Need Some Info Please (DVDA/SACD) (1 Viewer)

[Tim L]

Okay I am currenly looking to jump into the whole SACD/DVDA music format- but I am a little confused. For instance- I noticed some DVDA discs have DTS only (Queen's NATO) which I own but of course can't play it just yet. My question is will a player such as Sonys DVPNS755V play this disc in multi-channel DTS even though it is not a DVDA player? Also- don't most DVDA discs have a DD5.1 track encoded on them- so if I bought just a SACD player could I still listen to these DD tracks in 5.1? I would like to get a Universal player such as the DV45A but I am reading mixed reviews on it- and the DVD2900 is kind of pricey for me now. Sorry for all the questions- but I am a litle confused on these things, thanks for the input
Tim

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I noticed some DVDA discs have DTS only

Not quite true. All DVD-Audio discs will have a high resolution DVD-A track or tracks, but also contain a Dolby Digital and (sometimes) DTS track. However, DTS does make some multichannel CDs (not DVD-A's) with only DTS 5.1 tracks. These discs can be played in any CD or DVD player with a digital output.

Since all DVD-Audio discs have at least a Dolby Digital track along with their high-res DVD-A soundtrack, they can be played in any DVD (but not CD) player. SACDs, if they are hybrids (meaning they have an SACD layer and a standard CD layer) can be played in any CD player and most DVD players. If the SACD is not a hybrid, it can be played only in a SACD player.

Simple, huh?

 

[Tim L]

Thanks for the reply, but I brought up the Queen NATO DVD audio 0nly because I think it is DTS only DVDA disc- I don't think there was a DD track on it- so in theory I could not play this on a DVD/SACD player and listen to a 5.1 track? (my god I'm confusing myself) could someone shed some light on this- thanks
Tim-the confused one

 

[Philip Hamm]

That disc has a hi-rez stereo track that will play on DVD-Video players as well as a DTS track. That way DVD-V users can enjoy the 96/24 stereo PCM track as well as a DTS 5.1 presentation if they so desire.

 

[Brian L]

Thanks for the reply, but I brought up the Queen NATO DVD audio 0only because I think it is DTS only DVDA disc- I don't think there was a DD track on it

I will double check my ANATO disc, but I think ALL DVD-A discs HAVE to have a DD track, and this has it too. I may be wrong, but will check again.

If memory serves, the menu structure of ANATO was a bit hard to navigate (at least with my 45A), but I expect that ANY DVD player should be able to find the DTS and DD tracks. I seem to recall that, once my player was set to look at the DVD-V layer, I could toggle from DTS to DD with the audio button.

FWIW, I think it is kind of odd that DTS has embraced DVD-A, since I think Dolby is the licensing entity in the US for DVD-A and MLP. And the way the label some of the discs, you would think it was a DTS disc, more so than a DVD-A disc. My local BB also stocks regular DTS CDs (which are NOT really CD's, but thats another story) with their DVD-A and SACD inventory. Very confusing.

BTW, other than some quirks with bass management, I think the audio of the 45A is outstanding. A good disc (Yes Fragile or Becks Sea Change) will sound wonderful on this player.

BGL

 

[Tim L]

Thanks for the responses, yes it can be quite confusing- I will look into the disc (NATO) again. The player I am looking for will be for music only- so I'm more concerned with how the quaility of the two formats sounds as opposed to the edge enhacement problems some of mentioned. Any other info appreciated ( I need all the help I can get). By the way I will be using a DSPA-1 to plug the player into to, I hope this is feasible as well.
Tim

 

[Philip Hamm]

I will double check my ANATO disc, but I think ALL DVD-A discs HAVE to have a DD track, and this has it too. I may be wrong, but will check again.

You are indeed wrong. In order for a disc to bear the DVD-Video Region 1 logo it must have either a PCM or a DD track playable in the DVD-Video session. The Queen disc in question has a high-res PCM track which fulfills this requirement.

 

[Tim L]

So I would infact need a Universal player to fully listen to the NATO disc? And not just a SACD/DVD player. This is getting better every time:frowning:

 

[Brian L]

So I would infact need a Universal player to fully listen to the NATO disc? And not just a SACD/DVD player. This is getting better every time

Let me try to improve on my right/wrong record...

To hear the DVD-A track, you need a DVD-A or a universal player.

To hear the PCM track, you need a DVD-V player than can handle PCM, and I think all do.

To hear the DTS track, you will need a DVD-V player that can decode DTS, or passes the DTS bit stream to an external decoder.

BGL

 

[John Kotches]

Yes Brian, that about sums it up.

Regards,

 

[Tim L]

Thanks Brian and to everyone else, I don't know how some of you retain all this HT knowledge- I love this stuff but infact find it very overwhelming at times- I can't wait till I jump into HDTV- just reading about it makes my head spin-but we'll leave that for another day. For now I just want to enjoy the full benefits of multi-channel music that so many of you have been talking about on this and other forums. I've bought a few discs like NATO and Pink Floyds-DSOTM and hoepfully soon I can start enjoying them. Now how about that Bass-management issue?
Tim

 

[Brian L]

Now how about that Bass-management issue?

Thats an easy one......

I-C-B-M

BGL