John Garcia

First time Using DTS on my system and there is no sound when selecting DTS on a DVD. Dolby Digital and music are working though, why?

All three of these things MUST be present and configured for DTS playback:

1) Your receiver must be set to "Auto detect" or forced to DTS decoding.

2) In your DVD player's digital audio setup menu (NOT the menu on the DVD itself), you must ENABLE DTS. Dolby digital is on by default, and on 99.9% of players, DTS is NOT turned on from the factory. If there is an option for "bitstream" vs PCM, select bitstream.

3) Select the DTS track in the DVD's setup/language selection menu.

NOTE: Not having your DVD player setup correctly when selecting a DTS track may cause a "static" white noise that could damage your speakers.

"The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so." - Mark Twain

HT: Marantz SR-8300, MA500 monoblocks x 2, 5X GR Research A/V-2s, Adire Audio Tempest sub, Denon 2900, Oppo 980H, Toshiba HD-A2, RC2000MkII remote, Panamax 5100, Panamax Max2 sub, Slim PS2, PS3 60G + 320G USB

Bedroom: Marantz PM-7200 Integrated, GR Research A/V-1s, Sony 222ES SACD, RC3200 remote, Panamax M8EX

Audio: Audioquest * Video: Bluejeans

My DVDs My HT

Vince Maskeeper

What the heck is a Laserdisc?

Laserdisc was a disc-based audio/video format that preceded DVD. The discs, which you've probably seen on TV or in movies at some point, were larger than DVD (12 inches across, the same size as LP record albums). They were usually silver, and looked a lot like a giant DVD or CD.

Laserdisc was similar to DVD in that it offered CD-like non-linear navigation (the ability to skip around quickly), high quality video and digital sound.

We have Laserdisc to thank for many of the great features of DVD. Laserdisc was the first home video format to offer:
1) Digital Sound
- Regular 2-channel stereo audio on laserdisc was uncompressed digital, just like CD- providing excellent audio fidelity... many people prefer uncompressed LD audio to 2-channel DVDs.
- Laserdisc was the first home video format to offer dolby digital 5.1 audio.
- Laserdisc was also the first home video format to offer DTS 5.1 audio (and all DTS laserdiscs were full bitrate, where DTS DVDs are often a half bitrate DTS format).

2) Special Editions & Extras
- Laserdisc was the first format with alternate soundtracks, allowing running audio commentaries.
- The image gallery and promotional stills gallery was also first popularized on laserdisc.
- Deleted scenes were first widely incorporated into "special edition" laseridscs.
- Pretty much the whole idea of a special edition or a collectors edition came directly from the laserdisc world, as it was mostly an appealing format for film collectors.

3) Widescreen and OAR presentations
- Again, because Laser was a collectors format, the majority of laserdiscs were presented in their OAR (original aspect ratio) format.


So, Laserdisc really paved the way for DVD to exist in the first place. The original customer base for DVD was mostly made-up of previous laserdisc collectors. In the first few years when DVD really caught fire, it was film collectors making the jump from Laserdisc that really drove sales. Some of the most popular early DVD players were combination DVD/Laserdisc players!

Many serious HT buffs still have large LD collections, and still spend thousands of dollars on high-end laserdisc players.

In the end, the popularization of DVD essentially killed the laserdisc format. While Laser certainly had many advantages, the fact that discs held (at most) 60 minutes per side- meant that most films required a side flip, or worse- switching discs in the middle of the film. Couple that with the fact that DVD offered cheaper discs, cheaper players and better video quality (Laserdisc can look quite good, nearly as good as DVD- but often you can only get the best Laser picture out of super-high end players)... the Laserdisc market slowly died as DVD gained popularity.


Technically, LASERDISC releases of new films are no longer being produced for the US as of the late 1990's... however there are tons of discs available on Laser that are not (and may never be) available on DVD. One prime appeal for HT buffs is the availability of the ORIGINAL UNALTERED Star Wars trilogy on Laser (and rumor has it, Lucas will only be releasing the SE versions when they eventually come to DVD, so Laser might be the only opportunity to own a high quality, widescreen edition of the original films!).

