Audio Video News

OK, you're all psyched up for a bright Blu-ray future of movies and music videos. But did you know Blu-ray can also deliver music just for your ears? The format has just passed another major milestone with the release of Divertimenti from the Norwegian orchestra ThondheimSolistene on the 2L label.

Blu-ray's capacious bit bucket can hold many versions of an audio work, especially when video is absent. This one will include uncompressed PCM in both surround and stereo. It will boast both of the major lossless formats, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. There will also be a Dolby Digital track at 48kHz. Most surprising is the fact that this is a hybrid disc that incorporates SACD! So much for all that rash "dead format" talk.

The music includes Britten's "Simple Symphony" and other works by Norwegian and Polish composers. The disc takes its title from Bartók's "Divertimento for Strings."

See 2L, Music Information Center, and Engadget.