[MPlayer-users] [OT] AC3 vs. DTS

[Vladimir Mosgalin]

Hi RC!

 On 2005.07.27 at 16:14:39 -0700, RC wrote next:

> Video is the weak-link on DVDs, and anything that reduces video quality
> is very bad.  Some DVDs with AC3 look bad enough already (eg. Terminator
> 2). Adding DTS makes the problem much worse.
> 
> Even if you can hear the difference...  who wants slightly better
> sound, at the expense of having much worse video?
> 
> (Yes, I have a few DTS DVD.  They look horrible.)

And I have a few DTS DVDs which look wonderful. And AC3 only DVDs which
look horrible. What's the point?

It's the matter of how disc was mastered, that's all. Most of disc have
average bitrate around 4mbit/s, some go as low as 2.5 and some as high
as 6-7. It is possible to have a long film with very high bitrate and
dts track; calculate yourself.

If you want some real example: Dante's Peak DVD. Average video bitrate
of 7.5 mbit/s, English and Russian 384 kbit/s AC3 tracks, DTS 768 kbit/s
track. The length is 109 minutes. VOB files with film take 7.6G, some
place was left for bonuses. Very good video quality, a example of how
DVDs should be mastered.

Considering that most films have average bitrate of 4-4.5 mbit/s, it can
be increased up to 6 even for very long ones AND dts track can be
included. Everybody will gain for that. And the problem that it doesn't
happen too often isn't related to DTS at all.

Also, if you will look in some movie database to search for DTS
versions, you'll find out that most movies with DTS tracks just have
less bonuses.  Usually people who produce it just cut 500-700 mb of
bonuses and put DTS track instead. The video itself doesn't change. Do
you like bonuses THAT much? If yes, don't buy DVDs with DTS tracks...

And usually DVD-9 discs aren't filled up to the limit, there is 1-3 gb
of free space left. More than enough to put several audio tracks
(actually, I think they do this for this purpose - free space for
foreign audio tracks and some new bonuses). Take some discs and see for
yourself, if you don't believe me.

-- 

Vladimir