PS3 does not fully support Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD audio codecs 


By Henning Molbaek
FIRST PUBLISHED May 8, 2007

The PlayStation 3 has been called the most comprehensive Blu-ray Disc player available by Sony. They even plan to start a campaign later on the year to hype this claimed fact.

However, recent discoveries has made one seriously doubt these claims. The issue is audio output particularly the new HD codecs Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD. The unit has no 5.1 analog output so you can't get it out that way. However, it has a HDMI V1.3 port so everything should be great. But no, it does not support the transfer of the required bit streams to an external decoder / AV receiver like the recently announced Onkyo models. You can get the unit itself to decode Dolby TrueHD (NOT DTS HD) and send it as uncompressed audio to the receiver. But if you trust your new THX ULTRA 2 certified receiver to be a better unit for the job you are in bad luck. It is not possible.

So if you want all the wonders of HD on disc perhaps Playstation 3 is not the perfect choice.

Quoting Battling Butler:

Quote:
HiDef "Blade Runner: The Essential 25th Anniversary Edition" may be HD DVD only, if Blu-ray does come  out it will likely be later than the HD DVD October release date.

http://www.dvdtown.com/news/blade-runner-on-hd-dvd-this-october/4485

Announcement

By Henning Molbaek
FIRST PUBLISHED May 23, 2007

In the recent released HD-DVD version of the Matrix Trilogy you will find a small paper ad for "Blade Runner."

It hints a October release of "Blade Runner: The Essential 25th Anniversary Edition" on HD DVD.

The Blu-ray logo is left out (which is not the case in other ad material from Warner) which may hint a HD-DVD only release at first. Probably for the same reasons that Matrix is a HD-DVD only release. Blu-ray still lack a confirmed feature set and also lack good commercially available production software.

More on this when we get closer to October.

Blade Runner Coming To Blu-ray and HD DVD in October...

Quote:
n a new promotional flyer housed inside next week's HD DVD release of 'Ultimate Matrix Collection,' Warner is touting an October arrival date for the highly-anticipated upcoming next-gen release of 'Blade Runner.'

Ridley Scott's seminal sci-fi classic has long been available on video, but for remained for years as one of the studio's most highly-requested library titles to receive the special edition treatment.

After over a decade of legal wrangling, Warner announced last fall that the road was finally cleared for a deluxe version of 'Blade Runner' to hit standard-def DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD sometime in 2007, to mark the 25th anniversary of the film's original theatrical release.

However, no details have since been forthcoming -- until now.

Inside copies of the 'Ultimate Matrix Collection' (streeting this Tuesday, May 22), Warner has included the following advert that gives the first official confirmation of an arrival window for 'Blade Runner' (which is now being dubbed 'The Essential 25th Anniversary Edition'):

We've contacted Warner in hopes of more details, but as of now, the flyer is the only taster fans are going to get -- at least until the full announcement for 'Blade Runner,' which the studio says should arrive "later this summer."

Still, it's exciting news for 'Blade Runner' cultists, who have waited over two decades for what is sure to be the definitive release of the film on Blu-ray and HD DVD.

We've already listed 'Blade Runner' under the "Release Dates Pending" sections of our Blu-ray Release Schedule and HD DVD Release Schedule, and will add an official street date as soon as it is announced.

Quoting Ascended_Saiyan:

Quote:
This is the type of misinformation, that Battling Butler has posted, that I am here to stop.

You countered an article he provided with a statement by, well, you.  Sorry but the last time I checked 'because I said so' is not proof.  I have seen you provide your own misinformation so your 'word' means very little around here.

Quoting Battling Butler:

Quote:
Studio Canal releases Two-Disc HD-DVD Edition of Terminator 2


By Henning Molbaek
FIRST PUBLISHED May 21, 2007

In the U.S. it is Blu-ray-only studio LionsGate that owns the rights to "Terminator 2." Early on, they released an "okay" release of the theatrical cut on Blu-ray.

