Superbit DVDs - why just 5.1? (1 Viewer)

[Charlie O.]

I was thinking that if Superbit title are supposed to be the best quality you can get on DVD why are the audio tracks limited to just 5.1. Why not encode the audio in DTS 6.1 and Dolby Digital EX. Is it a space issue?

 

[Marko Berg]

It takes more than just encoding to create a Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES soundtrack. A new mix is required and this costs money.

I don't own any Superbit titles and I may be wrong about this, but I never thought of the Superbits as something that would include the latest home theater gimmicks. I had the impression the idea was to recreate the theatrical experience as closely as possible. Just because it's possible to remix and re-encode sound doesn't mean it should be done.

 

[Charlie O.]

I might be worng but many of the movie weren't 5.1 to begin with so they had to remix them from the start...unless they are taking the 5.1 remixes for the nonsuperbit releases.

 

[Kevin M]

So the Spiderman superbit isn't DD EX?

 

[Rutgar]

I hate to burst your bubble, but most 6.1 mixes, are just 5.1 mixes with the same surround info channeled to the additional channel.

 

[Adam_ME]

It's probably the only one so far, but the Punch-Drunk Love Superbit has DD 5.1 EX and DTS 6.1 Matrix.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Yeah- the bitrates for 5.1 and 6.1 are the same, fyi.

 

[Michael Reuben]

A few superbit titles have involved remixes from mono or stereo, but most are movies that were 5.1 in theaters.

M.

 

[Adam Barratt]

Hollow Man is also an EX/ES Superbit title.

Adam