Onkyo 898 and Pearl Harbor (1 Viewer)

[Mark Austin]

Integra as well.
Questions or concerns about new DVDs including Jurassic Park 3 and Pearl Harbor? - 12/21/01
Valued Integra Research Customers,
During a recent software testing session in our labs we have encountered a problem with several newly released DVDs that we want to make you aware of. Specifically we have experienced problems with Jurassic Park 3 and Pearl Harbor. The problem in question is related to audio dropouts at various points throughout both movies when playing the Dolby Digital soundtrack. After conducting a thorough investigation into this issue we have identified what we believe to be the cause of the problem and would like to make you aware of our findings and a recommended solution.
· Our testing shows the audio dropout problem to be isolated to the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The DTS 5.1 soundtrack plays back without exhibiting any problems. Therefore we strongly recommend that you switch to the DTS soundtrack when available to realize the full potential of your equipment and the home theater experience. Likewise you can also play back the disc using Dolby ProLogic or ProLogic II without any problems. You can select these alternative audio options from the DVD's software menu, which frequently load automatically after playback begins. Typically the additional audio tracks can be found in the opening menu under "Audio" or "Languages", but may vary slightly from disc to disc. If you have questions regarding your specific equipment please our Customer Support Department.
· Although we have only been able to verify the problem with Jurassic Park 3 and Pearl Harbor, we have been informed by Dolby Laboratories that other soon to be released DVDs may exhibit a similar problem. Unfortunately we do not know of any specific titles at this time. However we will update our web site as more information becomes available.
· We have been able to verify that the problem exists on the majority of our new receiver line. We are currently testing other models and will post the results in the near future. We understand that other equipment manufacturers are experiencing similar problems.
· Based on our exhaustive testing and after consulting with Dolby Laboratories it is our opinion that the problem is related to the audio encoding software that was used to master the DVDs in question and that the problem is ultimately a software problem. Dolby Laboratories, the movie studios in question, Integra Research, and other manufacturers are working together to prevent a similar problem from recurring.
Thank you for your understanding and patience regarding this matter. We will keep you updated as we gain further information.
Regards,
The Integra Research Product Development Team
http://www.integraresearch.com/articles.cfm?id=15

 

[Rick Radford]

Marty,
Thanks for the info. I'm personally not bothered by the audio dropouts since I normally chose DTS when that's available.. no real reason other than it's a bit rare to have it as an option.
However, the question in my mind is why do some decoders run the new DD-EX track with no problem .. and others cannot.
IAC, I expect someone.. I don't know who at this point.. will come up with a fix for the short term. I'm guessing it will fall on the DVD mfgs now.. and a new DD format will soon emerge that can handle the anti-piracy new DD codec.
(AS if the HW mfgs needed an excuse to create more upgraditis in HT buffs!)

 

[David Head]

Michael_T,

Onkyo will say what it wants, and it may be an encoding problem, but it may also be a multitude of variables, that include an encoding problem that interacts with a specific decoding chip in an adverse way.

The one factor not accounted for in your theory is why some Outlaw 1050 owners are having problems. They do not have any new decoding chips. What they do have is software that was written to simulate DD-EX for 6.1 playback and developed according to Dolby specs. Should the software on the Outlaw have be updated just because the sudios are trying to slip in some garbage anti-piracy code?

I believe it is a case of different decoding software/hardware treating the anti-piracy code in different ways. Some mute the sound when the garbage is detected and others don't. That doesn't mean that future anti-piracy code won't adversely affect the hardware that doesn't have dropouts now. As long as people allow the studios to pull this crap the more susceptible we all are to future problems.

David

 

[Len Berkoski]

Although I posted this on the first page, it might be useful to compile a list of other potentially affected discs beyond the "officially recognized" ones (PH and JP3).

I first discovered this problem on Anchor Bay's "Bad Taste", while I've also read that "The Stunt Man" has problems (but can't confirm this).

 

[Gerard Martin]

Len
Sounds like a great idea another
good idea is not buy any Dolby digital
disc's until Universal, Disney and
Anchor Bay get their act together.

 

[Michael_T]

another good idea is not buy any Dolby digital discs

I guess you don't plan on buying any DVD-Videos then, since 99.9% of all DVD-Video discs have a Dolby Digital soundtrack of some kind. If you use this logic you probably won't be buying another DVD-Video for quite a long time.

 

[Gerard Martin]

Probably 99.7321 % have a DTS tract.
Those that don,t I can do without.

 

[Luuk Vos]

Guys,

Please don't forget that most non region 1 titles do not have DTS! So everyone outside the US with the same decoding-problems has a huge problem!

Regards,

Luke

 

[David Head]

Gerald,

Those that don,t I can do without.

I can accept your position if that's your opinion, but there are many movies I love that don't have DTS tracks. Only 35 of my 175 DVDs have DTS tracks. Here's just a few DVDs from my collection without a DTS track:

Ben Hur

All James Bond DVDs

Braveheart

The Godfather Collection

Matrix

Silverado

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

I could go on, but you get the idea.

David

 

[Gerard Martin]

New Dolby digital sound tracts from the three studio's mentioned are
audio dropout suspect. I purchase disc's
I can see and hear not what happens to be the most popular I maybe able to
hear. Best regards.

 

[Dave Wy]

Mr. Dressler from Dolby Laboratories mentions that you could set the player to PCM or use Dolby Pro-Logic decoding as a work around. At least in my case, the dropouts still occur. I have an older Sony STR-DT1011S Pro-Logic only receiver and a brand new Sony DVP-NS700P player, and am experiencing the dropouts on Jurassic Park III. All other discs I have work fine, including Planet of the Apes 2001, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and Shrek.

Dave W

 

[Len Berkoski]

^ bump to make new viewers aware of this thread

 

[Jeff D]

I just went to the Onkyo website and noticed they removed the notice about this being researched. The article was replaced with... Onkyo 989 is THX Ultra 2 software upgradable, damn!

I called Onkyo because of another issue and asked about the Dolby problem. I was told it's Dolby's problem and there were only a few discs with the problem.

My question is this... are the studios taking care of this with replacements?