Home video audio comparison

LD vs. DVD vs. Blu: which is the least compressed? Some have said that the LDs are closer to the original theatrical mixes, but Blu can be overwhelming.

And what exactly was VHS audio? Some of my old tapes have Dolby surround or stereo, and I just wasn't sure.

Dynamic range compression and audio data compression are two different things. Which one are you asking about?

There are two systems for storing audio on VHS tapes: linear or hi-fi. Linear tracks are usually mono, so your tapes with stereo or Dolby Surround audio will most likely use the hi-fi system.

Either one. For the tapes with hi-fi sound would it be worth using the audio in restorations or would it be better to track down a different source (LD etc.). They have a warmer sound then some upmixes for DVDs without original audio and I've toyed with the idea of replacing them with the VHS audio. (ex. The Spy Who Loved Me)

Laserdisc digital audio quality is preferable - it's CD quality, uncompressed PCM @ 44.1kHz, and you can capture it digitally.

VHS hi-fi audio is still a very good option where LD is not available, so yes, it would be worth using a VHS source where the original audio is not on the DVD.

What is the bitrate and quality of LD analog audio? I know that it isn't as good as a the CD quality digital track, but shouldn't it be better than VHS audio?

Anybody know? Is it 384 kbps like the ac3 on a right analog track?

Analogue audio does not have a bitrate!

Silly me-what was I thinking??