AC3/DTS data-CD compatibility

Someone in the forum said that it was possible to play AC3/DTS-tracks directly from a data CD on the EuroLine/United players, so I thought I should try that.

I used Smartripper v2.41 and DVD2AVI v1.77.3 to rip the sound streams (two AC3 (Dolby Digital) streams and one DTS stream) of track 17 "Highway to hell" from the "AC/DC, Stiff Upper Lip LIVE" DVD.

As output from SmartRipper/DVD2AVI, I got the following files:

Filename	Explanation
Track 17 AC3 T01 2_0ch 256Kbps DELAY -208ms.ac3	256Kbps 2 channel AC3 track
Track 17 AC3 T02 3_2ch 448Kbps DELAY -272ms.ac3	448Kbps 5.1 (maybe just 5.0 as it says 3_2 ?) channel AC3 track
Track 17 DTS T03 DELAY -314ms.dts	5.1 channel DTS track (768Kbps)

I copied and renamed these files and burned them onto a regular data-CD with some different extentions:

Directory/File		Information	Result when listened to through Digital output (optical/coaxial)	Result when listened to through Analog output (downmixed to 2.0)
\		Root directory
	AC3_2.0_a.ac3	256Kbps 2 channel AC3	OK / OK	OK
	AC3_2.0_d.dts	256Kbps 2 channel AC3	OK / OK	OK
	AC3_2.0_w.wav	256Kbps 2 channel AC3	*Not visible in the Smart-Navi menu*
	AC3_3.2_a.ac3	448Kbps 5.1 channel AC3	OK / OK	OK
	AC3_3.2_d.dts	448Kbps 5.1 channel AC3	OK / OK	OK
	AC3_3.2_w.wav	448Kbps 5.1 channel AC3	*Not visible in the Smart-Navi menu*
	DTS_3_a.ac3	768Kbps 5.1 channel DTS	Sound stutters	*No sound*
	DTS_3_d.dts	768Kbps 5.1 channel DTS	Sound stutters	*No sound*
	DTS_3_w.wav	768Kbps 5.1 channel DTS	*Not visible in the Smart-Navi menu*

As you can see, the player did not recognize the files if they had a .wav extension. And it did not matter if it had .ac3 or .dts, the player seems to look at the contence of the file to determine if it is an AC3- or DTS-stream in it.

Here is a picture of what is shown on the screen when playing AC3/DTS data-CD's:

As usual, the player goes into the Smart-Navi menu when it gets something it does not quiet understand.

As you can see, the files with a .wav-extension does not show at all.

So the conclusion of the AC3/DTS on data-CD capabilities of the 6620 is:

Plays AC3 files without problems. I don't know how high bitrates it can decode.
Tries to play DTS-files. It is not capable of downmixing them to 2-channel stereo and output it on the analog outputs. It does however output the DTS-stream on the digital outputs (coaxial and optical), but here the sound stutters quiet badly. I don't know if this is the DVD-player or if it is my amplifier (a Pioneer VSX839) that causes this problem.

Back to compatibility page