Originally Posted by
Hunter 
Thanks, Disclord. Time and effort (instead of silence) appreciated.
"The constant bias against Dolby AC-3 took the form of little 'digs' at it such as constantly 'reminding' readers that AC-3 was a severely compressed, low-bitrate system - Reber couldn't barely let a mention of AC-3 go by without throwing in a snipe at the bitrate."
Well, to me this sounds like fact, rather than unfair and slanted bias. Back then AC-3 was the most compressed consumer audio format. And back then the possibility of even worse audio quality with DVD was a real and serious concern.
You will possibly remember a well-known Dolby representative affirming back then that the DD process did in fact result in an audio quality audibly different from the original. But he said that it was good enough for normal consumer use. A lot of people were not happy with that goal - they wanted better. "Digs" and "constant reminding" were perceived as the only available pressure.
Many people would say that the complaints of WSR and TPV were in part responsible for the focus and eventual improvements in both DD and DTS.
"While at the same time stating obviously incorrect information about DTS that it operated in a lossless-mode most of the time and lossy only when it needed to."
I don't EVER remember this. So I spent almost two hours last night going through my back issues - and had no success finding it. I would like a reference, if only for my own education.
"Go back and read early issues about DTS - DTS is claimed at the 1.2kbps CD/LD rate and the 1.5k DVD rate, by both DTS and Reber, et-all, to be an absolutely 100% transparent reproduction of the original lossless master..."
I did look, as earlier. I saw NOTHING indicating this.
"As if consumers should get excited about a demo."
Actually they did. And for a while the discs were highly collectible!
"While the AC-3 algorithm did undergo constant improvements, they were not 'groundbreaking' and Reber and his reviewers came to realise more and more that it was the original soundtrack and not the coding method that determined the quality delivered."
Although I do not remember this it may be somewhat accurate. But that doesn't mean WSR softened its position on the quality of DD.
"it was repeated in print over and over again, DTS Coherent Acoustics was 100% AUDIBLY transparent."
Please provide quote and context for this.
"The magazine had gotten the reputation as being Widescreen "dts" Review because of his constant boosting of the format - a boosting that was considerable enhanced by all the free decoders and softare he was given."
That does not mandate the conclusion that WSR was on the take from DTS. Dolby could have produced and provided the same. It did not. Dolby waged its PR campaign in other ways in other arenas.
Rather than batting the birdie back and forth over the net, here's the bottom line for me.
Since their beginning WSR and DTS have been subject to continuing "rumors," "claims," assaults, "facts," and so on. Upon closer examination most of them are simply partisan positioning. As someone who has read and reread every single issue of WSR, TPV, many DD and DTS papers, had conversations in person and over telephone with Dolby and DTS and WSR and TPV personnel, I know that this is derived from basic human competitiveness rather than actual, verifiable evidence. ( For instance - I used to spend weeks disproving the postings of HTF and AVS participants who were adamant that either or both WSR and DTS had already filed for bankruptcy, among other things.
)
Without details I am sensitive to allegations like yours. If the evidence is there and produced then it speaks for itself. But if it is not there the allegations are simply opinions. That is fine, but it is not factual.
Okay - to the meat:
"My partner moved some of my magazines, so I'll have to find the exact issue, but WSR ran an article that supposedly 'proved' that DVD only had around 12-bits of resolution."
Actually, that understanding as to the actual effective resolution of "Red Book" CD performance has been around for a long time. It has been publicized from numerous sources including manufacturers. And it has led to the continuing improvements in CD design, technology, construction and audio quality.
BTW - you have my sympathies regarding your cat.
I am not being disengenuous - my boys and I have buried five pets in the past four years and it is disquieting. Best wishes.