So, that is a basic introduction to laserdisc. If you're interested in the format- check out the excellent post in this thread from one of the HTF's resident Laserdisc fanatics, Rachael B:
A complete guide to Laserdisc

or check the HTF unofficial Laserdisc FAQ:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=26700

or check Henrik Herranen's old 1998 Laserdisc Faq:
http://www.cs.tut.fi/~leopold/Ld/FAQ/index.html

-Vince

Need an introduction to home theater? Check out our FAQ and Primer!!

Vince Maskeeper

What the heck is a DVD?

DVD is one of the most recent, and most exciting additions the the world of home video! Actually, DVD can be used for Data, Movies and now even music-- but we'll concentrate on the DVD-video version for now...

A DVD is a CD sized digital disc which contains audio and video. DVD offers a serious upgrade in terms of picture quality versus previous home video formats (like VHS for example), and offers digital sound (including the ability to play back theatrical surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and DTS!).

A DVD works with video very much the same way a CD works with Audio. The disc allows you to access any point in the movie easily, and doesn't require rewinding like tape formats. DVD requires a special player (it doesn't play in a CD player).

DVD has grown quite popular, both because of added quality of video and audio and because of special features available exclusive to DVD. Often, movies released on DVD will include:
- A special audio track where you can listen to the director or the stars discuss the making of the film
- Access to scenes that were removed from the film
- Access to alternate endings to the movie which were filmed but not used.
- Documentaries about the film production or special achievements of the film.
- Tons more!

In short, DVD can help you enjoy your favorite movies even more! Even better, DVDs usually cost around $20- so you can build a library of your favorites without breaking the bank!

If you're new to DVD, you might want to check out Jim Taylor's excellent DVD Frequently Asked Questions, located here:

http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

Here's what Jim had to say about what a DVD is:

Hope that helps!

Vince Maskeeper

Need an introduction to home theater? Check out our FAQ and Primer!!

Jesse Leonard

So, you just bought a DVD player (or a new TV) and want to show it off. The question in your mind is: What is a good DVD to show off my system?

There are really two sides to this question. The first being the picture quality and the second being the sound quality.

Picture Quality

Excellent picture quality is one of the selling points of DVD, but you must keep in mind that just because a movie is available on DVD does not mean that the picture is going to be excellent. There are many things that affect how good a DVD will look on your TV. Some movies/television shows are shot on very low budgets and use very low quality film. Sometimes the original negative for a movie has been damaged. Some DVD production facilities are better than others. Some DVD transfers are done poorly, at too low of a bit rate or not done anamorphically. You get the idea; there are many things that can go wrong during the creation process of a DVD.

Here are some titles that are generally acknowledged as being reference quality and are excellent discs to show off your display. There is something for everyone’s taste so chances are that you already own one of these.

A Bug’s Life
American Beauty
Any Given Sunday
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Citizen Kane
Fight Club
Gladiator
Independence Day
Lost in Space
Moulin Rouge
North by Northwest
Shrek
Starship Troopers
Swordfish
Titan A.E.
The Fast and the Furious
The Fifth Element - The SuperBit version (although the originally is very nice also)
The Pledge
The Rock – Criterion Collection
The Straight Story
Toy Story II
Vertical Limit


Sound Quality

Just like the picture quality, there are many things that affect how good a DVD will sound. Older movies were not recorded with surround sound in mind, so although they may sound good, they may not be the best DVD to show off your speakers with. Some movies have very subtle soundtracks that do not rely on loud sounds. Newer, action based movies are normally chosen because of their special effects and explosions. Some people also prefer a DTS soundtrack over a Dolby Digital soundtrack.

