Tipper DVD-A -- "Surrounded"

[stanhope]

Guys, this is the STUFF! This electronic artist has produced a masterful DVD that totally immerses you in a sound field of synth, orchestra, clicks, clacks, whispers....you name it. Lush, tight, lovely. Sound swirling around the room. Every time I play it, I feel like I'm lost in time and space. I cannot recommend this more highly.....it will become a demo disk!

And the videos are lush, colorful, beee-yoooo-tiful. Mind-blowing!

Question for the jury, though. This disk is presented as DVD-A. My Pioneer DV-563A is set to play the DVD-A portion of a disk on priority...that is, it will automatically play the DVD-A portion of a mixed disk, rather than the DVD-V portion. This works fine on other mixed disks. However, when I load this disk and set my receiver to 6-channel input, I get the disk's video AND 6-channel audio. To boot, the player's readout shows "V-portion," which indicates that the DVD-V portion of the disk is playing. What is up? You can't have DVD-A with video too, can you? Aren't I getting the Dolby Digital part of the disk?

Thanks for your comments. And, by all means...get this disk if you like electronica, lounge, or down-beats!!!!

 

[High Fidelity Review]

Stanhope,

‘Surrounded’ is excellent, something I also concluded a while back when reviewing the title. If you’re seeing full motion video with the tracks, then you’re playing the DVD-Video layer, the DVD-Audio layer only has still images accompanying each track. Group 1 is the DVD-Audio content, Group 2 the DVD-Video, so try manually selecting one or the other.

 

[stanhope]

Stanhope,

‘Surrounded’ is excellent, something I also concluded a while back when reviewing the title. If you’re seeing full motion video with the tracks, then you’re playing the DVD-Video layer, the DVD-Audio layer only has still images accompanying each track. Group 1 is the DVD-Audio content, Group 2 the DVD-Video, so try manually selecting one or the other.

But when the DVD menu comes up, I don't see selections for Group 1 or Group 2. I just see selections like "Playlist," "Videos," "Audio Setup," etc. How do I force the DVD-A content?

Thanks!

 

[High Fidelity Review]

Stanhope,

“But when the DVD menu comes up, I don't see selections for Group 1 or Group 2. I just see selections like "Playlist," "Videos," "Audio Setup," etc. How do I force the DVD-A content?”

Go to the ‘Audio Setup’ menu and choose ‘5.1 Surround (Advanced Resolution)’. If you don’t see this option, you’re on the DVD-Video layer.

Selecting a group is a DVD player function that I’m sure is detailed in the instruction book that came with your machine. Usually all one has to do is press the “Search” button on one’s remote; the first option is likely to be the group selection.

 

[stanhope]

Stanhope,

“But when the DVD menu comes up, I don't see selections for Group 1 or Group 2. I just see selections like "Playlist," "Videos," "Audio Setup," etc. How do I force the DVD-A content?”

Go to the ‘Audio Setup’ menu and choose ‘5.1 Surround (Advanced Resolution)’. If you don’t see this option, you’re on the DVD-Video layer.

Selecting a group is a DVD player function that I’m sure is detailed in the instruction book that came with your machine. Usually all one has to do is press the “Search” button on one’s remote; the first option is likely to be the group selection.

OK....very interesting. This kooky disk does not let me choose the DVD-A portion from the main menu in any way, even though the Pioneer player is supposed to bring that portion up preferentially. I had to use the disk navigator to find Group 1 (you were entirely right!) and get the DVD-A portion. So I played it, and it came up with still shots instead of video, and I assume it is DVD-A. And you know what? The DVD-A track does seem to have more power at a given volume level, but except for that I cannot tell any difference in the DVD-V sound quality and the DVD-A sound quality. And having the videos playing for the DVD-V layer psychologically adds to the quality of the experience. So...is this some more evidence for the fuss about whether the DVD-A portion is worthwhile???? I am intrigued!

Thanks for the suggestion about finding the groups.

 

[petermwilson]

Hi,
Ive posted the reverse problem with regard to accessing the dd5.1 or dts portion of discs on both Panny and JVC machines. DTS Entertainment and HI make it easy for you by putting all choices on the opening page.
I don't fight with the groups or audio thing anymore, I just put the dvd-a in the sacd player which defaults to any non dvd-a options.

I have no idea how combi players react though.

It's interesting how options are described on many jewel cases. Many of them use the phrase " for dvd-v players" instead of " for the dvd-v portion of your player". I'll betcha there's lots of dvd-a players out there that can't access the dd or dts portion of discs that don't have either all the options on the opening page or perhaps it's on the flip side of the disc.

