More "NW":
Given the new DTS-HD encoders can be bought in 2 different flavours -
standard & Master suites - and for the price they are available for, I
have found them to be a superb investment with some unexpected side
benefits too.
When I bought the MAS suite it was at first a standalone beast, and
the first revision added a streamplayer to it as well. Perfect for
proofing as you can line it up with a Quicktime video file & check
everything. It plays all types of DTS too - core audio (the original
type) at both half & full bitrates, DTS-CD discs, DTS-HD High
Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio Lossless.
Unexpe ctedly, in version 2 (a free update) DTS included a decoder,
which will allow you to set up a playlist and not only proof your
files but decode back to PCM as well - at the encoded resolution. No
more command line tools.
The encoder is amazing. No other word will do. you have options for
BluRay, SubAudio, DVD & Music CD (DTS-CD discs) at all allowable
resolutions for each format as well as embedded downmix coefficients
thatactually work on nice, sensible increments rather than the clumsy
0, -3, -6dB available in Dolby Digital.
Add to this a comprehensive & automatic verification with log files,
and a comprehensive set of stream tools for cutting/joining,
restriping timecodes etc and it becomes invaluable as a toolkit that
istruly future proof, given that DTS-HD Master Audio is one of the
mandatory audio types in Blu Ray.
The quality just got a lot better too, even at the basic .cpt "legacy"
codec standard. I have 4 DTS encoders now, and they get better. Bottom
of the pile is my old SurCode DTS-DVD, then the old Nuendo encoder,
then the DTS-PSE - but this one is so good I have had people tell me
they cannot easily tell the difference between a DTS stream from this
& the lossless versions. Okay, I can pick the lossless & I suspect a
lot of audio engineers can (we all should be able to but that is
another thread) but that takes nothing away from how great the quality
is. Stack it up next to a Dolby Digital stream (we did this) and it
sounds as if someone has put a sack on the monitors by comparison. The
odd thing is that your ears rapidly get used to the much lower quality
of DD, and if you had no alternative you would never know the
difference of course, but as the bitrate is only 1509kbps with a half
bitrate option also available it makes sense to me to include a DTS
stream. Finally - as if this were not enough - you get access to the
DTS online database, and can register your titles there at no charge,
and you do not get anything like the same palaver over logo usage that
you do with Dolby. Download your logo, use it.