A Bug’s Life
Aliens
Apollo 13
Cast Away
Dances With Wolves – DTS
Eagles - Hell Freezes Over – DTS
Fight Club
Gladiator
Moulin Rouge
Requiem For a Dream
Saving Private Ryan – DTS
Shrek
Star Wars: Episode I
Starship Troopers
Terminator 2: Ultimate Edition
The Fast and the Furious
The Fifth Element - The SuperBit version
The Haunting
The Iron Giant
The Matrix
The Red Violin
Titan A.E.
Toy Story II
U-571

Jesse Leonard

The DVD I bought/rented won’t play. Is my DVD player broken or is there a problem with the DVD disc?

This question comes up almost every week. Although there is no single answer that will fit all situations, there are several things to check.

First, if you rented the DVD then check the disc itself. Chances are that the surface of the disc is dirty or heavily scratched. If the disc is dirty then you can try cleaning it. There are many products on the market for cleaning a disc, but good ‘ol tap water, liquid dish soap and a soft clean towel will do the trick. If the DVD is heavily scratched then your only option is to return the disc to the place of rental and get another one (I always check for scratches before even leaving the rental store to save a trip).

If the DVD was recently purchased, you should still check all of the above. If everything looks good then there are several possibilities. (It is always best if you can try to repeat the problem on another player. Go over to a friend’s house or try the DVD–rom in your computer. If it works there, then the problem is with your specific DVD player.) First, your DVD player may need cleaned. There are several cleaners available on the market. Secondly, there may be a problem (although this happens very seldom) with the authoring of the disc. DVD’s and DVD players are insanely complex. This, combined with the fact that there are hundreds of different types and brands of players, can cause incompatibility between certain discs and certain players. This does not happen very often, but check the Software section of this forum for other members who are having the same problem. Thirdly, it may just be a bad disc. There have been entire runs of DVD’s that have shown up flawed and sometimes it is just a few discs out of the batch. If you can’t get the disc to play properly in any DVD player then return it to the place of purchase to exchange it.

Also, there is the problem of a DVD that has been in your collection for awhile and suddenly doesn’t play correctly. First, go through the steps above. If everything checks out then you may have a disc that has gone bad. This happens very rarely and the average consumer may never see this. If your DVD was recently purchased, you should exchange it at the place of purchase. If you are unable to exchange it then your only option is to contact the studio that issued the disc and ask for a replacement. This can be a long and frustrating task, but often times you will be allowed to exchange the defective DVD for a new one.

Finally is the possibility that your DVD player is broken. Again, if it was recently purchased you should return it to the place of purchase. If it is still under warranty, then you could attempt to have it repaired at little to no cost to you (although it may take up to several months for them to return your player to you). If it is no longer covered under warranty then you could pay to have it repaired (which often times will cost more than buying a new player) or use this as an excuse to upgrade!

Nate Anderson

Special Edition and Bare-Bones 101

Okay, we'll start off with Bare Bones DVDs since this should be a simple definition. A "Bare Bones" DVD is one that simply contains the film, a couple different audio options and maybe a trailer. Usually the cheaper titles fall in this catagory.

Special Editions 101:

It seems these days as though everyone is trying to out-do one another with the ultimate special edition. Each studio has their own "Premium Line" that includes their very best. I'm going to run down each each studio's line:

20th Century Fox: Five Star Editon is their line of supreme special editions and they are top notch. Some of the titles included are M*A*S*H, Independence Day, The Sound of Music and Die Hard. Some non-Five Star but equally great editions are Fight Club and Moulin Rouge.

Universal: Their Ultimate Editions have come under quite a bit of critisism around here in their choice of re-issues and the general lack of new extras. Some of the more impressive Collector's Editions include The Thing,Jaws and the upcoming Legend Ultimate Edition.

New Line Cinema: Their new InfiniFilm line is an impressive line of special editions that is focused on immersing the audience in all aspects of the film and the features are tailored on a film by film basis, but usually include commentaries and trivia tracks. Titles include Thirteen Days, Blow and Rush Hour 2.

