Powerdvd 8 and DTS-HD MA

Robinson

Newbie Joined: Dec 04, 2007 18:07 Messages: 34 Offline

Solved by

Mar 20, 2009 19:15

So this is the reply I get from tech support when I asked them to explain why a DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack is output through the rear speakers of a 7.1 setup.

In response to your issue we would like to inform you that PowerDVD 8 Ultra does not support the DTS-HD due to the industries lack of common secure audio path technology, all protected audio content (eg. DVD-Audio, Blu-ray Disc) will force audio to be down-sampled to 48 kHz/16 bit output resolution. If operating system, audio driver cannot provide the security audio path, due to the AACS rule, the software player cannot output DTS-HD or other HD audio stream.

Are these people actually serious, an audio format it specifically states it supports on both its website and the splash screen of the software is not ACTUALLY supported.

Either the tech support guys ARE as useless as I think they are, or Cyberlink are totally misselling their software.

Robinson

Newbie Joined: Dec 04, 2007 18:07 Messages: 34 Offline

Mar 21, 2009 05:27

Trying to get an answer out of these guys is like getting blood out of stone!

I posted:

I don't understand the response you have given. Your own website lists DTS-HD MA as a feature of PDVD8 so what you are suggesting is that this isn't true and that PDVD8 does not support DTS-HD MA. Are you saying the website is incorrect, and that despite your website, and the splash screen of the software showing it supports DTS-HD MA that it actually doesn't????? I accept it is downsampled but not actually supported????

Furthermore, what am I actually hearing when I select a DTS-HD MA soundtrack????

This still doesn't answer my original question which is why the DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack can be heard through the rear and side speakers of a 7.1 system!

And this is the response:

We understand your concern related with HD sound output through HDMI. Please note that according to AACS compliance rule, player has to protect AACS decrypted content from digital copy. Since there is no secure protection between PowerDVD and audio driver yet, PowerDVD has to downsample High-definition Audio to 48 kHz before sending to driver. Therefore if you want to enjoy the audio > 48kHz, you need to have the HDMI 1.3 and audio chip which support security path. Please be assured that PowerDVD team is working with some Audio chip vender to make sure the security issue, after this is done we could output 192kHz 16bit.

All I want is a straight forward answer!

Chad

Newbie Joined: Mar 24, 2009 01:08 Messages: 2 Offline

Mar 24, 2009 01:30

Thanks for sharing your support posts Robinson, this is exactly what i was looking for. I have been doing lots of reading before purchasing my htpc to verify what exactly would happen with my audio. PowerDVD verified it. I understand what they are saying. If you have a protected audio path then they can support TureHD Dolby and DTS-HD MA, but without that the AACS standard requires that they downsample, so people cannot potentially copy, bit for bit, HD audio. Sorry i have no answer for your original question. But if you are looking for more info on the protected path then check out this avs form. The links within the form shed some good light. AnandTech has some extremely good articles on this exact stuff (downsampling, AACS, HDCP, and HD Audio out a DVI port).

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1063410

Chad