Do They Ship? Will they survive?

I hope my opening page didn't bore you too much, but hey, I'm new to this web page stuff. I'll get better as I develop my web site. When considering what subject to open up my first editorial with, it came down to two subjects. The rather brutal dumping of LaserDisc that has occurred in the home video industry or "Do They Ship."

I have to acknowledge Home Theater Magazine for that shot. What am I talking about? Well, most of you out there are well read and know the answer. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, it's called DTS. DTS is the second most evil product in the land of DVD. The other is… let's just say, lawyers and Circuit City (and Blockbuster? TBA).

Before I go any farther, I actually do own a two pieces of DTS software,  Timecop and Happy Gilmore on LD.  I can't use them yet, since I haven't bought a DTS receiver. What's the point of owning them unless I can use the 5.1 mix. More on that later. DTS is not evil for what it is, it is evil for it does. Why is DTS evil for what it does? Plain and simple, it causes confusion.

As a sales person, I get questions about equipment and movies daily. The most frequent question I get about DVD is, "It says Dolby Digital, why can't I get 5.1 from it?"  I have to explain what Dolby Digital is used for on DVD. It's so much simpler with Dolby Digital LD's, excluding three or four titles; they all have 5.1 mixes. (Yes, DVD-only owners Dolby Digital isn't new! Dolby Digital debuted in the summer of 1995). OK, after explaining that DD is the transport system, people understand. This part of the equation is simple.

Now bring DTS into the equation. I've notice many new people are buying home theater equipment because it is the "in" thing to do right now. Many of these people are not well educated on the products they are going to buy. They have to rely on sales-people to steer them in the right direction. Most sales people are honest, good folks, but I'm finding that more and more are just trying to push product for the quickest buck, without fully explaining a product. When a sales person tell the consumer they need DTS, they believe them, usually without question. It's at this point the confusion starts.

Many people come to our store just to buy software, and I've had more than one occasion (maybe eight) when a person wanted to buy a DTS-DVD disc.  Just a few weeks ago, one of our customers called and wanted to buy a couple DTS DVD's; he had just bought a DTS receiver. No big deal, I asked them what they'd bought and they said some Yamaha model. As an aside, I asked them what DVD player they had; they said a Pioneer DVL909. I mentioned that the player wasn't DTS-DVD compatible. The customer was told that the Yamaha would work with the DVL909 for DTS. This is true for LD and DVD, since they're PCM based, but he needed a player with a DTS output for DVD.

Needless to say, he was disappointed. His player didn't have DTS-DVD output because DTS didn't have their scheme ready at the time it was produced, just as other first, second and some third generation DVD players. It was "the manufacture's fault," because they didn't wait for DTS. (God forbid DVD wasn't already 1 to 2 years behind at the time of its launch)

Other issues that arise when people want to buy DTS software is the price difference that normally occur. The LD's were usually $10 to $20 extra, the DTS CD's are a  minimum $25, and the DVD's are normally $10 more than a standard DVD. Before you all start pointing out that Dances with Wolves was only $5 difference I know that, but it will be the exception. Yes, Dante's Peak, Daylight, The Flintstones and others are the same price as their DD counterparts, but as many of you know the DTS discs don't include the supplements. If you find that reasonable, more power to you. I ask you this, what happens when normal DVD releases start edging up to LD prices? It will happen. Will you pay $40 to $50 for a DTS DVD? Will you pay that for a standard DVD for that matter? Remember pricing is "the studio's fault."

What's another problem DTS has ? Quite frankly, people don't give a shit about the titles they are releasing. I don't see people rushing to buy copies of Liar Liar, The Flintstones, Little Rascals, The Shadow, Babe and others. Why? One reason, quiet simply, the titles aren't very good. I take that back Liar Liar, Babe,  and The Shadow are actually good title, but they aren't letterboxed.

I understand Universal's policy is that if they haven't done a letterboxed edition previously, they wont do it with the new DTS edition, because they would have to pay for video re-mastering. I read it like this: We screwed up on the original release, so we don't dare piss off the Dolby Digital owners, by releasing the title in DTS widescreen. Probably a wise PR move, DTS owners aside. Ironically, this is why I bought Timecop and Happy Gilmore on LD. It was actually cheaper than if they would release them LB on a DTS DVD. Since I have a LD player all I have to do is replace my receiver. It also helped that Image was at the Winter CES selling their titles for 25% off :-)

According to what I can tell, outside of Dances with Wolves (DVD), Jurassic Park (LD),  and The Lost World (LD) my store hasn't sold more than one copy of many DTS titles, if we sold any at all.  The only DTS titles that has ever out sold it's DD counterpart were the Dances With Wolves (DTS-DVD) and Mimic (LD), due to two factors. As a store we'd already sold some 150 copies of Dance With Wolves on LD, in multiple incarnations and Mimic had come our on DVD. I take that back, we sold 4 copies of the Titanic CD. Speaking of Titanic…

DTS' constant delay of products. I have to admit, they been very good about DVD's so far… of wait, they were do in March 1998, no fall of 1998, no January of 1999. Anyone that has bought DTS LD's knows, outside of six to ten titles, none have made their original street date. Just recently, Pioneer has joined the DTS LD bandwagon with Image, and guess what? Even they're first (and only?) title, Titanic, has been delayed not once but three times. Personally, I'm shocked. But as always, just as with Image Entertainment, "Pioneer is at fault." Note to my sales reps from Pioneer or Image, if your reading this, you know what I mean. ;-)

When I went to this past CES in Vegas I was fortunate to talk to David Del Grosso of DTS, in retrospect I wish I had brought a set of questions to ask him, but alas, it was a spontaneous visit to DTS' booth. I asked him about what companies would be supporting DTS DVD's, what CD's to expect, etc. Unfortunately, they're weren't any answers that surprised me. He could not comment about what studios would be doing DTS DVD but there would be support from others studios. He would not give specifics, he rightfully didn't want to get caught with his foot in his mouth.

From sources I've heard from, outside of Universal, none of the other studios seem to care about DTS on DVD. The one definitive answer I did receive from Mr. Del Grosso was that until Warren Lieberfarb leaves Warner, there would be no chance of WHV supporting DTS for the home. This probably stems from the press statement DTS released at Winter CES '98, claiming that Warner and Fox would be releasing DTS DVD's soon, oops. Old news, I know but it says something. I have to feel sorry for Mr. Del Grosso; it looks to me like he's going to be the one hung out to dry when all of this mess settles.

I have to admire DTS' attempts to create change in the home theater industry, but they are already so far behind. I have to wonder how long they'll survive,  they've created such an uphill battle for themselves. They will finally have all the major manufacturing companies releasing DTS receivers and DVD player by this summer, so the ball is in their court. Get the software out at reasonable prices, day and date with the Dolby Digital counterpart and you might have a chance. Other wise to quote many game show hosts:

"Thank you for playing, we have some lovely parting gift for your participation."

Sometimes you have to stick with what you know best, in the case of DTS, stick with theatrical distribution. Although, I have to personally wonder how long they'll stay in the game there also. I give you DTS' answer to Dolby Digital EX, it's called DTS-ES, Does This Start Epileptic Seizures? This include codes for laser and strobe light effects. Can you say 3-D? Smell-o-rama? Sensurround?

Dan Linzmeier, FIT Production
Fitprod@aol.com
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