NTSC DVD with MPEG soundtrack (only) - Blu-ray Forum

kfbkfb · 09-10-2023, 06:07 PM

(not sure if this is the right place for this post)

Just tried my NTSC DVD of FIRST ACTION HERO (purchased in 2005), my Sony BDP-S6700 (not modified to do PAL to NTSC conversion) shows:
MPEG 2.0ch 48kHz 320Kbps

I thought that NTSC DVDs had to have either PCM or DD with DTS optional, I didn't know that an MPEG only soundtrack was "legal".

Kirk Bayne

JFizDaWiz · 09-10-2023, 06:58 PM

I believe AC3/PCM/MP2 were all legal formats for DVD

SpaceBlackKnight · 09-10-2023, 08:07 PM

Some very early DVDs had MPEG and MP2 audio tracks (a way of getting around paying Dolby royalties for the DD/AC3 licence), but not all players could decode and play them back without varying hiccups. Most stuck with and paid for AC3/DD at bare minimum since they had several advantages like higher bitrate and up to 5.1 channel.

PCM audio was very rare on DVDs, but could only go up to 2.0 16bit due to size limitations. The ones that have it are music only and concert DVD and PD/small label releases that get around having to pay royalties.

09-10-2023, 06:07 PM	#1
kfbkfb Active Member Member since:Jan 2016 Location:Midwest USA	NTSC DVD with MPEG soundtrack (only) (not sure if this is the right place for this post) Just tried my NTSC DVD of FIRST ACTION HERO (purchased in 2005), my Sony BDP-S6700 (not modified to do PAL to NTSC conversion) shows: MPEG 2.0ch 48kHz 320Kbps I thought that NTSC DVDs had to have either PCM or DD with DTS optional, I didn't know that an MPEG only soundtrack was "legal". Kirk Bayne

09-10-2023, 06:58 PM	#2
JFizDaWiz Active Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2015 4K collection:387 Blu-ray collection:767	I believe AC3/PCM/MP2 were all legal formats for DVD

09-10-2023, 08:07 PM	#3
SpaceBlackKnight Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jul 2018 4K collection:25 Blu-ray collection:346 Digital collection:20	Some very early DVDs had MPEG and MP2 audio tracks (a way of getting around paying Dolby royalties for the DD/AC3 licence), but not all players could decode and play them back without varying hiccups. Most stuck with and paid for AC3/DD at bare minimum since they had several advantages like higher bitrate and up to 5.1 channel. PCM audio was very rare on DVDs, but could only go up to 2.0 16bit due to size limitations. The ones that have it are music only and concert DVD and PD/small label releases that get around having to pay royalties.

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