Dreamworks: Signature Series, which is a pretty basic special edition, usually reserved for their award-willing films, and usually has heavy director participation. These include American Beauty, Gladiator, and the upcoming A Beautiful Mind

These are the "Series" that various studios have put out, the other studios have their own "Special Editions," but just call them that. Nonetheless, Special Editions usually include:

Commentary: The director and/or stars guide the viewer through the film, sharing anecdotes and pointing things out to the viewer. Can be entertaining or woefully dull, depending on how interesting it is. And sometimes, the actors just tear the film to shreads, like Ben Affleck on the Armageddon: Criterion Collection commentary.

Deleted Scenes: Scenes that were removed from the finished film. Usually for a damn good reason, too.

Extended scenes: When the scenes were long and boring...

Alternate Ending: Sometimes it's actually an alternate ending, like on the Joyride or Fatal Attraction DVD's. And sometimes you'll be damned if you can figure what exactly is so alternate about it.

Behind the Scenes Featurette: Remember those little things between the movies on HBO? There you go.

Behind the scenes Feature: Far more in depth and much more interesting too. Actually contains discussion about various aspects of the film.

Trivia Track: Remember Pop-Up video. It's like that.

God-Only-Knows What Else: Varies from silly games to who knows what else, all in the name of filling up the disc.

Theatrical Trailers: Self-explainatory. Sometimes you get bonus trailers too. Yee-haw!

And there in a nut-shell, is Special Editions 101.

My Extensive DVD collection.

Shameless Webpage Plug: My Movie Reviews.

Ted Lee

Can I use bookshelf sized speakers for my HT?

The simple answer is yes - with one caveat.

Don't let the size of a small speaker fool you. Today's bookshelf speakers pack a lot of performance into a relatively small box. Unless being driven at very high volumes, they can accurately and faithfully reproduce sound without distortion.

But, when you look at the drivers inside of a bookshelf speaker you'll immediately notice one thing - the size of the woofer. Clearly, it is not as big as those that are found in larger floor-standing speakers.

Unfortunately, physics is physics. To move a large amount of air (which is necessary to create bass), you need a large driver. The woofers found in most bookshelf speakers are adequate, but they simply cannot reproduce the low frequency effects (lfe) you often find in todays movies - especially action or effects laden soundtracks.

So, if bass is important to you, you really only have two options. The first option is to skip the small speaker and purchase a larger floor-standing model. The second option is to purchase the bookshelf speakers and supplement them with a subwoofer.

The second option is becoming more and more popular. Almost all major speaker manufacturers offer some sort of small speaker (often called a 'satellite') combined with a subwoofer...or you can create the combination yourself.

This works well in that the subwoofer can take the job of handling the bass, while the small satellite/bookshelf speaker handles the midrange and high frequencies.

this is my dvd collection. there are many like it, but this is my own ...

Ted Lee

Where am I supposed to put all these speakers?

Speaker placement is very important and can greatly affect the sound. I'll talk about each speaker and it's optimal placement.

Mains (left/right)
Your main speakers should be placed so that the tweeter is at approximately the same level as your ears at the listening position. If the speaker is too high or low, you may want to experiment with angling the speaker - just be careful of the weight-balance of the speaker when doing so. Angling a speaker often makes it 'top heavy' and prone to falling off a stand.

Center
Ideally, the center channel should be at the same height as the tweeters from the mains. If you have a front projection screen though, place the speaker directly either above or below the screen and angle the speaker so that the tweeters point to your ear level while seated in the listening position. If you have a direct or rear-projection TV, you can place it on top of the TV or use the same approach as the front projection setup, being sure to angle up or down as needed. Many center channels include an adjustable bracket in the back to assist with angling.

Rear - Direct Radiating
Rear channel speakers offer the most confusion and flexibility. I cannot stress enough that experimentation is key in achieving a sound-field you are happy with!

The idea is to provide a diffused sound-field from behind you. You don't want the rear speaker to draw your attention away from the screen, thereby distracting you from what is visually happening.

Typically, you'll want to place the rear speakers in such a manner that the sound "bounces" off another wall. You can even have the sound bounce off the ceiling! Or, you can simply have the speakers point directly at the listening position - this will provide a more directed sound, but may work well for you.

