but gonk, dts master is different then dts-HD?

and if it is is, is dts master much better then dolby True HD?

are there many blu-rays discs that have dts-master or just one or two?

thanks for the insight. angelo

DTS-HD comes in two flavors: DTS-HD HR (High Resolution) and DTS-HD MA (Master Audio). HR is still lossy compression, similar to Dolby Digital Plus, while DTS-HD MA is lossless. In theory, Master Audio, TrueHD, and uncompressed PCM should achieve exactly the same thing if used with the same original data, since MA and THD just compress the PCM without discarding anything.

Fox has been using DTS-HD MA pretty regularly, but they are almost the only ones to do so so far.

if i buy a player today, should i worry too much about it not having dts-master decoding?


can i always update the firmware if available to inlcude dts-master?

When buying a player today, you have three choices: get one with DTS-HD MA decoding built in (which involves waiting a month and dropping a lot of money on the player); get one without DTS-HD MA decoding built in but that can pass a DTS-HD MA bitstream (in which case you have the option of upgrading your processor to provide the decoding when you want to); or get one without DTS-HD MA decoding and that can't pass a DTS-HD MA bitstream (in which case you will never have access to DTS-HD MA without upgrading the player). Which choice feels right to you is a personal choice.

The only player I know of that doesn't support internal decoding of DTS-HD MA but that may be able to receiver a firmware update to add that capability is the PS3. No other players appear capable of that.

Isn't it great to live in a time when we have so many choices of things which do exactly the same thing, and are mutually confusing? :rolleyes:

It takes a great deal of careful planning, detailed engineering, and endless amounts of marketing mayhem to create this sort of finely-crafted mass confusion...