Fox EU DTS Hi-res instead of DTS HD MA thread

[*TIMMIE*]

It appears Fox love to bully the EU consumer by not giving them the full audio treatment. At least in various countries. Here a thread for those who definitaly wants an English DTS HD MA track on their releases, and do not want to get fooled by an DTS Hi Res (@ 3mbps). This list gives you in which countries the DTS Hi Res treat is given. Titles may be discussed and added.

Affected titles
DTS Hi Res in plaats van DTS HD MA:
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (France / The Netherlands / Spain)
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (France / The Netherlands / Spain)
- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (France / The Netherlands / Spain)
- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (France / The Netherlands / Spain
- Happening, The (Italy / The Netherlands / Spain)
- Me, Myself and Irene (The Netherlands)
- Mirrors (The Netherlands)
- Planet of the Apes 1968 (Italy / The Netherlands)
- Predator 2 (Spain)
- Prison Break: Season 1 (Germany / The Netherlands)
- Quantum of Solace (The Netherlands / Poland / Russia)
- Street Kings (UK)
- X-men trilogy (France / Italy / The Netherlands)

Dolby Digital in plaats van Dolby True HD:
- Da Vinci Code (France / The Netherlands)
- Resident Evil Degeneration (France / Netherlands)
- Superman (All EU releases - Rereleased in US with Dolby True HD)
- Star Wars Clone Wars (EU)

[alphadec]

First I like to say I prefer DTS over Dolby but I have got a big collection of BD and many are DTS MA 5.1 can't say I have checked every singel disc but when I play a disc I only get DTS MA on the highest.

The only time the DTS HI RES Lights up on my Sony STR 3400ES is when I play some movies but ONLY in the intro not the movie.

[FrankV]

These titles also include DTS-HD HR:

- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (France, The Netherlands, Spain)
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (France, The Netherlands, Spain)
- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (France, The Netherlands, Spain)
- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (France, The Netherlands, Spain)
- The Happening (France, The Netherlands, Spain)
- Planet of the Apes (1968) (Italy)
- X-Men (Italy)
- X-Men 2 (Italy)
- X-Men 3: The Last Stand (Italy)

[*TIMMIE*]

Thanks! I've added them. Luckely there is import, because I am not buying these suboptimal titles. I hope this is not a strategy Fox helds for their ultimate blu ray experience.

Why not handling (at least) two regions:
Region 1: English oriented countries like UK/Scandinavia/Benelux
Region 2: Others?

[*TIMMIE*]

Originally Posted by alphadec

First I like to say I prefer DTS over Dolby but I have got a big collection of BD and many are DTS MA 5.1 can't say I have checked every singel disc but when I play a disc I only get DTS MA on the highest.

The only time the DTS HI RES Lights up on my Sony STR 3400ES is when I play some movies but ONLY in the intro not the movie.

Norway (Scandinavia) is sharing with the UK, who seem to be unaffected and get DTS HD MA. The Netherlands are English oriented with movies too, but we seem to share with the dubloving French.

[aygie]

I think Eastern Promises is Hi Res as well.

[Wilfredo]

Predator 2 from Spain is also DTS Hi Res, despite the back cover shows the DTS-HD Master logo.

[Mullins]

Street Kings (UK) is DTS-HR. It is a wierd one though because the box art and blu-ray menus say DTS-HDMA

[lgans316]

Add I,Robot spanish release to that list but I think FOX is doing this due to lack of space.

[alphadec]

Originally Posted by *TIMMIE*

Norway (Scandinavia) is sharing with the UK, who seem to be unaffected and get DTS HD MA. The Netherlands are English oriented with movies too, but we seem to share with the dubloving French.

Yes we do.

If u put on "the fog" from "optmum releasing...." the intro there a smal clip from canal plus that is in dts hi-res but the film is in dts ma.

[*TIMMIE*]

Originally Posted by Aygie

I think Eastern Promises is Hi Res as well.

Which country? Can you confirm 100%? Which subs and audiotracks does it have?

@lgans316: As the EU market consists of many countries dubbing their movies/series/etc, they want to take effort out of the amount of masters. The want to use at least possible masters as possible, because it is cheaper in the production process. Unfortunately that means the skip the MA for Hi Res. Even for us in the Netherlands. We are used to watch movies in the original language with subtitles. With DVD we got the same release as the UK/Scandinavia, so we could enjoy DTS in the English language. Now it seems we can enjoy extra dubs, and no MA. Luckely the UK, Scandinavia and Australia are getting MA. So I gueass that means I will only import.

Updated the list.

[Sky_Captain]

The UK release of Eastern Promises is High Res. There's also reportedly a problem with the sound mix.

