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

[snakeeyes]

It's a matter of preference.

In the end it's about what you like better, not what OTHERS like better.

If you like DSU better, then naturally you use DSU. And I guess you're lucky because you don't have to worry about the Dolby restriction since you don't use NeuralX anyway.

People who LOVE NeuralX and HATE DSU have to worry about that stupid Dolby restriction.

No worries if your gear isn’t restricted though.

 

[VonMagnum]

No worries if your gear isn’t restricted though.

Until it's time to upgrade again....

 

[snakeeyes]

Until it's time to upgrade again....

Hoping I can avoid 8K entirely. Planning to ride the 4K HDMI 2.0a until the wheels fall off.

 

[VonMagnum]

Hoping I can avoid 8K entirely. Planning to ride the 4K HDMI 2.0a until the wheels fall off.

Well, I was thinking more about AVRs in general, not necessarily 8K in particular. Newer formats, modes, accessories or maybe the old one just dies one day and you have to buy a new one and surprise, you can't get one you like anymore (maybe on eBay?)

I was hoping for HDMI 2.1 to show up before I bought an AVR so I wouldn't have to worry about it for 8-10 years or whatever. Still hasn't happened. I'd be waiting forever. If I had waited another year or two back in 2007, I could have TrueHD/DTS-Master support in my AVR and "real" 7.1 sound (I was stuck with an AVR that had 7.1 output, but only 6.1 decoding support and ONLY if it was DTS-ES or DD-EX, the latter of which was just a steered format like PLIIx added to 5.1. But then I wanted to get my money's worth so I didn't want to buy another one again and it seemed like the vast majority of movies weren't available in 7.1 anyway (I think there were like 3-4 dozen available when Atmos came out after almost a decade? Now I own over 150 Atmos/X/Auro movies and counting in less than a year. Thus, I say even people who prefer 7.1 to Atmos/X or whatever should still welcome it as it has vastly increased the number of titles supporting native 7.1 playback over just 5.1.

 

[snakeeyes]

Well, I was thinking more about AVRs in general, not necessarily 8K in particular. Newer formats, modes, accessories or maybe the old one just dies one day and you have to buy a new one and surprise, you can't get one you like anymore (maybe on eBay?)

I was hoping for HDMI 2.1 to show up before I bought an AVR so I wouldn't have to worry about it for 8-10 years or whatever. Still hasn't happened. I'd be waiting forever. If I had waited another year or two back in 2007, I could have TrueHD/DTS-Master support in my AVR and "real" 7.1 sound (I was stuck with an AVR that had 7.1 output, but only 6.1 decoding support and ONLY if it was DTS-ES or DD-EX, the latter of which was just a steered format like PLIIx added to 5.1. But then I wanted to get my money's worth so I didn't want to buy another one again and it seemed like the vast majority of movies weren't available in 7.1 anyway (I think there were like 3-4 dozen available when Atmos came out after almost a decade? Now I own over 150 Atmos/X/Auro movies and counting in less than a year. Thus, I say even people who prefer 7.1 to Atmos/X or whatever should still welcome it as it has vastly increased the number of titles supporting native 7.1 playback over just 5.1.

I’m sure I’ll keep buying gear as things wear out, but 5.2.4 is what my current home can support. Sure I’m all for a much larger theater room if I had the space but my interest is focused on the audio side and not beyond 4K HDR on the video side.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Hoping I can avoid 8K entirely. Planning to ride the 4K HDMI 2.0a until the wheels fall off.

What about firmware updates? Will they sneak in the Dolby Restriction via firmware?

And I want 8K when it’s prevalent (like 4K is prevalent now). So that means I will probably get hit with this Dolby restriction some time in the near future.

 

[snakeeyes]

What about firmware updates? Will they sneak in the Dolby Restriction via firmware?

And I want 8K when it’s prevalent (like 4K is prevalent now). So that means I will probably get hit with this Dolby restriction some time in the near future.

Ya hopefully sources will have an hdmi cable for audio to run to receiver and another hdmi for video to run to the 8k display.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Ya hopefully sources will have an hdmi cable for audio to run to receiver and another hdmi for video to run to the 8k display.

True. And just use a HDMI switcher (for video) for all the sources.

 

[VonMagnum]

True. And just use a HDMI switcher (for video) for all the sources.

That's called the TV on most sets these days (i.e. I plugged everything into the five HDMI inputs of the 8K 72" Qled and let the AVR do the audio. No need for extra hardware with eARC. . QLeds actually have aware switching. You can call them with voice commands even. Hello computer!

