Blu-ray CD - the future of High Resolution music?

[BluSmoke]

I'm sure someone at the BDA have considered this: There needs to be a true successor option to CDs. SACD and DVD-A are just dumb. It's so rare to own a player, even for a music lover. I love audio and have nearly 200 CDs. I don't own a DVD-A and didn't own an SACD player until my 60gb PS3. I still don't have an SACD.

With Blu-ray as the sucessor to DVDs and machines in millions (and millions to come), I think it would be great if the BDA decided to release the 8cm discs as the high definition replacements for CDs. It has plenty of space, it stands out because of its size and best of all - can be played in all Blu-ray players.

Sony music can try it maybe later this year with its big artists by releasing High resolution discs. For example, a Michael Jackson Thriller in 5.1 or 7.1 mix.

Does anyone have a chart of Blu-ray's audio limitations? Is it 96k24bit max?

[xtop]

cool idea, could even make for smaller portables. can't say i see it happening tho

[Kratos3]

I would love it! However, with iPods being so popular, and portability being the trend, I really don't see this happening. High-res audio is kind of a niche thing. SACD and DVD-A were very well reviewed and received by critics, but the general public could have cared less(I tried selling SACD players at Best Buy when they first came out...no one cared). As I said, I would love for this to happen, but I just don't see it catching on.

[Bluray_ne1]

Originally Posted by Kratos3

I would love it! However, with iPods being so popular, and portability being the trend, I really don't see this happening. High-res audio is kind of a niche thing... As I said, I would love for this to happen, but I just don't see it catching on.

I tend to agree, music downloads, rather than video, is where things are headed. I just want to see downloadable multi-channel surround sound music (like SACD) available. I love my SACD's, there just aren't that many good ones out there that suit my taste.

[BluSmoke]

Originally Posted by Kratos3

I would love it! However, with iPods being so popular, and portability being the trend, I really don't see this happening. High-res audio is kind of a niche thing. SACD and DVD-A were very well reviewed and received by critics, but the general public could have cared less(I tried selling SACD players at Best Buy when they first came out...no one cared). As I said, I would love for this to happen, but I just don't see it catching on.

That's one of the reasons why SACD and DVD-A never took off. You had to buy new players.

The 8cm discs already plays in your Blu-ray players. I'm not saying it's going to replace downloads and CDs, but it would be a good option for people who are getting into Home Theater. With the prices falling, there's a boom in this hobby like never before.

I hope the BDA at least tries to get it out.

[Galley]

The labels failed at promoting hybrid SACDs. They cost the same as a standard CD, and in some instance, that was the only way they were produced. They would give glorious hi-res audio in SACD players and standard CD audio in any CD player. ABKCO released all of the Rolling Stones albums on SACD, but nowhere on the packaging did it state that. WTF?

[buckshot]

would the little blu rays load into the ps3?

its a cool idea. I love it. if it was like dvd-a and had photos of the recording sessions and other such things that'd be cool. uncompressed audio would be mega cool on some albums.

[blindcat87]

I think the music industry would be very foolish to give up on HD music. The fact is that they never really tried with SACD and DVD-A. The killer with them was not the player problem, but the interface problem and marketing issues. Even audiophiles were not happy having to use 6 analog cables to hook up their new players, and there was little attempt to market hi rez music and surround music. These formats were not ready for prime time until they were already a niche format, when HDMI became a standard. If there had been a convenient interface and labels had been willing to release more hybrid titles and market the advantage of the SACD layer, things could have been different.

I've said it before, I think the secret to BD music releases is to educate the consumer and to include a portable, low resolution version on each release allowing folks to experience HD surround music and still have a lossy compressed version for their iPods. Surround systems are a lot more common now than they were when the previous formats came about, serious demos at retail locations, a real marketing campaign, and something like Disney's BD tour could go a long way towards convincing the consumer that BD can improve their music listening experience as much as it does their movie experience. Especially if they go the extra mile to not alienate the MP3 crowd.

Just my opinions, but as someone who loves music as much as movies, I think it would be tragic for the music industry to give up on quality audio. I really think the key is to get the players in their houses, show them what it can be like on their home system, and provide the portable option as a bonus that they don't have to pay extra for.

Chris

[AbsentAbe]

This would be amazing! I would love to play high definition audio on my Blu-ray player!

A lot of people do like the iPod style of music, but the quality just isn't there. Would it really still be like this five or ten years down the road when people are still listening to music on their stereo capable iPods, or are we going to have the option of having music albums from many artists be crystal clear with multiple channels of audio.
With Blu-ray becoming the next generation format, I seriously think that this will happen. Of course it will probably still be separated into groups of people who prefer their iPods and the true music lovers (or just those who can afford the total Blu-ray Compact Disc system with the receiver and all the speakers), but it would be awesome to have that option!

BD and BCD...I like the sound of that!

[vsmpowered]

ps3 takes 8 cm dvds

[The Seventh Taylor]

Ah, great -- another format. How shall we call it? Super Audio Blu-ray Disc i.e. SABD?

Until it's here, I'll stick with SACD. Check PS3SACD.com.