[stargazeruk]

So far the only Fox title (unless you count it as a sky one release) I seen that has had DTS only and no master audio is colour of magic.

As far as I know all other Fox UK titles have been DTS-HD MA with the execption of Fox distrubition of Pathe Distrubition titles like Eastern Promises mentioned by sky captian and silent hill which so far have currently been DTS-HD HR.

To me it seems like the UK is only getting screwed on Pathe Titles only and I do wonder if that it is pathe and not fox who are screwing us.

[andyparhelia]

Hands up who can tell the difference between a Hi Res track at 3mbps and the actual master audio track, be honest!

I know it's the principle of it in one way, that you want the best available, and I'm not defending fox's policies either, but a hi res track a 3mbps is a huge improvement over what we had on dvd and, dare I say it, I wonder if even the most astute audiophile could tell the difference between a HR and a MA track in a blind listening test.

[msetten]

Originally Posted by andyparhelia

Hands up who can tell the difference between a Hi Res track at 3mbps and the actual master audio track, be honest!

I know it's the principle of it in one way, that you want the best available, and I'm not defending fox's policies either, but a hi res track a 3mbps is a huge improvement over what we had on dvd and, dare I say it, I wonder if even the most astute audiophile could tell the difference between a HR and a MA track in a blind listening test.

I don't know if one can actually hear the difference. But when I listened to the X-Men with DTS-HD HR (before noticing it was HR), I did feel that it was not as full as I would expect based on my experience with DTS-HD MA. That is why I checked afterwards. I hope to get my copy returned (called the shop and explained situation and they said that I could return it, which I will do tomorrow) and then order the UK version. When I get that one, I will be (sort of) able to see (hear) if there is a difference.

But there is also something about misleading people. On the back of the X-Men Trilogy in the Netherlands, it mentions DTS-HD Master Audio, while this is not the case.

[*TIMMIE*]

Originally Posted by andyparhelia

Hands up who can tell the difference between a Hi Res track at 3mbps and the actual master audio track, be honest!

I know it's the principle of it in one way, that you want the best available, and I'm not defending fox's policies either, but a hi res track a 3mbps is a huge improvement over what we had on dvd and, dare I say it, I wonder if even the most astute audiophile could tell the difference between a HR and a MA track in a blind listening test.

If people can hear a difference between a 448 dolby digital track and a 768 DTS track, why not between a 3 mbps DTS hi res and a DTS HD MA ranging from 3 to 6-8mbps? Especially in action scenes or scenes with a lot of background detailed noise. The difference in range is far greater. And besides; When you can get business class for the same or less money as economy, why choose economy?

[*TIMMIE*]

Originally Posted by stargazeruk

So far the only Fox title (unless you count it as a sky one release) I seen that has had DTS only and no master audio is colour of magic.

As far as I know all other Fox UK titles have been DTS-HD MA with the execption of Fox distrubition of Pathe Distrubition titles like Eastern Promises mentioned by sky captian and silent hill which so far have currently been DTS-HD HR.

To me it seems like the UK is only getting screwed on Pathe Titles only and I do wonder if that it is pathe and not fox who are screwing us.

Is Colour of Magic Fox or Pathe?

Let's keep sticky to Fox/MGM titles, not subbrands like Pathe???

[Scorxpion]

Is there any clue why FOX and Disney are doing this for Middle East including Europe some of their titles is mastering only With DTS HD resolution and not master audio.Kindly if any insider or an expertise from this marketing area can answer us honestly why they are doing this! I'm very upset.

One of the title that does include this discrepancy is Quantum of Solace.ROTANA becomes the license distributor for the Middle East and since then this discrepancy happened before when they were released directly by FOX distributor everything was done successfully as Worldwide release.

Kindly i need a positive answer and clear one.if this criteria will continue on ,i will stop buying from that region and choose another.I dont care about region playback because i have two different players which can play all region.

PS3 for region A and Panasonic for region B

[Kynch]

Just wanted you to add that the French Quantum of Solace also had a DTS-HD HR English track. Which is why I returned it and am going to order the UK copy instead.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by Scorxpion

Is there any clue why FOX and Disney are doing this for Middle East including Europe some of their titles is mastering only With DTS HD resolution and not master audio.Kindly if any insider or an expertise from this marketing area can answer us honestly why they are doing this! I'm very upset.

One of the title that does include this discrepancy is Quantum of Solace.ROTANA becomes the license distributor for the Middle East and since then this discrepancy happened before when they were released directly by FOX distributor everything was done successfully as Worldwide release.

Kindly i need a positive answer and clear one.if this criteria will continue on ,i will stop buying from that region and choose another.I dont care about region playback because i have two different players which can play all region.

PS3 for region A and Panasonic for region B

You should post this post in the Digital Bits thread.