U-571 has an option for dts 5.1 - some questions (1 Viewer)

after thinking about it, this seems to be a bad question, but here it is anyway.

when i choose dts from the menu will i actually hear a dts track when listening using the analog out.
i know that everything is converted to dts anyway on optical out.

the other question is a general one about every hd dvd i have watched so far.

the on the fly subtitles and audio changing, also the buttons >>(forward) >>/(FF) *** /

I watched U-571 twice, once in each format but I used the player's analog outputs. The two tracks were some different, The DTS was louder if nothing else. I don't see what you're worried about on the optical output. I had my player hooked up like that at first and may return to that mode later. It's a high-bit, 1500 kbs, DTS track and it doesn't have to down-convert it, or up-convert it, just pass it.

You might want to experiment with your player's analog output? Then you can compare the player's Dolby+ againt the DTS. They're both quite good. If one's better than the other, it might be the Dolby...?

I don't think you missed anything on the set-up menu. If you did, I did too. The player doesn't have the same rules of operations for both formats, yet, maybe never, maybe eventually? I wish Last Memory worked for HD-DVD but doesn't because it's content optional, dumb IMO. It sure would help this format or Blu-way to have the same user conviences as DVD! Having FF & RW on-screen might be software optioal too? That seems silly but it's very possible.

We're all having to experiment with these players. The manual is a bit vague on so many things.

When using the 5.1 analog connections on your player, if you select DTS in the audio setup menu for this title you will get the same half-bitrate dts you'd get from any SD dvd that has a DTS track (there were one or two full bitrate SD DTS titles, but the vast majority have been half bitrate). If you select DD+ you will get the DTS+ track which runs at a much higher bitrate than half bitrate DTS, so that should sound better.

If you use a digital optical or coax connection, you will get standard half bitrate dts if you select the dts track, and DD+ converted to full bitrate dts if you select the DD+ track. Here again the DD+ selection should sound better.

As for your other questions, I don't get any onscreen indication for FF or RW when I'm playing an HD-DVD, and it looks like there's only one "speed" for FF and RW rather than the several different speeds on most SD players. There is no setup option to enable onscreen indication of FF and RW on HD-DVDs. I think this may change with later discs or later players or perhaps thru a firmware update. I've only changed audio or subtitles in the menu system so don't know what happens if you use the direct buttons on the remote.

"...there were one or two full bitrate SD DTS titles, but the vast majority have been half bitrate."

Huh? One or two?

I own about a dozen and Im sure that about 50-90 titles out there had "full-bitrate" dts on SD-DVD.

Heres a list of ALL dts dvds. Says if they are full/half and 5.1/ES/Discrete 6.1 too.
http://www.spannerworks.net/reference/10_6a.asp

So what about the comparison between 6 channel DD+ vs single cable optical/coaxial DD+

Neil, the Dolby + is converted to "half-rate" DTS via old-fashioned digital cable. You have to use the analogs to get the Dolby + or 1500 kps DTS. I'm rather grieved about the audio arrangement. I'd rather have the old Dolby at a higher rate than Dolby+. The D-Theater tape of U-571 has Dolby at 576 kps. That sounds better to me than anyway I can play the HD-DVD. Our existing processors can handle Dolby at up to 640 kps. If I had a pre that could process Dolby +, well, maybe I'd prefer that? As an analog device, the Toshiba has not impressed me.

Look, they could of given us all an easy audio upgrade by just giving us 576-640 Dolby and 1500 kps DTS that could go right out the optical/coaxial outputs. Instead, they're using audio to try and shove us towards HDMI. As good as 1500 DTS sounds, D-Theater made me partial to 576 Dolby. Many, many tapes had both. Somebody over at AVS told me that in tests, people couldn't tell the difference between 640 Dolby and loseless formats. I could easily believe that after all the 576 Dolby I consumed on D-Theater. 576 Dolby just smokes DVD & LD Dolby.

Our current processors have never been allowed to process to their maximum capability. They're, the MPAA, is trying to shove us towards HDMI cabling for no reason that's in our intrest, IMO.

So my next question is would there be audible diffrences between DD+ via the digital HDMI connection vs DD+ via the analogue 6 channel connection. I would think that because of the lack of conversion the analogue should technically be slightly better but perhaps the diffrences would not be audible.

As for forcing HDMI because of the audio, would the 6 channel connection not be an option for "older" receivers that do not handle HDMI? Correct me if wrong, I am most curious on this issue.