 

[VonMagnum]

Alita Battle Angel and Captain Marvel came in the past two days. The former is a quad pack (4K+3D+2K+digital copy) and has Atmos on the 4K disc only (7.1 DTS on the 2K and 3D discs included) so I had to move Atmos over to them (no timing changes needed). Captain Marvel 3D has 3D and 2K discs from the UK (no digital copy) and only 7.1 sound. The 4K disc is separate. It was also about $11 cheaper. I've been told Alita's Atmos track is amazing.... As Conan said in Destroyer, "We shall see." (or hear a it were)

I think my ear infection is gone finally. Hopefully, I can check them out in a few days.

I also picked up The Maltese Falcon (1931 original) and Satan Met a Lady (1936),a spoof of The Maltese Falcon (currently looking for a Touch Tip lighter replica of the one from the 1941 Bogart movie, which I've had in HD for some time (already have the bird).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just saw “Us” in 4K Atmos.

There were a few overhead sounds. The bed surrounds were active. But not too much overhead sounds. So this movie does not make my Atmos/DTSX list.

As for the movie itself, I thought it was pure crap.

If I hadn’t seen “Get Out”, I would say this director is an idiot.

If he makes another stupid movie, I will call him “M Night #2”. Makes 1 decent movie, and the rest are pure crap.


My good Atmos/DTSX list:

1. Pacific Rim 2013 Atmos
2. Blade Runner 2049 2017 4K Atmos (among the best)
3. Cloverfield Paradox 2018 Atmos
4. The Equalizer 2014 Atmos
5. The Great Wall 2016 Atmos
6. Hunter Killer 2018 Atmos
7. The Matrix Trilogy 1999, 2003, 2003 4K Atmos
8. Oblivion 2013 Atmos
9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016 Atmos
10. Salt 2010 Atmos
11. Sully 2016 Atmos
12. Twilight 2008 Atmos
13. Underworld 2003 Atmos
14. Underworld Blood Wars 2016 Atmos
15. Atomic Blonde 2017 DTSX
16. Harry Potter franchise (8 movies) 2001-2011 4K DTSX
17. Black Hawk Down 2001 4K Atmos
18. 13 Hours 2016 4K Atmos
19. Gravity 2013 Atmos
20. Ready Player One 2018 Atmos
21. Robin Hood 2018 Atmos
22. Jurassic World 4K DTSX
23. Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom 4K DTSX
24. Terminator Genisys 4K Atmos
25. Alita Battle Angel 2019 4K Atmos
26. Pet Sematary (2019) 4K Atmos
27. Blade Runner 1982 4K Atmos (among the best)

 

[VonMagnum]

I don't see where US was any "stupider" than Get Out. Both are preposterous. I thought where US fell apart was the ending. If the girl was switched, she would damn well KNOW it. No mention by either one. I see why he'd want a twist, but even twists have to make sense.

I watched Blade Runner 2049 again.... it's not the overhead sensation some make it out to be. Great overall sound (deep deep bass),but the original blows it away for sheer crazy overhead use. Nothing beats Fury and the original Jumanji, IMO for overhead use (Overlord comes close with that crazy ball on ceiling thing and the awesome plane opening, but those are kind of far apart). I mean for just a couple of scenes or whatever, Flatliners title sequence opening is awesome, but it's not much after that.

My ear infection seems to linger. Most of the time, the ache is gone and my hearing is better, but I've had lightheaded off-motion sensations for weeks now (my doctor is like give it a couple more weeks, viral infections can take 6 weeks.... I suppose. My last one did (I thought it was a reaction to prescription strength Aleve at the time since I had started taking a few days before and this time i thought maybe it was the Flonase as some reported that too, but it's more likely the viral infection in the inner ear. Oddly, Advil seems to work best (anti-inflammatory) for reducing symptoms. So I'm still not watching movies downstairs for now (loud sounds bother ear sometimes and I don't want the eustachian tubes closing again).

Still trying to locate a Touch Tip lighter from the Maltese Falcon.... phone screwed up a bid today on eBay.... didn't get it. It had too much rust corrosion anyway. They seem few in-between. Several more Indiana Jones items on the way, though. I did watch the original Maltese Falcon movie (1931) and Satan Met a Lady (1936 spoof). The spoof wasn't that great, but the 1931 version was decent (Sam smiled too much, though, but I liked the extra details around Miles' wife and the bathtub scene and the secretary was better). I just ordered a 1965 leather bound book version to read (includes 4 other novels by Dashiell Hammett in one book) with a built-in bookmark off eBay.... Nice.

 

[darealest1]

It's amazing to how people $30 on horrible movies just because they are 4K HDR.

I agree why would anyone subject themselves willingly to waterworld again? It was once considered the biggest flop in movie history for a reason. Ill take John carter as a better flop over it any day.

