Backward compatibility for SACD, dts, DVD-A, HDCD discs?

[TruBlu]

Hi all,

As an owner of a number of SACD, dts 96/24, DVD-A (96/24 5.1 to 192/24 2Ch (MLP or not)), DVD-Video (esp. 2Ch 96/24 LPCM) and HDCD discs, wondering do the Blu-ray standards support backward compatibility to these discs at their full resolution?

Does anyone know what plans the player manufacturers have for "universal" machines for backward compatibility, especially with onboard decoding/analog out, and will "S/PDIF" digital out at full resolution also be possible?

Does anyone have any links or know what the new audio standards offered on Blu-ray will be, and comparisons to Toshiba's HD-DVD?

Also what will the bass management ("LFE") features and options be?

rgds,
TruBlu

[zombie]

I think we can expect all Sony Blu-ray players to be compatable with SACD and dts. I doubt they'll support DVD-A at all and the odds are even slimmer they'll support HDCD.

[TruBlu]

Hi
Thanks for the quick reply.

Presumably all standard DVD-Video formats, including 2Ch LPCM 96/24 will be offered.

(about to buy another disc of this type so I'm keen to know I'm not going to be orphaned...).

cheers,
TruBlu

[TonyR]

From what I've read this kind of support will be up to the manufacturer, but I'm sure you will be able to find a hardware player that will support most of those formats (I haven't ever heard of HDCD discs until now, but it looks like they are 20bit audio CDs, very interesting, although it doesn't seem to have much support... then again SACD/DVDA has mixed support as well) if not at launch, sometime soon after. BDA has asked manufacturers to support DVD, but I don't think even that is a requirement.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by TonyR

I'm sure you will be able to find a hardware player that will support most of those formats .

One word: Pioneer - They'll definitely be the best bet for a player that handles all of those formats. JVC may be another good possibility (if they're in the BDA, can't recall for certain).