DTS and THX Certification?

[David Meek]

I understand that THX is basically a set of standards that define acoustic properties and equalization curves. My question is are there any DTS format DVD's that are THX certified? Are the two mutually exclusive for some reason? There are loads of Dolby Digital DVD's that are THX certified, but I can't think of a single DTS DVD that is.




David - HTGuide flunky
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[George Bellefontaine]

I am not aware of any DTS dvds that are THX, Tex. I wonder why not ?




My Homepage!

[Eduardo]

My guess would be because THX use to be owned by Lucas and he only supports Dolby Digital. :huh:

http://home.nc.rr.com/ejimenez

[Brandon B]

That is my understanding also.

BB

[Burke Strickland]

George Lucas may or may not like DTS, but THX seems to think it is OK:

Incorporating a variety of digital encoding technologies like Dolby Digital, DTS and PCM, THX Certified Home Theatre products offer the most consistently accurate, trouble-free reproduction of sound.

http://www.thx.com/mod/techLib/how.html

As for “no” DTS DVDs being THX certified, Fantasia 2000 has both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 soundtracks and is THX certified. (This one I just verified checking out the disc’s setup menu.) Mask of Zorro Special Edition is supposed to have both kinds of soundtracks and is also supposedly THX certified. (For that one I’m just going on an Internet listing. I just have the original DD-only release in hand.)

Burke

[SiliGoose]

Do you guys really think THX matters anymore? My point, in relation to this thread, is that perhaps no one really cares to mate DTS to THX.

Since DD & DTS took hold (and dipole surrounds disappeared) it has become increasingly debatable whether THX certification mattered. Obvioulsy, the advent of THX Ultra 2 may return THX to relevace but I believe that is also very debatable.

IMO, THX is nothing more than marketing mistique at this point. Your average Joe thinks of high-tech movie stuff when he sees the THX logo. DTS also holds a certain amount of mystique (on a much smaller scale) so DVD makers may not see the point in paying for the THX certification of a DTS soundtrack.




-Sili

[David Meek]

Hi Sili,

The relevancy of THX isn't what I'm after. I'm simply curious about this. I agree that THX has lost any legitimacy - I mean, VHS certification? Puh-lease. Initially, they did good things in trying to quantify and standardize performance of serious components for home theater, but that was lost in a mad dash for money.

Regardless, I did find ONE DVD in my collection that has both DTS and THX. It's The Last Of The Mohicans Director's Cut re-issue.

Burke, could it be that ONLY the DD tracks are applicable to THX?

My curiousity bump is still itching - anyone?




David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
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[Chris D]

Terminator 2 also has a DTS track and THX. I'm not at home with my DVD collection, but I'm trying to think of movies I have with ONLY DTS tracks that are also THX. Can't think of any offhand, but I'll check.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[Eduardo]

Burke, could it be that ONLY the DD tracks are applicable to THX?

This is my question.

Let's talk about THX for a moment. My understanding of THX is the ability to dublicate a movies sound enviornment as it was intended and created at the studio. In order to accomplish this enviornment the source, the player, amp/reciever and the speakers all need to be THX certified. This is unrealistic in my eyes and as stated above only a marketing ploy.

http://home.nc.rr.com/ejimenez

[Burke Strickland]

In order to accomplish this enviornment the source, the player, amp/reciever and the speakers all need to be THX certified.

While THX states that each THX-certified component is designed to solve a particular problem, they stop short of saying that all the components in a system have to be THX-certidied to have a good system. From the THX FAQ http://www.thx.com/mod/techLib/homeTheatreFAQ.html#need (emphasis added):

Do I need to buy a complete THX Home Theatre system to get the benefits of THX technologies?

Each THX Home Theatre component - Controller, LCR Speaker, Surround Speaker, Subwoofer, Amplifier, Equalizer, DVD Player, Interconnect and Speaker Wire, and Acoustically Transparent Screen - solves specific problems in Home Cinema sound reproduction. You can use any THX Home Theatre product in any home theatre system. When used all together, these components work synergistically to produce an ultimate surround sound experience.

Note they say "an ultimate surround sound experience", not "THE" ultimate, when using all-THX components. Sounds like it is safe for us to keep using our other (non-THX-certified) components and still enjoy the HT experience. :>)

Burke

[Eduardo]

While THX states that each THX-certified component is designed to solve a particular problem, they stop short of saying that all the components in a system have to be THX-certidied to have a good system.

Chris, I agree with that statement but it no longer becomes a "THX" reproduction. For example, rebuilding a classic car. You can use aftermarket part, which can improve the original design, but ceases being and "Original" restored car.

Of course as with all my comments, just my opinion.

http://home.nc.rr.com/ejimenez

[David Meek]

I found another DVD in my collection that is both DTS and THX certified. From Hell, the Johnny Depp vehicle retelling the Jack The Ripper tale.

I'm still no clearer on the DTS/THX interaction though (if any). :banghead:




David - HTGuide flunky
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[Claude D D]

Hey guys I did a quick scan through my DVD collection and found quite a few THX/DTS movies:
Near Dark
Dinosaur
The Emperor's New Groove
Small Soldiers
The Evil Dead
Atlantis"The Lost Empire"
Planet of the Apes (remake)
T2 SE
From Hell
Suspiria
Unbreakable
X-Men 1.5
Pearl Harbour
I'm sure there are more out there as well.