HD-DVD/Blu-ray audio choices?

[RadicalEd]

I've been hit over the head with "VC-9, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-2" plenty of times in reference to the HD-DVD and Blu-ray video specs, but there seems to be a shortage of information on the audio formats being used for the upcoming standards. I've only managed to gather bits about Dolby and DTS proposing "updated" versions of their established technologies, and MLP (http://www.audiocoding.com/modules/wiki/?page=MLP)'s potential use. None of those sources mentioned the final decisions which, AFAIK, should have taken place in June with the approval of the 1.0 spec. Anyone have further info?
Mods, feel free to move this to Audio if you like.

[P0l1m0rph1c]

AAC will also be used.

[lexor]

I found a reference on DVDForum site.

"Audio Codec (HE-AAC) for the mandatory audio codec of DVD-Audio ROM-Zone"

And it's pretty much given that DD, DTS, made it into final, version of codecs might be different, but it's the same thing feature wise.

[RadicalEd]

Originally posted by lexor
"Audio Codec (HE-AAC) for the mandatory audio codec of DVD-Audio ROM-Zone"

That appears to be a provision for DVD-A and not HD-DVD.

[Doom9]

I haven't heard anything about audio codecs, but considering that we're talking HD resolution and that existing audio codecs are sufficient imho (forget about uncompressed, it simply takes too much space,especially now that we already have 7.1 audio systems). I suppose the latest in Dolby Digital and DTS will be used, along with AAC (certainly when in conjunction with H.264), WMA9 (in conjunction with VC-1/9).

[bond]

Originally posted by Doom9
I suppose the latest in Dolby Digital and DTS will be used, along with AAC (certainly when in conjunction with H.264), WMA9 (in conjunction with VC-1/9).i doubt that aac and wma9 will be used for "normal" hd-dvd movie content

first of all because it was never mentioned in any of the publically available resolutions of the dvd forum (aac was only mentioned for the rom zone and wma was never mention and is also not a open standard (in contrary to vc-1))

if i remember it right the latest resolution said that the choice of audio codecs was NOT approved because there was a lossless audio codec missing, but i think dts and ac3 was indeed mentioned in the proposal, but of course everyone can look the details up on dvd forum page themselves if you want to want to know the exact statement

[RadicalEd]

Ah, I found it. The last statement concerning audio was made during the February meeting and reads as follows:
10: Approval of DD+, DTS++, and MLP as mandatory audio codecs to be included in the High Definition Video format: Not Approved
http://www.dvdforum.org/25scmtg-resolution.htm

DD+/E-AC-3 (E for enhanced) is some kind of upgraded version of AC-3 for which I've been able to find only press releases (http://www.atsc.org/news_information/member_press/2004/Dolby_E-AC-3.htm) and no further information. DTS++ is even more cryptic. The Blu-Ray A/V Application Format Specs (http://www.blu-raydisc.com/assets/downloadablefile/2b_bdrom_audiovisualapplication-12841.pdf) mention support for "7.1 channel dts++ audio (which includes support for lossless audio compression)."
DTS's site (http://www.dtsonline.com/) mentions this in a PR report about lossless audio for cinema...
DTS lossless coding is made possible by a new extension to the DTS Coherent Acoustics codec, which is used in applications including home theatre, car audio, PC and game console products, DVD-related software and broadcast. With this new development, DTS is able to offer a single, comprehensive system that can deliver quality levels from Internet streaming up to high definition and lossless.
(article (http://www.dtsonline.com/company/press/press-article.php?ID=842451429&yID=2004&cID=))
but other than that, all hands are empty.
MLP is of course the aforementioned lossless codec up for approval into HD-DVD, already currently used in DVD-A.

Blu-Ray's take on audio can be found in the previously linked pdf; support is slated for "up to 8 channels of LPCM", AC-3, DTS, DTS++, and "additional Audio codecs are also under investigation."

Looks like that's all the information there is so far...

[bond]

some news on this from the 27th meeting:

Confirmation of selection of following Audio Codecs for HD DVD video: DD+ Lossy (mandatory), DTS++ Lossy (mandatory), MLP 2-Channel Lossless (mandatory), DTS++ Lossless (optional) - approvedplus they now have a logo for hd dvd:

http://www.dvdforum.org/images/hddvd_logo201x133_eng.gif