Fox: Please Drop DTS-MA for Dolby TrueHD

Nick Graham · 05-21-2007, 12:56 PM

While this is currently pretty much a non-issue due to their lack of output on BD, how could we best convince Fox to drop DTS-MA for Dolby TrueHD? With Warner on board, and Sony following suit, and TrueHD decoding available on at least two players, with more on the way, I think this production lull would be a good time for Fox to re-evaluate which lossless audio format to use. When they first announced they were using DTS-MA, I thought it was cool, but back then we all assumed there would be players (and mid-range, affordable ones at that) that could decode it.

Since it looks like there will not be any such players available until fall, and the player that is pushing the Blu-Ray lead in sales (the PS3) currently has no plans to support it, maybe before firing back up the replicators again, Fox might dabble with some TrueHD (with dialog normalization turned off for Dave

).

Granted they still need to change their pricing structure, but even with the existing rip-off pricing, lossless audio that can be decoded by popular, affordable players (like the PS3 and the new Panasonic player) would make them seem to be a wiser investment.

Grant H · 05-21-2007, 01:06 PM

I don't trust them to turn off DialNorm, and DTS MA is the most efficient since it includes the legacy core (instead of strapping a DD track next to it), so I'd just as soon they stuck to what they have. Sounds fine right now, and everyone will need new players for Java 1.1 anyway (except MAYBE PS3 owners).

At least Fox is providing lossless tracks on BD releases (every one), as opposed to WB and Paramount, whom you just can't count on at all.

Paul Arnette · 05-21-2007, 01:22 PM

Fox please start releasing Blu-ray Discs, and then take Nick Graham's suggestion into consideration.

Edwin-S · 05-21-2007, 02:15 PM

Fox, please start actually supporting the format you are backing with realistically priced software; however, continue using DTS HD MA as the audio codec.

Dave Moritz · 05-21-2007, 04:43 PM

I see no reason for Fox to switch to Dolby True HD! IMHO Fox made a wise choice when choosing to go with DTS-HD Master Audio. I have to agree with Grant that DTS-HD has the legacy core and it sounds much better than standard DD hands down. I would not want to be stuck without DTS-HD MA and have to put up with horible Dolby Digital. While Dolby True HD is a big step up from DD, I honestly feel that DTS has the best backward compatible format so far. I also do not care for Dolby's dialog normalization at all and would love to see it die on home video releases. How ever am not entirely convinced that is why DD sucks as bad as it does.

So to Fox I would say please keep DTS-HD MA and start releasing HD content again! Sense Universal chooses to leave Blu-ray owners out in the cold I will be spending that money on HD titles from Fox, Warner, Disney Ect.....

You would think that Sony would be the last one to support Dolby. I have been under the impression that Sony really did not like Dolby. Granted there are lots of dvd releases that have a DD track. You would think that Sony would use DTS-HD MA instead of going with Dolby True HD.

To Sony I would say drop Dolby True HD and go with DTS-HD MA.

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Robert George · 05-21-2007, 04:56 PM

DTS-HD MA is rapidly becoming the worst possible choice for any HD format. The reason is that is is now appearing more and more likely that NO current Blu-ray or HD DVD players will ever be able to decode this format. Just today, the latest unofficial word on firmware for the Toshiba HD-XA2 is that when that player is updated, it will enable only a "pass-though" to a receiver or processor that has DTS-MA decoding built into that. No current or recently announced Blu-ray player will decode DTS-HD MA. DTS-HD only, and only in the latest couple of models. Even the PS3 has yet to see an update that allows internal decoding, and Sony has never really said the PS3 would actually be capable of this.

As it now stands, the only way to get decoded DTS lossless audio will be to buy a NEW player that is full HDMI 1.3 AND a NEW receiver that is full HDMI 1.3 with DTS-MA decoding built in.

BTW, the way TrueHD can be implemented on Blu-ray also allows for a DD 640 kb/s core to be extracted for those without TrueHD decoding.

Shawn Perron · 05-21-2007, 05:12 PM

There is no reason to be short sighted. The support will come eventually, if for no other reason then the fact that Fox has been using it. On the HD-DVD side Studio Canal has been using DTS-MA in Europe. Even 1 year after launch neither format is quite ready for prime time as the lack of this major feature shows. Hopefully towards the end of this year both formats finally get thier stuff together and release fully featured players.

Dave Moritz · 05-21-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

No current or recently announced Blu-ray player will decode DTS-HD MA.

Panasonic is coming out with there second generation Blu-ray player that will not only decode DTS-HD MA but it will also decode Dolby True HD as well. But I am not sure if Sony's BDP-S300 will include the same lossless decoding or not? I believe that the Sony should have HDMI 1.3 so an external decoder should be able to do the job.

Nick Graham · 05-21-2007, 05:44 PM

I was under the impression the new player from Panny only did DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD. High Def Digest initially reported that it would decode DTS-MA, but the retracted that.

As for being short-sighted, here's a compromise - how about use TrueHD or PCM along with the DTS-MA track until there are players on the market that actually play it. They could follow after Sony and put two lossless audio tracks on one BD50. Lord knows they aren't using the space for extras.

I was a DTS fanatic in regards to SD, but they've dropped the ball horribly in regards to HD. I think there is a movement from PCM to TrueHD, and I think my once beloved DTS-MA is going to end up relatively obscure in terms of domestic BD players and titles. Fox titles just strike me as an even bigger rip-off when they don't offer the audio fidelity literally every other BD title I own or plan to own in the near future has. DTS was far and away king in the SD days, but with TrueHD and PCM, they are just another audio format.

StevenW · 05-21-2007, 06:41 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but if all these are lossless what difference does it make which one makes it?

Robert George · 05-21-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

I was under the impression the new player from Panny only did DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD. High Def Digest initially reported that it would decode DTS-MA, but the retracted that.

That is correct. No DTS-HD MA in any current or announced player from either format.

Quote:

As for being short-sighted, here's a compromise - how about use TrueHD or PCM along with the DTS-MA track until there are players on the market that actually play it.

Why? It's not like DTS MA offers something unique. There is alre