Again, you must experiment and find what works best for you.

Rear - Bipole/Dipole
These rear speakers are designed to be placed on the side-wall, typically beside or slightly behind the listening position. Again, you will need to experiment and determine what works best for you.

Other concepts
Toe-In: This is the practice of angling the speaker inwards (towards the listening position) instead of having them face directly forward. Toe-in typically results in a more directed sound, since the tweeter is fired directly at the listener. Some manufacturers may recommend this practice...others may not. Be sure to read the owners manual. If it's not stated, by all means, feel free to experiment. Heck...even if it is stated, experiment!

Obstructions: In a perfect world, nothing would block a speaker's sound. Unfortunately, many living rooms have couches, coffee tables, bookshelves and other items that may cause an obstruction. This is something you'll have to figure for yourself...you may want to consider redoing the layout of your room, moving the HT to another room, etc.

Speaker Stands: These will come in handy for elevating your speakers to the correct height. An added bonus is that they typically help improve the speakers sound - the speaker will sound "brighter" or "clearer" because the tweeter is now pointing at your head instead of your knees. The bass will sound more controlled and less boomy because the bass is not being reflected off the floor.

Calibration: This is mentioned elsewhere, but just remember to adjust all your speakers using a calibration dvd and a sound pressure level meter.

Additional Reading: Be sure to read Dolby's speaker placement recommendations by clicking on the following link:

http://www.dolby.com/consumer/home_e...oomlayout.html

this is my dvd collection. there are many like it, but this is my own ...

Jagan Seshadri

DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD: Next-generation digital audio

Digital Audio: Then and Now
When people think of digital audio they think "Compact Disc". Though the CD revolutionized consumer audio by being compact, durable, and great-sounding, it was implemented in the early 1980s and designers have learned a lot more about digital audio since then. Nipping at the heels of the CD are two new audio formats: SACD and DVD-A.

What could be better than CD?
For most people, the biggest difference between CD and the new DVD-A and SACD formats is that the new formats are capable of multichannel sound. CD has two channels (stereo: left and right) whereas the new formats can playback up to six channels to completely envelope the listener with sound.

And you thought that CDs were great!
When Compact Discs came onto the market, they were marketed as having "perfect sound forever". While CDs certainly sounded better than audio cassettes and dusty, worn-out LPs, CDs were great, but not perfect. Quite simply, the numbers (i.e. bits per sample and sampling rate) were not high enough to precisely capture all of the sound from studio master tapes.

Performance Descriptions of CD/DVD-A/SACD
Digital audio is recorded by taking 'snapshots' of sound waves. Since sound waves constantly vary in volume, each snapshot measures the volume at a specific point in time. Furthermore, each of these volume measurements is measured with a certain precision (like measuring a distance to the nearest inch). When a digital recording is played back, these volumes are played back snapshot-by-snapshot so quickly that it sounds continuous (much like watching a movie looks continuous rather than a bunch of individual snapshots).

Compact Discs record each channel of sound by taking 44100 samples each second, and measuring each sample "from the ground-up" using 16-bits (like being able to measure up to a mile within an accuracy of an inch). This is called 16/44.1 PCM (Pulse Code Modulation). In other words, the CD *at best* can accurately record sounds from 0 to 22.05kHz with about 96 decibels of difference between the faintest and loudest sounds (i.e. dynamic range). That's pretty impressive, but if the sound you're recording exceeds those numbers, you get ugly distortions upon playback.

DVD-Audio is similar to CD in the way it is recorded, except that its numbers are better. Each channel of sound can take up to 192000 samples each second, and measure each sample "from the ground up" using 24-bits (like being able to measure up to a mile within four thousandths of an inch!). This is called 24/192 PCM. In other words, DVD-Audio *at best* can accurately record sounds from 0 to 96kHz with about 144 decibels (theoretically) between the faintest and loudest sounds (i.e. dynamic range). It's actually overkill, but we are basically assured that the sound from a studio master tape will be accurately recorded without distortion. With numbers like these, recordings can sound more like live music and less like recordings.

