TWICE has a great article summarizing what’s up with audio on the next generation of optical disc formats. Here’s a summary of what is mandatory and optional on each of the formats.

BD Mandatory

• Dolby Digital 5.1
• DTS 5.1
• 5.1-channel PCM (up to 5.1 channels, up to 192kHz sampling rate and 24-bit resolution)

BD Optional

• Dolby Digital Plus
• DTS HD
• 7.1-channel PCM (up to 7.1 channels, up to 96kHz, 24-bit)
• Dolby True HD (2- to 7.1-channel up to 96kHz, 24-bit)
• DTS HD Master (up to 5.1 channels, up to 192kHz/ 24-bit)

HD DVD Mandatory

• Dolby Digital Plus
• DTS HD (core 1.5Mbps component compatible with current DTS 5.1 decoders)
• Dolby True HD (2- to 7.1-channel up to 96kHz, 24-bit) (two channel)

HD DVD Optional

• DTS HD (5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 channels to 3Mbps)
• Dolby True HD (2- to 7.1-channel up to 96kHz, 24-bit) (5.1- 7.1 channels)
• DTS HD Master (up to 5.1 channels, up to 192kHz/ 24-bit)

TWICE also discusses what happens with each soundtrack when it comes to putting it out of the player and interfacing it to the receiver or pre/pro in your system. It looks like HD DVD players will be more flexible when it comes to handling optional formats than Sony’s BD player. Toshiba’s HD DVD players handle all optional and mandatory formats while Sony’s BD player will only handle the mandatory formats. Which is terrible, really. Sony’s first BD player doesn’t even play CD’s, now this!

[via HD Beat]

1st HD DVD Players To Decode All Mandatory, Optional Audio Codecs