There was a thread recently started about Fox's continued high prices for BD discs (catalog and new releases) which got me thinking. Would the AVS members pay extra for DTS-HD-MA? If so, how many would? Or would you prefer any lossless codec regardless of name (LPCM, Dolby TrueHD, or DTS-HD-MA)?

Anyways I put a few options and just wanted to see what the group thought process is.

-Splints

dts-ma has nothing to do with the cost. They just dislike the lack of the liberal mixing that dolby codecs allocate to the studios, bit dithering, dial norm, etc. Any HT enthusiast should feel the same way.

Lossless ain't lossless if your changing things.

Considering there are probably only a couple thousand or less people on the planet who can actually fully use DTS HD MA on BD I think I know where this poll is going.

You are basically looking at people who can bitstream DTS-HD MA and also have a brand new receiver capable of decoding that...

Remember that counts out all PS3 owners (most BD players out there).

Fox needs to drop it...just go trueHD or PCM. Either that or Sony needs to step up and give it to us on the PS3.

edit: this is coming from someone with an Onkyo 705, which can decode DTS HD MA.

Yes. More HD-MA Jihad. Excelent. I would love to see a poll of the number of people clamouring to get rid of HD-MA are listening on Radio Shack speakers.

hehe, I'm not trying to foment a revolution to charge extra for DTS-HD-MA, if that's what your hinting at.

All I'm looking at, is whether or not a certain lossless codec is worth "extra" to high-end enthusiasts or not.

-Splints

A lossless track should be provided on each and every HD release. Why do studios seem to think they can release HD by only giving us the picture half in HD and the audio half in SD?

HD means high definition. Blu-Ray advertises BEYOND HD. It's short of being HD when 50% or less of all the material on the disc is in HD form. Let's not make up fancy catchphrases without requiring the studios to release HD video, HD sound, and HD extras.

A lossless track should be provided on each and every HD release. Why do studios seem to think they can release HD by only giving us the picture half in HD and the audio half in SD?

HD means high definition. Blu-Ray advertises BEYOND HD. It's short of being HD when 50% or less of all the material on the disc is in HD form. Let's not make up fancy catchphrases without requiring the studios to release HD video, HD sound, and HD extras.

Whenever your watching HDTV through your cable provider, you're not getting lossless sound. Whenever you get an HD download off of Xbox Live, you're not getting lossless sound. So, does that mean it's not HD to you? That seems to be what your saying.

While I strongly prefer a lossless track and think it should always be included, it's not an absolute requirement for me to buy something. I'm not going to pass on a movie I really like because the audio isn't lossless, just as I wouldn't pass on something because it drops considerable extras from the DVD counterpart. I would just place less of a value on it and try to wait for a sale.

I really don't care which lossless codec they use, but at some point the PS3 is going to have to get the capability to decode DTS-HD MA. It should be able to at some point, so I'm not against using DTS-HD MA in the meantime.

Paying extra is a ludicrous proposition IMHO. It is the cost of media that is slowing/ stopping the acceptance of HDM. I do appreciate and value a good lossless soundtrack but I refuse to contribute another nail.

Extra?!?!?! I thought I was paying for lossless in the first place!

Save everyone money and use PCM. No need for a codec. No need for a decoder.

I'm already paying extra for HD...

I want some sort of lossless soundtrack. The PCM tracks on Blu-ray have been just dandy.

I don't want to pay a lot more for this since I think it should be bundled into the Blu-ray concept to have lossless.

I have yet to get a clear explanation of why DTS HD MA is better than Dolby TrueHD for example. If both are lossless, and if both would fit, why are we worrying about this?

The DTS company has always been late with its goods and somewhat high-handed about the whole thing. Two years into HDM and no player will decode DTS HD MA on-board. This is ridiculous!

It's all the same to me, coming out of my TV speakers. When my kids grow up and I can watch loud movies after 8 PM, I'll get back to you.

not sure how to vote this. i would pay $1 to $5 extra for it, but only when i can decode it. waiting for sony to put decoding on the ps3. since my receiver can't decode bitstream with a new standalone is out of the question.

Extra?!?!?! I thought I was paying for lossless in the first place!

Save everyone money and use PCM. No need for a codec. No need for a decoder.

I'll take a compressed, lossless 24 bit track over a 16 bit PCM track.

I'll take a compressed, lossless 24 bit track over a 16 bit PCM track.

...and you base this opinion on what? How about if the original master is 16 bit as most films over 5 years are?

...and you base this opinion on what? How about if the original master is 16 bit as most films over 5 years are?

It doesn't really matter, does it? It's the exact same nonsense as saying one prefers PCM over lossless.

Irony seems to not translate well over the internet ;)

Fox needs to drop it...just go trueHD or PCM.

If they used PCM, they couldn't get by pressing so many titles on BD-25's. They must be the BD-25 leader....?

This poll seems rather flawed. Where's the option for "I expect a discount because Fox is using DTS Master"? ;) DTS Master has less utility.

When catalogue titles I want are $15 or less, I buy -- be it via BOGO or whatever.

When new releases are close to $20, I'll pay that much, but only if it's a movie I really want.

I leave the studios to flitter around trying to figure out how to overcome this until they figure out that they can't.

Until then, I'll wait for discounts, or just buy used.

If they used PCM, they couldn't get by pressing so many titles on BD-25's. They must be the BD-25 leader....?

This poll seems rather flawed. Where's the option for "I expect a discount because Fox is using DTS Master"? ;) DTS Master has less utility.

:)

I have the ability (and speakers) to use DTS:MA properly...... through my Panny BD30 and my Denon 4308.

But I too believe its stupid their discs cost more, and they were using DTS:MA from the beginning. I think DTS:MA is a great thing, because unlike PCM it takes up way less room. Which is good. But for about a year NO ONE COULD use DTS:MA... at all! It was pointless. I was kind of pissed off about that.