Super Audio CD (developed by the makers of the original CD: Sony and Philips) is the other high-resolution digital audio format available. Each channel of sound is recorded by taking millions of samples every second (2822400 samples per second, to be exact) BUT the samples are not measured "from the ground up". Instead, each sample is measured relative to the previous sample, and is measured using 1-bit. Playback is done by recreating the ups and downs of the recorded waveform: If the sample is '1' then increase the volume, if the sample is '0' then decrease the volume. Silence is achieved by playing back '1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0...' etc. This method is called DSD (Direct Stream Digital) by Sony, and it related to pulse density modulation. SACD is said to have a dynamic range of over 120 decibels (although this figure would be highest for low frequencies and lowest for high frequencies, instead of being a fixed value as in PCM), and a frequency range between 0 and 100kHz.

Oh no, another format war?
Just like the oft-mentioned VHS/Beta format war, SACD and DVD-A are vying for the same spot in your sound system, but you might not have to choose between one or the other. It helps that all of these digital audio formats are on a CD-shaped disc. Just as DVD video players can playback CD audio, it is possible that "universal" players will emerge that can play CD/DVD-Audio/SACD as well as DVD-video.

Which should I choose? DVD-A or SACD?
This choice is actually not a matter of who's technology is superior - both systems are outstanding and both marketing campaigns have stretched the truth a bit (i.e. DVD-Audio for stating 144dB of dynamic range when electronic noise limits you to around 130dB, and SACD for stating that its recording rechnology is superior to PCM when they often use PCM for mixing, mastering, and editing). Instead, buy the technology for the music. Sony controls a lot of entertainment media companies, so some artists will only be released on SACD. DVD-Audio has a number of record companies on-board with it, such as Warner Music, and those artists would be issued on DVD-A.

Technically, SACDs cannot be played on conventional CD players unless it is a hybrid dual-layer disc (one layer for SACD and one layer for regular CD). DVD-Audio discs cannot be played on conventional CD players at all, but can be played on DVD-players with DVD-A capability. If the DVD player does not have DVD-A playback capability, you often can still play DVD-A discs but you'll hear a lossy-compression version of the recording (Dolby Digital or DTS).

DVD-A and SACD outputs (or, "Once Upon a Copyright")
These high-resolution digital audio formats were conceived partly to migrate masses of consumers to 'digitally secure' media, and to eventually stop producing the easily ripped and copied CD (and thus slow the MP3 piracy phenomenon). With this mindset, DVD-A and SACD players are equipped with analog outputs to pass along the high-quality sound to your sound system, but to prevent perfect digital copies from being made. Although DVD-A players still output a digital stream as well, it is intentionally downgraded for copyright protection reasons. These moves result in the user having to string six analog cables from their player to their receiver (or preamp/processor) to get the best-quality sound.

Another copyright protection mechanism that DVD-A used is called watermarking, where a special authenticity code is embedded in the digital recording. While it is said to be inaudible (which is indeed possible), some people suspect it is in fact audible, and therefore inferior to SACD. SACD's authenticity code is done using a manufacturing technique involving Pit Signal Processing (PSP) which does not alter the audio data at all.

Should I buy it now?
As of the time of writing (April 2002), neither format has very many recordings to be enjoyed. Of the recordings that have been released, DVD-Audio tends to issue more classic-rock and modern-rock albums (from the 1970s to today) whereas SACD tends to issue more classical music and jazz. Those who favor SACD tend to say that it sounds more natural, which may actually be due to better-sounding source tapes. DVD-Audio should be capable of equaling or SACD performance, and those who engineer 5.1 channel surround recordings will soon provide better mixes for both formats.

The fact that 24/96 PCM recordings (i.e. Digital Audio Disc (DAD) recordings...basically a regular DVD with less video and more sound) sound remarkable, bodes well for the future of DVD-Audio. However, everyone can win if more universal players are manufactured. Hopefully by 2003 or 2004 the outlook for these formats will be more clear.

-JNS

Vince Maskeeper