Blu-ray | DVD | Disc Media Players

**Wayde** · **08-19-07, 05:45 PM**

are there any BD players on the market today that can do the following...

1080/24 output through HDMI
+
Decode TrueHD/DTS HD

I don't even care about HDMI 1.3, as long as it can decode interally it can send the high resolution uncompressed sound to my receiver via analogue cables and I'm all set. My receiver doesn't have HDMI and I'm not about to get one over this.

However, I do notice that some of the BD discs for sale are doing 5.1 PCM uncompressed soundtracks. The new James Bond movie Casino Royale is an example. Is it possible that BD is shying away from the codecs to do this PCM thing?

Any suggestions on BD player would be appreciated. I'm testing a few now, I am auditioning the Pioneer BDP-HD50-K. (I think the -K just means it's Kanadian because I think the US model has no -K).

I don't think I'll keep this disc player though, it's going back... I just hooked it all up and started reading the docs, it doesn't decode TrueHD or DTS HD. But it does True24FPS.

**Wayde** · **08-20-07, 09:19 AM**

I put the Pioneer BDP-HD50-K through the paces last night with a viewing (with my son) of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles then... after bed time a viewing of the opening and theme music of Casino Royale.

I was thoroughly impressed.

I've always been something of an HD DVD guy. Not that I believe in any sort of corporate favoritism but I had been faithful since the early days of the "One Format" petition and the DVD format's committee (whatever it's called, it was a long time ago).

Ironically, my allegience to the HD DVD format resulted in me buying the expansion player for Xbox 360. My need for an updated DVD player has me saying well, lets throw in a BD player and I have all the bases covered.

I was totally impressed with the Pio BD player. The lossless soundtradck on Casino Royale blew me away. The fight scene in the bathroom that opens the film conveyed all the brutality and blood soaked bludeoning that I'm certain the director intended. The juxtopision between the polite conversation (at gunpoint) and the bathroom fight where 007 explains how he scored his early kills was a masterfully drawn on my HT system.

Make that a point for home theater over movie theater. I went to the movies to see this one when it came out and was impressed but not blown away as I was with the Blu-ray disc listening to the lossless uncompressed 5.1 soundtrack.

So, I am still in the market for a BD player. Even though I was impressed with it it's going back because it cannot do DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD.

**Sonnie** · **08-20-07, 10:02 AM**

Can any of the Blu-ray players do TrueHD?

**Wayde** · **08-20-07, 10:04 AM**

That's my primary question. I don't know. I have yet to find one. I have however found that some Blu-ray discs have a TrueHD soundtrack.

**Sonnie** · **08-20-07, 10:15 AM**

I'm thinking there are none at this time. The Samsung BD-UP5000 dual format player due out in October may offer it.

**Wayde** · **08-20-07, 11:34 AM**

thanks Sonnie. That's the conclusion I am drawing, that there are none.

However, what I'm wondering is how important is it? It seems that a lot of BD movies are not using the new codecs and just going with lossless PCM 5.1 soundtracks.

**Owen Bartley** · **08-20-07, 12:07 PM**

I guess I'm a little behind here, (actually I'm sure I used to know this, but I've been out of the loop for a while), but is the lossless PCM version of the soundtrack the same mix as the standard DVD DD track, just uncompressed? And then the True HD and DTS HD are different mixes (or incorporate 7.1?)... or are they just the same mix using different compression (less than standard DD/DTS) that works with the larger bandwidth of the HD formats?

**Wayde** · **08-20-07, 12:36 PM**

excellent question

http://www.avrev.com/blu_ray/revs/0507/casino_royale.shtml

All I can say is that the soundtrack calls it a PCM 5.1 (uncompressed). Probably the same as Dolby Digital.

Maybe this is how Blu-ray is going because dual density has so much extra space? I'm not sure.

**wbassett** · **08-20-07, 12:39 PM**

I just got off the phone with Sony. Mitch said that the PS3 can do Dolby TrueHD over HDMI (unfortunately no analog if that's what you were looking for) and it also does 1080p/24 as well.

I have a PS3 as my BD player and can verify that is is an exceptional player, and very fast too. Not sure if this was one you were considering, but it's worth at least checking into. Unfortunately I don't have the setup to confirm this myself right now.

**Wayde** · **08-20-07, 06:00 PM**

Thanks WB.

I did some reading and research and it turns out that now is not the time to buy any BD players. The main issue is the blu-ray profiles. I'll write something of substance on this in the near future, maybe we can keep it around this forum for future reference.

It turns out that the BD isn't quite finished yet. That's not to knock bd as a format but there is an upcoming BD 1.1 and then 2.0 (which I beleive is what they're calling the BD-Live profile).

It also looks like Samsung is about to release the Ultimate dual format player. And Denon is about to release the ULTIMATE BD player you ever wanted with high end video processing.

If you're interested in the BD format - now is a good time to be patient.

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