The Dolby Atmos, DTS-X, and Auro-3D Discussion Thread

[andyblackcat]

Yes, like the Star Wars prequels, it is odd the gear is better in the past.

Ridley along with James Cameron are the sort of directors who should best stay out of the editing room after the film is released. Ridley's additions to Alien, Blade Runner and a Gladiator have not improve any of them, IMO. Similarly Mr Cameron's fiddling with Terminator 2, Aliens 2, Titanic and some other have has not helped.

The only Ridley change I do really like is Kingdom of Heaven. This film had real problems when first released due to length complaints. The extra 45 mins running time makes this film a lot more understandable and sorts out a range of issue including Michael Sheen's part.

I throw an Atmos word in here. Okay star wars alien all that tech stuff is nonsense look at how much of it they have for use in space and look at where we are now with so little. Took 20 years to build a tiny ISS that like Lego in space the size of football stadium. A death star forget about that rubbish it would take thousands of years to build in zero gravity if not far longer. Took 1000 years to build Great Wall of China which was in Dolby Atmos film that looked like fairytale or something out of Lord of the Rings?

Nasa has all these fancy designs and rockets that can land like something out of Thunderbird's now that is cool is it going to be used soon for manned landings on Mars which was in a Dolby Atmos film what was it called "Life" where looks like in the clips something out of Species 2 that was only dts.

What makes me laugh is Alien Covernat with all that heavy hardware how the heck did they get that off the ground? It would near a rocket so vast or normal rocket taking those parts up and chains as well oh please what a load of nonsense and oh what would cost be? Far more than the Apollo space program which is now in a new Dolby Atmos what its "first man" filmed by Stanley Kubrick. I like to believe I like to believe its just not going to happen like directors have envisioned ourselves in the future all we see is little bit of it a time then swept under the carpet and forgotten about for decades then Nasa reboots itself again saying "we're going to Mars" how many decades have they been taking about it for? If it ever happens its going to be like few trips there see if the hardware works like early missions of Apollo before Apollo 8 orbited the moon December 1968. And yes there will be accidents.

Think we should start talking about Atmos hardware and why there is still no discrete Below Surround Channel as lot of the sound tech I listen to makes no sense without Below Surround I'm still only hearing half the sound.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Think we should start talking about Atmos hardware and why there is still no discrete Below Surround Channel as lot of the sound tech I listen to makes no sense without Below Surround I'm still only hearing half the sound.

What is "Below Surround Channel" ?

 

[Drunkpenguin]

A death star forget about that rubbish it would take thousands of years to build in zero gravity if not far longer.

 

[andyblackcat]

The only Ridley change I do really like is Kingdom of Heaven. This film had real problems when first released due to length complaints. The extra 45 mins running time makes this film a lot more understandable and sorts out a range of issue including Michael Sheen's part.

Kingdom of Heaven only have that on DVD I think the theatrical? Not played since it was released on DVD.

 

[andyblackcat]

Lol ... 24 hrs later ...

 

[andyblackcat]

Kingdom of Heaven 2005 theatrical with Dolby DSU and dts Neural X

The sound levels are clear but mostly low level with fader up at 0.0db. Alien Covernat a bit louder and mostly played at -8.0db.
The music level most sound effects chapter 22 is about -20 then raising slowly high to -15db on level meters where Covant would be higher with near close to 0db. Choir voices mostly heard on back surrounds horse hoofs coming up from behind along the sidewall surrounds even though its 5.1 the DSU thou still think its a PLIIx mode.

1:03.19 to 1:03.20 with camera at low angle to ground horses appearing overhead subtlety.Switching to dts Neural:X the decoding extracts a thicker texture of the sound but makes no sense since I am looking at the screen at certain angle and the hoofs impacting with ground surface is with the ground not above against thin air where there is no ground boundary surface for that sound to be even possible.

I make make a special user modification so I can switch the overhead JBL control 5 x4 to the JBL control 1 below the seating. I have the control 1 already wired up to run (matrix rear surround) from one of two Dolby CP45 that used to run as matrix centre front for overhead that worked rather well with 7.1 discrete.

