming the car player actually plays 5.1 separate channels. If it is a stereo player and even if you have properly ripped 5.1 or 4.0 files on the USB, it will not play true 5.1 or 4.0, just a weird 2.0.
I know nothing about the Mark Levinson system you mention.
General rules for putting 5.1 or 4.0 on a USB drive to play in a car system capable of surround output.
1. DTS 44.1Khz/16bit, no need to reformat.
2. SACD generally DSD64 surround 5.1 or 4.0, need to reformat to 24bit/44.1Khz FLAC
3. Depending on player, if no hire than 24bit/96Khz no need to reformat, if 192Khz, generally need to reformat lower.
4. DVD-A or DVD-V, need to reformat if higher to 24bit/48Khz.
These are just general guidelines. A good way to start to learn the process, quick and fast, is to take the different formats as I have outlined above and reformat just one song of each, using pen and paper for notes. If successful, you are on your way, if sounds weird go to a lower Khz, 24 bit should always work unless of course your using DTS 16 bit, no need to go higher.
I use the REFORMAT selection on my JRiver player, very simple.
ddahl44
Active Member
I’ve got my surround music already converted to multichannel FLAC 48/24 for my Acura. Just wondering if there were any Lexus owners out there so I know if I should bring discs or if 48/24 FLAC will play discretely with the Levinson system.
Does anyone have any suggestions on where or how I can get a third party surround sound system for my car?
dpr1
New member
I own or have previously owned the following Lexus cars:
2017 GS 450h Premier
2018 LS 500h Premier
2019 LC 500 coupe
2020 RX 450h F Sport
All had the Mark Levinson Surround Sound system. Unfortunately, with the exception of the LS 500h Premier, the only true discreet
Surround Sound codec supported is Dolby Digital @ 384 kbps or 640 kbps, and only then by inserting a suitable standard DVD in the optical drive in the dash.
DVD-Audio and SACD are of course NOT supported.
Lexus stopped licensing the DTS codec sometime in the mid-2010's so any DTS encoded DVDs play silently.
Despite many efforts at trying different types of compressed or uncompressed audio on a USB stick, none play. Most of the time the files are simply skipped or the player freezes up (progress bar on screen does not move). Stereo is of course fine.
Attempts to wrap 5.1 audio and video into M4V container files also failed miserably. Again, either the car's player skips the video, freezes up or actually downmixes the 5.1 to stereo!
The only reason for the LS500 to be an exception is that, in addition to the single slot DVD/CD player up front in the dash (which still only supports DD!) there is a factory fitted Blu Ray player in the rear centre console that actually supports Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD Master. Afaik the 2017-2023 LS500 / 500h is the only Lexus that got this blue-ray disc option. The same USB constraints of the above cars still apply to this one.
Overall, it's a bit of a disappointment.
I don't have much experience with the 2022/23 model year cars, but from what I understand, most if not all have completely deleted the optical drive completely, so USB or BT is now your only way to get external music in. Hopefully, there have been some software updates, but if there hasn't then really all the 5.1 is good for now is upmixing stereo to 5.1 (and there isn't much control over that other than a menu option to turn it on or off!)
The Lexus handbooks are pretty good for listing what is and isn't supported, file wise. They can be viewed here:
https://www.lexus.com/My-Lexus/resources#manuals_and_guides_promo
Dave.
ddahl44
Active Member
Wonder what this means?
It means bye bye ELS and Panasonic.
OregonSurround Fan
Member
My 2021 TLX w/ Advance Pkg.
Devoted to the cause.
Devoted to the cause.
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