Directory/File
Information
Outcome
\
This is a test to see if the NorthQ 7100 can play AC3/DTS-tracks directly from a data CD.
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 extensions.
This is how the CD was organized:
|
Directory/File |
Information |
Outcome |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
\ |
Root directory | ||
| AC3_2.0_a.ac3 | 256Kbps 2 channel AC3 | Played OK! | |
| AC3_2.0_d.dts | 256Kbps 2 channel AC3 | Played OK! | |
| AC3_2.0_w.wav | 256Kbps 2 channel AC3 | Played OK! | |
| AC3_3.2_a.ac3 | 448Kbps 5.1 channel AC3 | Played OK! | |
| AC3_3.2_d.dts | 448Kbps 5.1 channel AC3 | Played OK! | |
| AC3_3.2_w.wav | 448Kbps 5.1 channel AC3 | Played OK! | |
| DTS_3_a.ac3 | 768Kbps 5.1 channel DTS | Plays with external DTS decoder, but sound skips | |
| DTS_3_d.dts | 768Kbps 5.1 channel DTS | Plays with external DTS decoder, but sound skips | |
| DTS_3_w.wav | 768Kbps 5.1 channel DTS | Plays with external DTS decoder, but sound skips | |
When I inserted the CD into the NorthQ, this is what happened:
 |
The NorthQ recognized the CD and went into the SmartNAVI menu. All of the AC3 files played as they should. |
 |
If I scrolled down a bit, the DTS files showed up. As the NorthQ does not have
any built-in DTS decoder, it did not produce any sound when I had it connected
via the analog outputs. However, when I connected the NorthQ via the digital output to my amplifier which has a DTS decoder, the DTS files played, but there were problems with the sound skipping all the time. |
So the NorthQ 7100 played all AC3 files without problems. The DTS files could only be listened to via the digital output and an external DTS decoder, and then the sound had problems with skipping.