Page 1 of Why built-in Dolby Digital decoding??

I`ve been wondering why buying a DVD player with Dolby Digital or DTS decoders built in?

Is an amp/receiver with DD and DTS that more expensive then an analogue one??

Or am I missing the point here??

Go ahead, tell me...


¦°e\/[\]

Allegedly there are Pro-Logic amps/receivers out there that can accept the six-channel input from a DVD player (i.e. those DVD players with built in decoders, like the Encore 450, have six outputs for the five main channels plus the subwoofer). My old Harman-Kardon certainly didn`t which is why I sadly had to wave bye-bye and go for the Yamaha A5 instead. The H-K rocked big style

These days, if an amp hasn`t got Dolby Digital and DTS built in, it usually means its either old or cheap (read Sherwood) and designed for Pro-logic use only. So the answer to your question is possibly yes, digital amps are dearer than analogue ones, but only because most Pro-logic amps available now are second-hand or discontinued. They also tend to have reduced power ouput to the rear channels compared to the centre and fronts, a legacy from pre-DD days.

Some later Pro-logic amps have six-channel inputs, so you can then connect a DVD Player with built in DD and DTS decoders and six channel outputs to them. The DVD player will do the decoding and enable DD and DTS from DVD via the amp.

If you have an amp with built in DD and DTS, then you don`t need a decoder in the DVD player. The DD and DTS signals are sent instead from the DVD player to the amp via the digital outputs to the amp`s digital inputs and the amp does the decoding.

Hope that helps.

Clayts,

you must have been typing your reply as I was typing mine. Your answer wasn`t on the thread when I started

I know. I`m too longwinded :)

What a sensible answer, Mick !!!

I don`t know anyone who actually has their DVD attached this 6-output way - I can`t imagine the sound is up to much if it is, as you correctly point out, analogue only.

Perhaps someone who has this set up would care to elaborate ?

Coaxial digital cable rules !!!

(Mick - that was mad wasn`t it !!!! Just how the hell did you beat me ?)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 12nd December 2000, 22:58

So in other words there`s no need for a DVD with built in decoder if u haven`t got old equipment that has to go on for a couple of years....

Thanks guys, nice to see some clear respons.


¦°e\/[\]

Yes, mate. If you`ve got a Dolby Digital/DTS capable amp you don`t need a DVD player with a decoder.

Unless you want to show off loads of sockets at the back of your player to your mates (which I do often to a multitude of coos of approval from my technophobe mates - I tell them that they are VITAL sockets and that without them the player would catch fire !!!)

Clayts,

your message got on the thread first, so you beat me!!!!

Presumably, and its a BIG presumably, the mags must connect via the six channel in/outs when they make their comments on the quality of DVD player`s decoders compared to amps/other DVD players in their reviews.

Now if you believe that........

I` certainly don`t know anyone who has done it, though I think I saw something on another thread on one of the forums last week where someone had. I think it was a Lecson thread.

What worries me about the six channel inputs is that it is, supposedly, the way we will all connect our DVD-A and/or SACD decoders to our amps unless we get rid of our existing DVD players and buy combined DVD-A/Video/SACD players!!

Does anyone smell a money-making scam here :)

Clayts,

you did it again!!!!!!!

Love the bit about the sockets :)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 12nd December 2000, 23:23

This DVD-A vs SACD thing really bothers me (same as the recordable DVD thing, DCC v MD, cassette vs 8-track, VHS vs Betamax vs V2000) - they both seem pretty sussed systems, but as you say my Yammy A5 isn`t future-proofed against that.

Think I`ll hang back on it for the duration. Besides, prices are usually stoopid to start off with. (eg £400 for Tivo + £10 a month - once Sky bring theirs out, the price will tumble, you mark my words...)

OK..now heres an idea I`m toying with.....

Let`s say ya got a 5.1 decoder in yer DVD, right? (like my spare LG 2280..the one waiting for the firmware chip)
And ya got a good quality amp...

and yer TV speakers are on the front wall of your room, lets say a & b.
then yer hifi speakers are basically opposite yer TV, lets say c & d.

Now, lets say ya get one of them "SVideo with phono" scart adapters..or seperate audio inputs on the telly.
And a spare "aux" on yer hifi...

Couldnt ya then put the surround channel through the hifi, and the main channels through the telly?
I know ya`d have no subwoofer, and ya`d have to balance the telly sound against the hifi sound, but would it work?

Or is the DD stream from the player different from the phono`s than normal audio...?

Anyone got the ability to try it out and then post the result..?
(now ya get the idea of how my poor ickle brain works sometimes! lol)


AIWA 370 (officially) ROCKS!!!!!!!!