A few days ago we announced that 5.1 Entertainment would release the first DVD Audio titles into the market very soon, which appeared a little odd given the fact that the format has not been finalized and players are not yet available.

Now, due to the currently raging encryption debate and the lack of DVD Audio players in the market, the company has shifted its plans and decided to make their releases standard DVD Video releases with six channel Dolby Digital and DTS Surround audio tracks.

According to an article in “Pro Sound News”, 5.1 Entertainment will then immediately switch to full DVD Audio spec support as soon as The 4C Entity (IBM, Intel, Matsushita and Toshiba) and major record companies arrive at a suitable encryption specification for DVD-Audio, so that each title in their catalog will feature DVD Audio information.

5.1 Entertainment – through its Silverline Records label – plans to release 16 classical titles and one jazz/big band recording on March 28, 2000. The classical DVD titles feature an array of music pieces from the London Symphony and the London Philharmonic orchestras. The discs will retail for around $19.98 each, said the company. Each title in the Silverline Records line will incorporate six-channel audio, a visual slide show and menus, and support Dolby Digital, DTS and eventually, DVD-Audio.