[blindcat87]

Oh, I am not giving up on SACD yet. Except that I use an Oppo 980 instead of my PS3 for playback, but I would happily switch to a BD audio format. I don't think it needs a new name or would even really be a different format. It would just be Blu-Ray Audio and would work in any BD player.

Using BD for audio could do things SACD can't do. 7.1 channel 96/24 lossless audio for example. Not sure, but I think BD can do 192/24 5.1 channel lossless audio, although I question whether or not the human ear could really hear the difference between 96 and 192 at that level. But that wouldn't stop me from rebuying DSOTM if it was available in that format.

Until then, there are still a lot of SACDs and DVD-As that I want and do not have yet.

Chris

Originally Posted by The Seventh Taylor

Ah, great -- another format. How shall we call it? Super Audio Blu-ray Disc i.e. SABD?

Until it's here, I'll stick with SACD. Check PS3SACD.com.

[BluSmoke]

Both DVD-A and SACD max out 192/24 at 2.0. Can Blu-ray do 5.1? I know it can do 96/24 at 7.1.

[blindcat87]

I am not entirely certain, I think I remember reading that DTS HD MA can do 5.1 at 192/24, but I am not absolutely certain of that. Perhaps someone with certain knowledge can chime in.

If it can do it, the only limitation becomes the source material. Of course, if it cannot, I would still love to hear a few albums redone in 96/24 7.1, that would be amazing.

Edit: According to the Wikipedia entry, it can only do stereo 192/24. I still would love a 7.1 96/24 mix. I think that DTS would be the way to go since it has the 1.5 Mbps core and thus would work for older and newer home theater setups. Uncompressed PCM would work, but would leave those still using digital optical/coaxial with 2.0.

Chris

Originally Posted by BluSmoke

Both DVD-A and SACD max out 192/24 at 2.0. Can Blu-ray do 5.1? I know it can do 96/24 at 7.1.

[musicman1999]

You would use uncompressed pcm, no need for dts or dd compression.No video content means lots of disc space.Also a 2 channel component would be essential, many of us prefer our music 2 channel, as recorded.

bill

[blindcat87]

I can see using PCM for stereo, but using it for the surround mix leaves out all the people who don't have HDMI or analog inputs. Since the latter was one of the things that led to SACD/DVD-A settling into their niche, that would be undesireable As long as the compression format is lossless, the end result is the same as uncompressed, and the 1.5 Mbps core of DTS HD MA makes it an obvious choice to push BD-A as a mass adoption format and not just another audiophile niche product.

Chris.

Originally Posted by musicman1999

You would use uncompressed pcm, no need for dts or dd compression.No video content means lots of disc space.Also a 2 channel component would be essential, many of us prefer our music 2 channel, as recorded.

bill

[welwynnick]

I think this a fantastic idea, and one that I've been advocating in vain for a long time.

Many folks get the wrong end of the stick and assume it would be a doomed attempt to replace CD. I don't think that's the case at all.

I see this as a great opportunity to consign SACD and DVDA to history books once and for all. Not because they don't perform, but because they weren't successful. No point flogging dead horses when there's a successful new format with great audio support.

There's already a large and growing user-base of BD players in people's homes, so there's no specific need to get "yet another new player" in order to player such discs.

What's probably even more important is that blu-ray audio discs may be able to tag along on the coat tails of the publicity for Blu-ray video. That's going to be a commercial steam-roller right into many people's living rooms, and they are going to associate blu-ray with innovation and performance. My hope and expectation is that blu-ray audio will get a positive association and reception on the back of this success.

I think this sort of thing is much more important than the technical merits of the existing HD audio formats.

Nick

[The Seventh Taylor]

Originally Posted by BluSmoke

Both DVD-A and SACD max out 192/24 at 2.0. Can Blu-ray do 5.1? I know it can do 96/24 at 7.1.

Not quite. SACD uses 2,882 kHz sampling frequency, also in 5.1-channel mode. See the SACD FAQ.

[frenchglen]

Originally Posted by The Seventh Taylor

Ah, great -- another format. How shall we call it? Super Audio Blu-ray Disc i.e. SABD?

How about Blu-CD

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=13197

[statikcat]

Originally Posted by BluSmoke

I'm sure someone at the BDA have considered this: There needs to be a true successor option to CDs. SACD and DVD-A are just dumb. It's so rare to own a player, even for a music lover. I love audio and have nearly 200 CDs. I don't own a DVD-A and didn't own an SACD player until my 60gb PS3. I still don't have an SACD.

With Blu-ray as the sucessor to DVDs and machines in millions (and millions to come), I think it would be great if the BDA decided to release the 8cm discs as the high definition replacements for CDs. It has plenty of space, it stands out because of its size and best of all - can be played in all Blu-ray players.

Sony music can try it maybe later this year with its big artists by releasing High resolution discs. For example, a Michael Jackson Thriller in 5.1 or 7.1 mix.

Does anyone have a chart of Blu-ray's audio limitations? Is it 96k24bit max?

What reason is there to really have a disc with higher quality than CD? You are not going to gain much sonically. There have already been formats beyond CD - even ones that ran on DVDs and they all failed. The quality gain is so small and most people do not care about 5.1 in this reguard. CDs are still around because they already sound great. If anything music sales are showing that people don't mind even sacrificing cd quality to mp3s/aac.. These formats currently have no future at all imo.