Dolby Atmos/DTS HD MA/X audio playback question

MKV playback, recompression, remuxing, codec packs, players, howtos, etc.
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kyprime22
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:32 pm

Dolby Atmos/DTS HD MA/X audio playback question

Post by kyprime22 »

don't know if this is the right place, but i'm confused how does the playback of advanced audio formats work in simpler scenarios
so let's say i rip a bluray with the only audio option selected being a Dolby TrueHD+Atmos 7.1 track, now when i play this mkv file without any changes done to it, a straight rip, in VLC on my PC through HDMI on TV Stereo speakers, what exactly happens? because as i understand it, 1. the HDMI 1.4 shouldn't even be able to pass Dolby TrueHD Atmos and my TV only supports 2.0 DD/DD+, what exactly is the process here? does VLC convert the DTHD/A 7.1 signal to a simpler format and sends it to the TV or what is happening, because as i understand, i shouldn't get audio at all

and with DTS, my TV doesn't support DTS in any form, but it plays DTS HD MA 5.1 perfectly fine, who allows this? VLC? something in my TV?

i'm asking this for collection purposes, i want to make sure that the files i save will be fully compatible with whatever i have, but in my experience just the most advanced form of audio on the bluray works on everything i have perfectly, even tho it shouldn't technically? and in some cases, like for example Joker 2019, i have compared the DTHD/A 7.1 vs DD5.1 on my 2.0 TV speakers and the Dolby TrueHD Atmos 7.1 destroys the DD5.1 audio track in quality, loudness, voice clarity, music, everything sounds so much better there, but why? shouldn't these both sound the same when played back on my limited output or if anything, DD 5.1 should have easier compatibility/ but it's the other way, i'm just really confused
Woodstock
Posts: 9912
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Dolby Atmos/DTS HD MA/X audio playback question

Post by Woodstock »

Technically, the various high-specification tracks on DVD and BD should be playable on most players, because they build upon a lossy core. The player just ignores the parts of the track that it doesn't know what to do with.

Reality is that a lot of players do not see the lossy core in the DTS or TrueHD tracks. That is why MakeMKV offers the option to produce an AC3 or AAC track from the higher-spec tracks. It might only be stereo, if you choose AAC.

As for TVs, they have the option (usually) of sending tracks they don't understand to other devices (like a home theater amp) for decoding. One of my older TVs did this, so I could tell when it couldn't play the track by the TV's speakers turning off, and just the amp was active with its own speakers.
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webbos
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:53 pm

Re: Dolby Atmos/DTS HD MA/X audio playback question

Post by webbos »

What's the model of your player ? Does it play FLACs? Then it's really simple....
kyprime22
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:32 pm

Re: Dolby Atmos/DTS HD MA/X audio playback question

Post by kyprime22 »

webbos wrote:
Thu Feb 04, 2021 12:41 pm
What's the model of your player ? Does it play FLACs? Then it's really simple....
it's just as i've explained in the post, i rip the bluray files in their highest and lowest quality audio and play them on my PC with VLC standard settings to my stereo TV that lists in the specifications, DD & DD+

my question is based on research i've done not matching my experience, the TV should output very basic audio, stereo DD, so in that case there should be no difference between the stereo DD track and a DDTHD7.1 track, in fact the later should not even work? but in fact, the THD7.1 one completely destroys the DD Stereo on a Stereo TV that supports only DD, why? what facilitates this process? VLC? my TV? that's what i'm trying to understand
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