Peter m.
PS: immediately after posting this I took HOOTI's Cracked and put it in my sacd player on the surround layer. There was no identification as to what was there so I just pressed play and my reciever identified dd5.1 as what I was getting. Trying to access audio options back on my dvd-a player just got me "red circle with an X through it'

 

[solaris]

well this is 5.1 mixing of the future.
I remeber the guy at the high end stereo store saying I was not into a natural sound. Well to me this is the natural sound of 5.1
This stuff just will not work in 2.0 as Dark side of the moon is not the same in Mono.
Trippy electronica on the mellow side great
Love the graphics as well

 

[petermwilson]

Hi,
The access ( or lack thereof, accompanied with frustration) to DD or DTS sound tracs on many DVD-A players that I've been mentioning for a couple of months now seems to finally being admitted to, and curiously ,not by the music buying public who for the most part don't care as long as they can get to hear MLP 5.1, which of course makes sense since it's the best.

The folks that are mostly pissed are the HIREZ music reviewers who are having issues giving a disc a FULL review.

The major issue with taking a dvd-a and throwing it into an sacd dvd player to access the dd and dts tracs is that they can't review the disc on exactly the same equipment.

Some of them are just saying "couldn't access dd or dts tracs" and that's that.

Peter m.

 

[VACamper]

OK....very interesting. This kooky disk does not let me choose the DVD-A portion from the main menu in any way, even though the Pioneer player is supposed to bring that portion up preferentially. I had to use the disk navigator to find Group 1 (you were entirely right!) and get the DVD-A portion. So I played it, and it came up with still shots instead of video, and I assume it is DVD-A. And you know what? The DVD-A track does seem to have more power at a given volume level, but except for that I cannot tell any difference in the DVD-V sound quality and the DVD-A sound quality. And having the videos playing for the DVD-V layer psychologically adds to the quality of the experience. So...is this some more evidence for the fuss about whether the DVD-A portion is worthwhile???? I am intrigued!

Are you listening to the DVD-A side through the 5.1 channel analog outputs of the universal player, e.g., did you select the multi-channel input on your surround receiver? If not, you are not hearing the full resolution of the DVD-A tracks on the disc. If you are listening through the multi-channel input, then you should hear a cleaner, more dynamic sound from the DVD-A tracks unless your A/V system is not up to the task. I can clearly hear the difference on both of my systems, even on my "low end" system in the home gym that consists of a basic Pioneer DV588A universal player ($130), Yamaha RX-V657 receiver ($500), and Paradigm Cinema 110CT speaker system ($850), not to mention, crappy room acoustics!

 

[Felix E. Martinez]

I do love this title - and it's quite impressive when you realize Tipper composed this thing on his laptop in the back of an RV on tour. For those interested, this and other Tipper Tidbits can be found in my interview with him at my website. Just do a search for "Tipper" and it should come up.

EDIT - actually the link to the interview is in my comment on the disc in my All-Spin Zone. Don't even know my own website...sheeesh...

 

[Kazaam]

I still haven't opened up my copy of "Surrounded".

I picked it up about a month ago at a local store, but haven't gotten around to listening to it. It's good to read that it's good. Hopefully, I'll get to actually hear it soon enough. (I've been somewhat avoiding any critcal listening lately because I've listened too much on headphones and my ears are fatigued. I should throw those darn things away before I go deaf!)

 

[Felix E. Martinez]

Finally back in stock at CDUniverse.

 

[Big Stevie]

hi,

does anbody know, if the dualdisc of this ist still dvd-a?
senn it at a very reasonable price @ amazon marketplace and would be interested.
best,
stefan

 

[neil wilkes]

Hi,
The access ( or lack thereof, accompanied with frustration) to DD or DTS sound tracs on many DVD-A players that I've been mentioning for a couple of months now seems to finally being admitted to, and curiously ,not by the music buying public who for the most part don't care as long as they can get to hear MLP 5.1, which of course makes sense since it's the best.

The folks that are mostly pissed are the HIREZ music reviewers who are having issues giving a disc a FULL review.

The major issue with taking a dvd-a and throwing it into an sacd dvd player to access the dd and dts tracs is that they can't review the disc on exactly the same equipment.

Some of them are just saying "couldn't access dd or dts tracs" and that's that.

Peter m.

This is entirely down to bad authoring. Nothing more, nothing less.
Every commercial title I have done has full access to all VTS content.
In fact, the DVD-A specifications state categorically that

"all imported VTS titles shall be pointed from the AMG"

.
Sadly, certain authors take this to mean that as long as it is in the structure, you are okay.
Then we get to authoring done badly using consumer applications that do not allow linking into Video_TS content.
These discs are out of spec.
No released titles should ever restrict access to Video_TS content.

 

[DaneelOlivaw]

As a fan of some electronica and definitely downtempo, after buying it I listened to this disc twice and gave it away. Too coldly electronic & robotic sounding for me, so didn't care if the surround mix was good or not.

I think BT's This Binary Universe DTS dvd is a much better example of 5.1 electronica because of its much more organic vibe (and it features several acoustic instruments); it also has an immersive mix. I still regularly play it.