Playing DVD-A??? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Tilley]

I don't quite get this so I'll ask. It's my understanding that Sony will not support DVD-A disks, since they have SACD. But looking at some DVD-A titles it says (for playback on all DVD players). So am I right in assuming that if I bought a DVD-A title that it would not play back in my Sony player? Or if it dose play them would they be comparable to SACD as far as sound quality & such?
Thanks for any help...

 

[TrevorS]

Hi, Joe

Disc to player compatibility depends not on the brand of the player, but on the specific track formats. E.g. standard DVD players will typically play the DVD_V formats DTS, DD, and PCM up to 96KHz (which also covers CD) and maybe MPEG audio as well. A DVD_A disc can have PCM, MLP, DD, DTS, and perhaps others, but not SACD. An SACD disc can also have a CD layer. It just depends on what player and what disc. (You also have to consider multi-channel tracks versus two channel players.)

First, find out what kind of tracks the player can read, then look at the disc and make sure at least one of those tracks is present, and you should be OK.

Cheers -- Trevor

 

[Joe Tilley]

Thanks Treavor, I think I may have found my answer in a couple other threads here. If I understand it right DVD-A has to be played through the 5.1 outs just as the SACD titles. But from what I'm gathering Sony players will not support the format through the multi outs like SACD. Is this right?


BTW The player I'm useing is the Sony DVP-CX985V.

 

[Chuck Kent]

Joe: If your Sony decodes DD or DTS through it's 6 ch analog outs, then you could still get the DD or DTS on the disc. To my knowledge, nearly every (if not all) DVD-A discs have a regular DVD menu and a DVD-A menu. If your player can't play DVD-A, you can't see that menu.

 

[TrevorS]

"If I understand it right DVD-A has to be played through the 5.1 outs just as the SACD titles. "

Hi, Joe

Please go back and read my post above to find out what can be on a DVD_A disc. DTS, DD, and lower data rate stereo PCM can all be sent out the standard digital port for decoding in a surround receiver/processor. Only SACD, MLP, and typically 96KHz or above PCM are not allowed to be sent out the digital port. A PCM compatible player usually allows you to down sample a high PCM data rate so that at least 44.1KHz or 48KHz PCM can be sent to a processsor.

-- Trevor

 

[KeithH]

Joe, most DVD-Audio discs have a DVD-Video portion for playback on DVD-Video players like your 'CX985V (i.e., a player without DVD-Audio). If the 'CX985V has built in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, you could use the 5.1-channel outputs for playback of the DVD-Video portions of DVD-Audio discs, as someone else mentioned. Alternatively, if you are using a digital output on the 'CX985V for playback of DVD-Video movies, thereby using your receiver for Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, then you could use the digital output for playback of the DVD-Video portion of DVD-Audio discs.