Impressions of the new BMG and UNIVERSAL DVD-A's? (1 Viewer)

[LanceJ]

DTS Entertainment dvd-audios have stereo tracks in PCM, many in the 96/24 format. And if I (or their website) is not mistaken, they are all "regular" PCM which means they are playable on dvd-video players (except for some of the very first models lacking 96/24 digital-to-analog convertors). FYI for newbies: when your player displays "LPCM" while playing a disc--any disc--this means it is playing a "linear pulse code modulation" track, as opposed to "PPCM" which stands for "packed pulse code modulation". Or as is written elsewhere "MLP" or "Meridian Lossless Packing" (everybody take a breath now.........).

Some Warner and Capitol titles also have LPCM tracks, and all AIX Records & Hi-Res Music dvd-audios have them.

I sure wish 96/24 LPCM was standard on dvd-audio titles--that way more people could enjoy hi-res stereo.

BTW: Universal players are the norm now? In what price range? Because the only one I know of that Regular Joes will even start to consider is the Pioneer DV-563 at $180. The next uni-player available (brand new) is around $400, correct? I am very sure most music fans won't--or can't--buy something in that price range. Then they jump up to about the $800-$1000 range; now I'll bet were talking really small sales figures to music fans/non-audiophiles.

LJ

 

[John Kotches]

Lance,

I've seen both DD2.0 and LPCM stereo @ 24/96K. It depends on the particular recording.

Of late, they've been favoring LPCM@24/96K.

Cheers,

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I've got the old Toy Matinee DVD-A from DTS entertainment, and it defintely has DD 2.0 (at 384kbps I think...maybe 448kbps). Very cool of them to crank up the bitrate, it makes a huge difference. Of course I'd rather have PCM but at 384 or 448, 2.0 sounds very close to CD quality.

I also have several DVD-V from Japan with high-bitrate stereo DD.

 

[LanceJ]

I guess I was just going on the theory that DTS would not want to pay licensing fees to their rival. :b

LJ