In Europe the rights are owned by Studio Canal, who currently only support HD-DVD. Today, they will release a two-HD-DVD set of the movie. You will get both the theatrical as well as the extended cut of the movie. You will also get DTS HD sound on both movies.

HD-DVD is region free so it will play in any HD-DVD player. 

This one is correct.  But, with Blu-ray currently taking almost 87% of the European market, how long will the exclusive tag last?

IMO, it's really kind of pitiful when HD DVD people have to import at a much higher price just to get a few Blu-ray titles on HD DVD.  The same could be done with HD DVD exclusive titles, but it's not really necessary.  Blu-ray already has most of the hit titles in the US (and the world).  That is truly cult like behavior.  Well, it shouldn't be long before the punch is passed out.

BTW, Pirates is REGION FREE also (along with many other titles).

Quoting Ascended_Saiyan:

Quote:
Quoting Battling Butler:

Quote:
PS3 does not fully support Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD audio codecs 


By Henning Molbaek
FIRST PUBLISHED May 8, 2007

The PlayStation 3 has been called the most comprehensive Blu-ray Disc player available by Sony. They even plan to start a campaign later on the year to hype this claimed fact.

However, recent discoveries has made one seriously doubt these claims. The issue is audio output particularly the new HD codecs Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD. The unit has no 5.1 analog output so you can't get it out that way. However, it has a HDMI V1.3 port so everything should be great. But no, it does not support the transfer of the required bit streams to an external decoder / AV receiver like the recently announced Onkyo models. You can get the unit itself to decode Dolby TrueHD (NOT DTS HD) and send it as uncompressed audio to the receiver. But if you trust your new THX ULTRA 2 certified receiver to be a better unit for the job you are in bad luck. It is not possible.

So if you want all the wonders of HD on disc perhaps Playstation 3 is not the perfect choice.

The PS3 decodes TrueHD internally and outputs it as PCM over HDMI...just like the HD DVD players do.  I have the unit.  I should know.  There IS a bitstream option that sends the non-decoded streams to external receivers to be decoded works as well. 

No HD DVD player will decode DTS-HD HR or DTS-HD MA audio.  The BDA has a player that will decode DTS-HD HR (the Panasonic Blu-ray player).

This is the type of misinformation, that Battling Butler has posted, that I am here to stop.

A-S, Did you even read the information I posted? No where did it say that the PS3 will not internally decode Dolby TrueHD.It says the PS3 will not internally decode DTS-HD. Moreover, the only way to get DTS-HD out of the PS3 is via downmixed PCM. The PS3 does NOT support bit stream audio.

Here it is again, in an additional post from engadget HD:

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/08/no-dolby-truehd-or-dts-hd-for-ps3-owners/

No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD for PS3 owners? -- kind of

Posted May 8th 2007 10:30AM by Ben Drawbaugh

When the PS3 hit the street it was recognized as one of the most full featured Blu-ray players to date, but it seem now that PS3 owners aren't getting everything they thought they were. It has recently been uncovered that although the PS3 does have an HDMI 1.3 port, the software does not support bit stream audio. What this means for Blu-ray fans is that when they finally pick up one of those new Onkyo receivers with HDMI 1.3, that they still can't enjoy DTS HD because there is no way to get the bits out of the PS3. Of course the DTS track can still be down mixed and PCM audio is supported, but so much for being the most capable Blu-ray player available.

** Dolby TrueHD can still be decoded inside the PS3 and sent as uncompressed audio to the AV receiver, but if the AV receiver has an integrated decoder it can't be used instead of the PS3's decoder. **  [Yes of course, never claimed it couldn't be.]

and this from the HDMI site:

High Definition Player with DTS-HD Advanced Digital Out to New AV Receiver with DTS-HD Master Audio

You can enjoy DTS-HD Master audio by upgrading to a Blu-ray Disc or HD-DVD player with DTS-HD Advanced Digital Out [the PS3 does NOT have this]and new AV Receiver with DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. Simply connect the player and receiver with an HDMI cable. The DTS-HD bit stream will pass through the player and HDMI cable to be decoded by the AV receiver. Both player and AV receiver will need to be equipped with new HDMI Version 1.3* outputs and inputs. This way you can enjoy DTS-HD Master Audio at up to 7.1 channels at 96 k/24 bit sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master.

