DVD-Audiobahn

Posted by odd (A) on January 23, 2007 at 13:10:27

In Reply to: Frustrations of a New DVD Audio Convert posted by Pete Watt on January 23, 2007 at 10:06:32:

The complexity and lack of standardization of DVD-A is an annoyance. Whether or not this has anything to do with its lack of support as a medium is up to speculation. Likewise SACD's simplicity doesn't make it a marketplace winner in relation to or independent of DVD-A. Both have become niche formats without widespread mainstream acceptance.

A coping strategy for using your DVD-A's without a monitor is to make a notation per disc about how to navigate. Like you have found, many discs will toggle between the stereo and multichannel with a simple push of the AUDIO button. Other discs place the stereo and multichannel in different GROUPS. With most DVD players, you can select the group directly by first, pressing STOP then pressing the numeral on your remote for the corresponding group ie: 1-multi 2-stereo. This process will be greatly aided by having the player hooked up to a monitor. But only once. Grab a beer, a stack of DVD-A discs, hook your player up to the TV and make a note for each disc to be kept somewhere in each package. Cleaning records, aligning cartridges, futzing with tubes etc are all a pain, but worth the effort for many of us.

By the way, if you like Pop vocals you might like Sinatra at the Sands with the Count Basie Band. It's sounds great for a live recording of it's vintage('66). The 24/192kHz stereo is GROUP 2.

enjoy