 

[darealest1]

Auro-3D on everything but the high end (which is based on 7.1) is just 5.1 with two or four height speakers plus optional VOG. How other than the VOG is that much different from Atmos 5.1.4 other than the recommended side heights versus rear heights which for 5.1 should be behind you anyway? DTS:X can use either layout.

You do know Atmos and X an play on 5.1 and 7.1 just fine, right? If anything, 7.1 titles were hard to find until Atmos came out, so if anything, 7.1 owners should be glad of getting more titles that contain discrete content. Atmos hurts nothing on older systems.

Atmos also plays fine on Auro layouts as I can attest seeing as my top middles are actually side heights (the only speakers "on" my ceiling are rear heights; my front heights are on a bookshelf beside the drop down screen. Side heights are just below my steel beam box on the side walls above my side surrounds so they are actually slightly lower than the front/rear heights (can't tell set to heights in AVR. I can tell if front/rear are set to tops in the Atmos helicopter demo, but just slightly).

People make too big a deal about exact placement. Your ears can't tell on the ceiling from in the ceiling from near the ceiling. They just hear height angles.

I couldnt agree more!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

why would anyone subject themselves willingly to waterworld again?

Some of us are willing to sacrifice and "take one" for the team!

"Waterworld" is a bad movie, but it does have some decent overhead sound effects. Just not great enough to make my list, though.

But yeah, it's a bad movie alright.

 

[snakeeyes]

Some of us are willing to sacrifice and "take one" for the team!

"Waterworld" is a bad movie, but it does have some decent overhead sound effects. Just not great enough to make my list, though.

But yeah, it's a bad movie alright.

So no special edition 3 lazer disc of Waterworld in your collection? LOL

 

[VonMagnum]

I got my messages deleted on AVForums about Waterworld because I expressed those same opinions (for "unbelievable ignorance" about apparently what he thought was the best movie of all time, from a moderator there no less. That's after receiving hate messages from a half dozen people that LOVE that movie (all from Britain; I guess the British have bad taste) for simply saying the movie wasn't that great, like Mad Max on the water and I wasn't the biggest Mad Max fan to begin with (that ticked someone off too; I liked Mad Max OK, I just don't "love" it). I guess if you're a moderator you're not only allowed to have bad taste in movies, but get to force your views on users too. (for the record, I didn't actually hate Waterworld, but I wouldn't want to watch it more than once a decade or two. It's mediocre and I've never cared for Kevin Costner movies for whatever reason. Dances with Wolves was good, but it was so long I wouldn't want to watch it that often either).

They also didn't like I said the reviewer should probably be fired for saying Waterworld had a good sound mix was so damn loud they had to give a bad rating despite it sounding great once they adjusted the volume (I suggested any reviewer who would lower a scored based on a high volume level that then said it was fixed by turning the volume down clearly has a screw loose (they didn't even indicate how far it was off). Low levels can cause problems (you can only turn the volume up to 0dB on passive preamps and there's more noise when you go above 0dB on active ones) so you might never reach an acceptable level, but most pre-amps can be turned down to infinity (analog) or at least -80dB (or more) on digital ones.

There's no accounting for taste. What's ridiculous is not the reactions of Neanderthals, but that a moderator would delete my posts for simply giving my opinion that matched the opinion of the official reviewer themself (He didn't like Waterworld either! I simply took issue with giving the audio a "6" for no reason other than they were too lazy to turn the volume down a bit).

 

[Trell]

I got my messages deleted on AVForums about Waterworld because I expressed those same opinions (for "unbelievable ignorance" about apparently what he thought was the best movie of all time, from a moderator there no less. That's after receiving hate messages from a half dozen people that LOVE that movie (all from Britain; I guess the British have bad taste) for simply saying the movie wasn't that great, like Mad Max on the water and I wasn't the biggest Mad Max fan [my bold] to begin with (that ticked someone off too; I liked Mad Max OK, I just don't "love" it).

Dude, I've got some very nice and fondly memories driving through Europe and listening to Tina Turner's songs from the Mad Max movie at the time it was released. The moderators here are clearly not doing their job as your post are still here insulting my-coming-into-adult-hood-thingy!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So no special edition 3 lazer disc of Waterworld in your collection? LOL

umm, no.

 

[VonMagnum]

I actually thought about buying a Maltese Falcon laserdisc for $6 (shipping included) yesterday on eBay.... Still have my ~200 laserdisc collection. The player is even working and connected to my Marantz AVR (Jessica Hahn Playboy disc loaded in it right now I can't find on DVD),but it would look like crap compared to the Blu-ray. The artwork was great on many of them like on LPs, though. I do have the TRON Archive edition Laserdisc (and a Japanese subtitled widescreen version as well) with some stuff on it that was never re-released, including thousands of production photos on a CAV disc. It's probably still worth something for that reason.