Hi-Def DVD - Audio Streaming Over HDMI

[Rodolfo]

In April 2007, as part of my analysis about Hi-Def DVD and Multi-channel audio in my annual HDTV Technology Review, I discussed the subject with Craig Eggers and Roger Dressler, Dolby executives. Some of the items discussed were: soundtrack streaming pass-through feature over HDMI in near future players, streamed Dolby Digital Plus not supported by HDMI versions 1.1 and 1.2 (while DTS HD is), audio-mix encoders for legacy connectivity, Dolby Digital at 640 kbps, etc. This article summarizes those conversations as follows:

[url=http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/articles/2007/08/hi-def_dvd_-_au.php]Read the Full Article[/url]

[BuddAdams]

While reading about techno intrigue has a certain appeal, I think audio and video format profusion and complexity has been a business and consumer disaster. I for one am NOT buying a new switching receiver, or an HD disc player until there has been much more shake out. I'd previously stopped buying DVDs because I was looking forward to HD discs. So I've settled for satellite HD and Neo 6 sound. It well may be that a fiber cable will win the race to our door, leaving more expensive junk in closets. Are these uncompromising guys brain dead? HD discs, with MPeg 4 and 5.1, matrixed to 7.1 could have been bigger than DVD. I also like surround encoded CDs, but they're dead or dying because of format profusion and SACD with 6 coax cables out? What a mess! A POX on all your houses.

[stevekaden]

Budd...I would hardly call all this a disaster...I mean there is Billions of business going on, millions of happy HDTV customer out there, thousand of people employed. There are transistion points, arguments over formats, things that live (for a while), and things that fade away.

What I think you are missing is the joy of the technological life. Like I try to convince my very aging mother, who has saved for her retirement all her life...at SOME POINT embrace the joy of spending or giving - cause you only have a few months left (literally for her, figuratively for the rest of us).

More clearly, rather than see all the dynamics of these markets as negatives, try to embrace the fun of spending, using, tweaking, discussing, arguing,...the fun of life - just in a technological form. If you really can't afford it, step away from the table, but if you can, go with it.

You just can't take it with you.

[BuddAdams]

Well Steve, perhaps I was sour yesterday AM, but read Lloyd Case on Extreme Tech where he plugs in Both (note 2, HD disc players, different formats) and tries his top-of -the-line demo receiver's DVD up-conversion: Oops, not too good. But why? The HD players can't output Non-Up-converted DVD when 1080P output is selected for HD output. So he says, "....consider keeping an old DVD player, if you want to use the fancy DVD up-conversion of the receiver." How's that for a rational response to a warped reality.
I archived the "Pass through discussion" to help me if an when I get the players and a new receiver, because the choices are so complex, you could, like L.C. above easily end up with a lot of expensive incompatible features that you can't use and /or redundant capability galore: Up-converting HDTVs, AV Receivers, players, and HDPCs. And that's just for DVDs. The blizzard of new HD audio formats is about to hit, and HDCP, HDMI, 1,2,3 (forget the subcategories), enough already. That spells MESS, as in the Music Man song about "POOL".

[Richard]

I think audio and video... complexity has been a business and consumer disaster.

I have to agree 100%. This is really unfortunate and how it got this way is an enigma. You can't believe everything you read and have to know all the side steps to figure out if you are getting what you wanted. It all works so the mass market will ultimately be satisfied but if you are into performance it is one huge complex mess that more often than not the manufacturers do not have an answer to.

A quality 30 day return policy for a full refund is now the most important extra a retailer can provide!

[ghuntybellsouth]

Steve has got it all screwed up.With the technology we have today,there is no excuse for all this crap.It's just a way for everyone to sell thier crap w/out taking into considering streaming audio & yes the consumers wind up having a closet full of crap trying to keep up w/ what we think is up to date electronics! I just bought the latest onkyo w/ HDMI 1.3a & NOW I find the Blue Ray & HD DVD do not send audio stream properly.All we can hope is B.R & HD DVD will provide firmware or whatever to get it right or what, put in the trash pile & buy a new player if there is no firmware update? At least Onkyo got right the first w/ HDMI 1.3a but these other YO-YO'S can't get it right.