I can do this one of few ways I have it wired up (but not yet wired in though a mixer/s that I can switch and blend channels together or separately to see if 4 extra channels can work well with the sound and visual that I see as well if it makes sense when playing it and hearing from Below the seating. I can pre listen to chapter 22 for minutes analyzing it. Maybe another few Behringer DCX249 which I plan to get so all the JBL are running with DSP crossover. Maybe some combination of low end playing below that would be frequncy filtered. Playing full spectrum I'm going to hear some sounds that wouldn't be heard in such a way unless I'm laying on the floor with ear to floor. There's only so much the Dolby Pro-Logic PLII PLIIx or as they like to call it "up-mixer" DSU dts Neural:X can do and can't do. This is why we really need proper discreate channels above in-btweeen and below but seems like Auro, Dolby and dts don't want play ball and they rather do this a little piace at time and wasting my listening time as well as everyone else's.

Sometimes there maybe some layer of the sounds that may have an ant-phase signal that will need a the decoder to extract it and play it in kinder of sense of discrte likeness.

Dolby EX for home only used 1 channel for the back. The Dolby SA10 based on the Dolby CP45 in fact is the same with cosmetic changes had the rear back surround that was later used on one film, We Where Soilders. I get the sense the DSU is like PLIIx hybrid only it doesn't have the extra channels so might as well All of us buying back the AVR sold that had rather decent PLIIx I get feeling PLIIz is more of the same that never took off in the home. But these AVR's are so cheap on ebay now for £200 or less and all needed is re-plughing the new main AVR with another one and using the LR input on other AVR and switching it to PLIIx and see what matrix magic it can or can't do.

 

[Bookmark]

Being something of a fool, I have both the Dvd and Bluray director's cut kingdom of Heaven along with an original Dvd of the theatrical. I also have my original widescreen Star Wars on VHS and the remastered edition boxset. Then the Dvds and now the Bluray. For LOTR we have the original theatrical releases and the extended in both Dvd and Buray.

Ridley, George and Peter have made a fair bit out of me.

 

[Cos]

I h

Sweet setup. All GE Speakers for the whole house, including ceiling ATMOS speakers. Are the subs in the Triton towers?[/QUOTE

Subs are in the towers, but going to add a third subwoofer in the back of the room, that most likely will not be GE. I have whole house GE, because I am serial upgrader, Usually sell my old stuff, but keep moving it to different rooms in the house lol. I eventually will convert one of my larger bedrooms to a 2 speaker listening room, but too far out as the new patio, basement remodel, etc has drained my back account. Will be in my 2019 Budget

 

[andyblackcat]

FIREFOX (1982)
dts5.1ma, with dts Neural:X / five screen channels / Lucasfilm Ltd THX Sound System / JBL professional

Tense action/drama espionage film about Russian supersonic aircraft called "Firefox" Clint Eastwood mission is to steal it.

This film has it all aircraft and submarines always good thing with subs for afterburners or submissive subs breaking though the ice.

Maurice Jarre (farther of Jean Michel Jarre) score is exciting thou plays rather low at times against the sound effects but still easily heard.

Listening to Firefox with dts Neural:X matrix upmixer. Sounds airy with firefox flyovers as it speeds away from the Russian airbase at chapter 25 1:28.07 to 1:28.11 slowly fades away to the next edit cut scene.

Aerial cinematography with John Dykstra (Apogee) photochemical visual effects look slightly dated but still watchable exciting.

Firefox engines roaring up along the right

Chapter 29 1:46.29 firefox encounters the missile cruiser. 1:47.15 ocean water being lifted ups surrounds the aircreaft with some deep LFE.1.

1:47.48 "Picking up helicopters now. I think I'll take one out"
The aft tail missile blasting the other helicopter to smithereens 1:48.03 hits the landing pad with deep thundering rumble.

The firefox throttle lever reminds me of the Dolby remote fader easing up the SPL level.

 

[andyblackcat]

Into the Blue (2005)
PCM uncompressed 5.1 dts Neural:X / Lucasfilm Ltd THX sound system / JBL professional

Its fast and furious into the deep blue underwater.

The underwater scenes are nicely photographed.

 

[Bookmark]

Firefox, a blast from the past and on the schedule for a viewing. I think the other one is Heartbreak Ridge which I watched a month or so back.

Yes the Firefox is quite an enjoyable film, although the aircraft effects look decidedly dated alas.

I have not seen Into the Blue and currently not an option on Prime or Netfilx although the 2nd one is

Last night I watched A Monster Calls, just a Dvd, but the sound of the Monster is very good. Much like the similarly themed I Kill Giants, the sound engineer did a stellar job on the beasties.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Being something of a fool, I have both the Dvd and Bluray director's cut kingdom of Heaven along with an original Dvd of the theatrical.

