Is a burned copy of Tivo'd Direct TV broadcast capable of DTS?

[bsheldon]

First of all, I am not 100% or even 60% sure this is where I should post this, but I saw a few thread discussing DTS and DD--So, I took a shot.

Here is my situation. For Christmas my aunt burned me the first three Star Wars movies (#'s IV, V, VI.) For those of us with Cinemax know all too well these have been playing pretty mcuh non-stop since November. She apologized that she couldn't buy me anything this year as my uncle just got laid off. I thanked her--as it was really one of the best gifts she has ever gotten me. Anyway, she Tivo'd the movie off of Cinemax and then burned it to a DVD--using a bargain basement Best Buy level machine at best to do so--I don't know what make or model, but I do know them--trust me its not top notch--which is perfectly fine for most of us. Anyway, I was kind of reluctant to watch them on my projection screen as I am a bit annoyed watching my digital cable through it. It just isn't as good as a DVD. I have also had in my posession a time or two some burned and even bootlegged DVD's--all of which stink in comparison to the real thing as far a quality goes. I don't and won't bother anymore. So, again, I didn't expect much at all in the way of sound nor picture quality. I was bored the other night and thought why not I haven't seen the original SW in forever and I put it in. The Fox theme played with the searchlights and the sound was straight from 1977--not a good start. Then the movie started. I was shocked at how good some scenes sounded--tons of bass, I had turned it up before it started, but actually turned it down a few notches once it got going. The soundtrack itself sounded patched together as I am sure it is--there are some rather obvious dubbing spots, but the battle scenes and explosions were surprisingly powerful. I just kind of shook my head and enjoyed the pleasant surprise. The picture quality was accectable about on par with my Digital cable. This good experience had me excited to watch the next two. 2 nights ago I watched SW V. Same thing--great sound. When I got up to take the disc out when the credits were rolling I noticed that my Denon was displaying DTS. I was shocked to see that, but it made sense with what I had heard and felt. I use a digital audio connection and it always chooses the mode automatically and only picks DTS if it is fed a DTS processed signal--at least with any store bought disc. Is this correct? Can you burn a DTS DVD through those channels? Can DTS be sent via satellite and then copied by TIVO and then a DVD burner? I didn't think that could happen. Are the remastered soundtracks even done in DTS? What could be happening?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the book.

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by bsheldon

First of all, I am not 100% or even 60% sure this is where I should post this, but I saw a few thread discussing DTS and DD--So, I took a shot.

Here is my situation. For Christmas my aunt burned me the first three Star Wars movies (#'s IV, V, VI.) For those of us with Cinemax know all too well these have been playing pretty mcuh non-stop since November. She apologized that she couldn't buy me anything this year as my uncle just got laid off. I thanked her--as it was really one of the best gifts she has ever gotten me. Anyway, she Tivo'd the movie off of Cinemax and then burned it to a DVD--using a bargain basement Best Buy level machine at best to do so--I don't know what make or model, but I do know them--trust me its not top notch--which is perfectly fine for most of us. Anyway, I was kind of reluctant to watch them on my projection screen as I am a bit annoyed watching my digital cable through it. It just isn't as good as a DVD. I have also had in my posession a time or two some burned and even bootlegged DVD's--all of which stink in comparison to the real thing as far a quality goes. I don't and won't bother anymore. So, again, I didn't expect much at all in the way of sound nor picture quality. I was bored the other night and thought why not I haven't seen the original SW in forever and I put it in. The Fox theme played with the searchlights and the sound was straight from 1977--not a good start. Then the movie started. I was shocked at how good some scenes sounded--tons of bass, I had turned it up before it started, but actually turned it down a few notches once it got going. The soundtrack itself sounded patched together as I am sure it is--there are some rather obvious dubbing spots, but the battle scenes and explosions were surprisingly powerful. I just kind of shook my head and enjoyed the pleasant surprise. The picture quality was accectable about on par with my Digital cable. This good experience had me excited to watch the next two. 2 nights ago I watched SW V. Same thing--great sound. When I got up to take the disc out when the credits were rolling I noticed that my Denon was displaying DTS. I was shocked to see that, but it made sense with what I had heard and felt. I use a digital audio connection and it always chooses the mode automatically and only picks DTS if it is fed a DTS processed signal--at least with any store bought disc. Is this correct? Can you burn a DTS DVD through those channels? Can DTS be sent via satellite and then copied by TIVO and then a DVD burner? I didn't think that could happen. Are the remastered soundtracks even done in DTS? What could be happening?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the book.

DirecTV doesn't broadcast DTS so if your DVD shows DTS, it didn't come from DirecTV. You say your Denon (receiver?) shows DTS, do you mean Neo6?

Chris

[bsheldon]

yeah I believe it said DTS Neo6 cinema or some such derivation. I guess my receiver is pricessing whatever signal it is getting into an output of that? Is that how it works? Neo6 is just that isn't it?

[sdurani]

Originally Posted by bsheldon

I noticed that my Denon was displaying DTS. I was shocked to see that, but it made sense with what I had heard and felt.

Right. If it sounded good, it must have been DTS. Or so the myth goes.

In reality you were listening to a Dolby Digital source, at least as broadcast on Cinemax. When transferred to DVD, it may have remained DD or been converted to PCM (which wouldn't have changed the sound)

Your receiver has various surround processing modes, such as Pro Logic II and Neo:6, which convert 2-channel audio to surround. You were listening to Neo:6 processing, not a DTS encoded soundtrack.

Sanjay

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by bsheldon

yeah I believe it said DTS Neo6 cinema or some such derivation. I guess my receiver is pricessing whatever signal it is getting into an output of that? Is that how it works? Neo6 is just that isn't it?

Yes Neo6 processes a stereo source and I would never use it with a surround encoded soundtrack. I don't recall using Neo6 for movies but might try it with non Dolby Digital encoded soundtracks. I have recently started listening to music using Neo6 and sometimes prefer it to stereo to my surprise. I had never used it much at all.

Chris