Everyone, GO TO YOUR ROOM!

Quoting Battling Butler:

Quote:
A-S, Did you even read the information I posted?

Yes.  Did you read what I posted?  Internal decoding wasn't the only thing I mentioned...was it?

Quote:
No where did it say that the PS3 will not internally decode Dolby TrueHD.It says the PS3 will not internally decode DTS-HD. Moreover, the only way to get DTS-HD out of the PS3 is via downmixed PCM. The PS3 does NOT support bit stream audio.

The PS3 does not currently decode DTS-HD...just like ALL HD DVD players, but the PS3 could be updated to support DTS-HD MA.  The HD DVD players can not.

Quote:
Here it is again, in an additional post from engadget HD:

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/08/no-dolby-truehd-or-dts-hd-for-ps3-owners/

No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD for PS3 owners? -- kind of

Posted May 8th 2007 10:30AM by Ben Drawbaugh

When the PS3 hit the street it was recognized as one of the most full featured Blu-ray players to date, but it seem now that PS3 owners aren't getting everything they thought they were. It has recently been uncovered that although the PS3 does have an HDMI 1.3 port, the software does not support bit stream audio. What this means for Blu-ray fans is that when they finally pick up one of those new Onkyo receivers with HDMI 1.3, that they still can't enjoy DTS HD because there is no way to get the bits out of the PS3. Of course the DTS track can still be down mixed and PCM audio is supported, but so much for being the most capable Blu-ray player available.

** Dolby TrueHD can still be decoded inside the PS3 and sent as uncompressed audio to the AV receiver, but if the AV receiver has an integrated decoder it can't be used instead of the PS3's decoder. **  [Yes of course, never claimed it couldn't be.]

and this from the HDMI site:

High Definition Player with DTS-HD Advanced Digital Out to New AV Receiver with DTS-HD Master Audio

You can enjoy DTS-HD Master audio by upgrading to a Blu-ray Disc or HD-DVD player with DTS-HD Advanced Digital Out [the PS3 does NOT have this]and new AV Receiver with DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. Simply connect the player and receiver with an HDMI cable. The DTS-HD bit stream will pass through the player and HDMI cable to be decoded by the AV receiver. Both player and AV receiver will need to be equipped with new HDMI Version 1.3* outputs and inputs. This way you can enjoy DTS-HD Master Audio at up to 7.1 channels at 96 k/24 bit sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master.

The PS3 does do bitstream audio.  I have one and used the option a couple times to compare the difference between internal DD and DTS vs. receiver DD and DTS.  The bitstream setting is the only way to do this.  The TrueHD tracks are down mixed to 640kbps DD via bitstream (that is all the receiver is capable of).  The DTS 1.5Mbps core track is picked up by the receiver with DTS-HD HR and MA tracks are bitstreamed from the PS3 (again, that is all the receiver is capable of).

If you had a PS3 I could show you how wrong that article is.  Anyone with a PS3 and HDMI receiver could prove that article wrong.  BTW, the PS3 now has 1080p/24fps video output, high quality DVD upscaling, and media server support! 

Quoting Ascended_Saiyan:

Quote:
Out of over 230 Blu-ray titles in the US, 103 are REGION FREE!  How's THAT for "the odd title"?! 

Ouch, my eyes, stop screaming

The A/B/C nonsense obviously hasn't kicked fully into gear yet, many of those 103 (I'm sure that's the exact number too!) titles are from last year.  And figuring out which ones are coded for all regions is a hassle.  No, it doesn't always say the correct thing on the box.

Anyway... blah, blah, blah