"Kingdom of Heaven" is one of my favorites. If they ever remaster it with DTSX or Atmos, I might have to get it.

For now I'll have to watch it again on BD (DTS-HD MA) with DTSNX.

 

[andyblackcat]

I have not seen Into the Blue and currently not an option on Prime or Netfilx although the 2nd one is

I think it is on netflix that's where I saw it first several years ago. There was no Dolby digital plus available for it at the time.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I saw “Kingdom of Heaven” on BD DTS-HD MA with DTSNX.

I thought DTSNX improved the sound. The overhead effects are subtle and well used.

I also saw “Terminator Genysis” in ATMOS. As expected, “Genisys” made significantly more use of all the speakers.

Voices from intercom, spacecrafts, helicopters, explosions were heard from overhead.

I greatly enjoyed both movies.

 

[Bookmark]

Yes I enjoyed the Kingdom with a Neural X on Sunday and it was pretty good. I watched Gladiator as well and the opening battle is quite nicely handled. Overall it was a bit more surroundy than in the past but I think running the Neural X did help.

For the bombastic I went with San Andreas. Oh my. Really had to turn down the volume on that one lest the complaints started. I am desperately trying to find my blu ray copy as this is supposed to have Atmos. However even up mixed it is fun if totally preposterous nonsense.

I will have to try the Genisys again with up mix, although I think Salvation would give it a fair run on the sound front.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I’ve noticed that certain movie franchises stick to the same sound format.

For example, all the Jason Bourne and Jurassic Park movies are in DTSX, while all the Transformers movies are in ATMOS.

But the Divergent series aren’t like that. The first movie (Divergent) is in DTSX. But then the next 2 movies (Insurgent and Allegiant) are in ATMOS.

 

[Bookmark]

Could be an actor/director thing (especially where they are producer as well), but I think it's more likely down to the Studio preference. I have found if the distributor is different in different regions, then the sound format can change.

Apparently a fair few of the US bluray titles which had Atmos/Dts:X and when it makes it over here in the UK it switches to Dts HDMA due to a distributor change. The Last Witch-hunter, Oblivion, Gravity, Jurassic World to name but a few. I would like to see this stopped. Oddly a lot of Blurays are not region locked except the copy in UHD boxes (particularly Fox).

I have high hopes MI Fallout will turn up in Atmos since most Tom Cruise ones do

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Could be an actor/director thing (especially where they are producer as well), but I think it's more likely down to the Studio preference. I have found if the distributor is different in different regions, then the sound format can change.

Apparently a fair few of the US bluray titles which had Atmos/Dts:X and when it makes it over here in the UK it switches to Dts HDMA due to a distributor change. The Last Witch-hunter, Oblivion, Gravity, Jurassic World to name but a few. I would like to see this stopped. Oddly a lot of Blurays are not region locked except the copy in UHD boxes (particularly Fox).

I have high hopes MI Fallout will turn up in Atmos since most Tom Cruise ones do

I can understand the 1080p BD versions, but the 4K UHD BD of Oblivion and Gravity didn’t have ATMOS ?

 

[Bookmark]

I find that odd. I checked Amazon.com for the 4K Oblivion and it has Atmos, the included bluray copy is Dts HDMA.
https://www.amazon.com/Oblivion-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B01FH1UYX4/ref=tmm_frk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Even weirder is the actual bluray does
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U8O6IMM/ref=atv_dp_mv_of_dp_1

Pretty sure Gravity UHD has Atmos, probably the same issue with the included bluray. I do know there are versions of the Bluray with Atmos, however mine is not one of them.

Could be down to different releases.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I find that odd. I checked Amazon.com for the 4K Oblivion and it has Atmos, the included bluray copy is Dts HDMA.
https://www.amazon.com/Oblivion-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B01FH1UYX4/ref=tmm_frk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Even weirder is the actual bluray does
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U8O6IMM/ref=atv_dp_mv_of_dp_1

Pretty sure Gravity UHD has Atmos, probably the same issue with the included bluray. I do know there are versions of the Bluray with Atmos, however mine is not one of them.

Could be down to different releases.

Disappointing for sure.

I just noticed that both Interstellar 4K and Inception 4K BD are only in DTS-HD MA, not Atmos or DTSX. Also very disappointing, another 1st world problem.

They better release the Atmos version because these 2 movies are among my favorites. I bet they will both sound even more awesome in Atmos.