DVD-Audio question (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Moore]

I searched threads but couldnt really get a grasp on the setup of dvd-audio players.
Right now I have a regular dvd player. It has a digital out and analog(6 outputs).
But since I have a Denon 3802, I just use the decoder onthe receiver,not the player anymore. So just the digital out is hooked in.
When I sell my old player and get a dvd-a playe will I need to hook in both??? And when Im listening to dvd-a I have to turn the digital out off and use the on-board player decoder? And then when I'm watching amovie I canturn it back on? You cant use the digital out for dvd-a?
thanks
anthony

 

[Jeff D]

Anthony, I had the same questions... I've just picked up a Tosh 4700 with DVD-Audio. I was thinking what a pain to select 6 channel output on the player and the select 5.1 input on my Sony 777ES.
Anyone got an answer to why Reciever companies don't do DVD-Audio decoding internally via the bitstream output on the DVD player?
[Edited last by Jeff D on November 10, 2001 at 09:21 PM]

 

[Mark Dubeau]

I think this has been discussed many times on this forum and AVSForum. You'll need to hook up both. The digital connection doesn't have the bandwidth to support DVD-Audio. You'll need to have your DVD-Audio player do the decoding.

 

[PaulKH]

The answer is COPY PROTECTION. Content providers don't want people to be able to get a digital feed from the players that could be used to make other perfect digital copies, so they're forcing us to use 6 stupid analog cables to the receiver, which is why I will never support the format.
Also, if your receiver can do 'auto' selection of input types, then you shouldn't need to change anything on the receiver because I expect/hope that when you play DVD-A the digital output shouldn't send anything. May be a setup option on the player.
[Edited last by Paul Higginbottom on November 10, 2001 at 09:32 PM]

 

[Norm Strong]

We know, from previous statements, that DVD-A discs also contain a DD 5.1 track of the same material, allowing one to play the disc on an ordinary DVD player. Now the question is (and I'm sure somebody out there can answer it) what tells the laser whether to scan the DD tracks or the 24/96 tracks?
------------------
Norm Strong ([email protected])

 

[Keith Mickunas]

My Panasonic DVD-Audio player has a menu setting called DVD_Video you can change to force it to play the DD or DTS tracks, otherwise when you insert a DVD-Audio disc it defaults to the MLP tracks.
I'm looking into whether or not I can automate the switching from the digital input to the 6ch. input right now. Currently I just have to select the 6ch. input on my receiver when I put in a DVD-Audio disc, but perhaps it will detect it automatically.

 

[Anthony Moore]

So i can buy dvd-audio discs and use them in my regular dvd player for 5.1 sound?

 

[JonDeutsch]

Yes, most, if not all, DVD-A discs also have a Dolby Digital track that allows for them to be played on all DVD players. Some have a DTS track as well.
So, here's how it works:
For the Dolby Digital track on the DVD-A disc, all you need is a normal DVD-Video player, and the material will go over your digital connection to your receiver/pre-amp, and your receiver/pre-amp will decode the signal. This is the exact same way you listen to movie soundtracks on normal DVD discs.
For the DVD-Audio track on the DVD-A disc, you need a receiver or pre-amp with 6 channel analog inputs, because the high-resolution audio is decoded within the DVD-Audio/Video player and sent as analog to your receiver/pre-amp.
------------------
Jon
Link Removed
Link Removed
Coming Soon:
http://toptentech.com
Link Removed

 

[Ryan T]

Hi,
I'm wondering what the sound quality difference is when you use a regular DVD video player and a DVD audio disc with the DD 5.1 vs. using a DVD audio player with a DVD audio disc through the 6 ch direct input? I guess it all comes down to is it worth it for me to buy DVD audio discs even if I don't have a DVD audio player?
Ryan

 

[Keith Mickunas]

Ryan, it comes down to how critical of a listener you are. DD doesn't sound nearly as good as DVD-Audio. However I've listened to some of the DVD-Audio discs I have in DD, and it wasn't objectionable. In fact I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't want to go back now that I've heard what it can be like. If you enjoy or think you'd enjoy multi-channel music, then I'd hesitate to say purchasing DVD-Audio discs is a waste of money. If there's something out you think you'd enjoy, go ahead and get it, until you've tried it for yourself you won't know whether its worth it to you or not. Plus, if there's something you like, and it goes out of print before you get yourself a DVD-Audio player, it'd really suck to miss out on it.
As for automating the switching of inputs, it doesn't look like I can do it with my Panasonic RA60 and Yamaha RX-V1. I think it comes down to how the receiver should choose. Since DVD-Audio players have DD and sometimes DTS decoders, the receiver wouldn't know which input to use with something coming in the analog and digital inputs.

 

[Jeff D]

The Tosh 4700 also had the priority switch for DVD-Audio or DVD-Video. I haven't had a chance to play with the DVD-Video output yet. But I'm thinking that might be the way to go for DVD-Video.
As for playing a DVD-Audio disc in a standard DVD player. Yes if the disc has alternate encoded tracks. That's how I've listened to the discs before.

 

[John Kotches]

I cover this topic (determination of what gets played back) very thoroughly in our article on DVD-Audio technology at Secrets of Home Theater and HiFi, -- this is a direct link to the article:
Link Removed
The short answer, without reading through the article is this:
DVD-Video content is stored in a directory called VIDEO_TS. DVD-Audio content is stored in a directory called AUDIO_TS.
DVD-V only players, don't know how to process .AOB (Audio Object files) and ignore the AUDIO_TS directory.
DVD-A players know how to process .AOBs and are designed to search for an AUDIO_TS directory first.0
To complicate things a bit, some DVD-A players have a setting called "Priority Content", which can be set to AUDIO/DVD-Audio or VIDEO/DVD-Video. This setting controls the behaviour of the player, and whether it will check for AUDIO_TS (DVD-Audio player) or not.
Regards,
------------------
John Kotches
Contributing Writer
Link Removed
[Edited last by John Kotches on November 11, 2001 at 03:11 PM]
[Edited last by John Kotches on November 11, 2001 at 03:11 PM]
[Edited last by John Kotches on November 11, 2001 at 03:12 PM]