360 audio

[hchytd]

On my xbox 360 audio settings, I have the choice of the following:

Analog: mono or Dolby Pro Logic II

or

Digital: Dolby Digital 5.1

I have the yamaha RX-V2500 and aperion 5.1 speaker system so it'll handle all of the above.

My initial reaction is to go choose Digital 5.1, but then my gut assumes Pro Logic II is better? What's the dif? Which one should I choose? Why is PLII under the analog section (isn't it digital?)

Thanx in advance,

-Tiffany

 

[tbewick]

Seeing as you have a 5.1 speaker system, I'd choose Dolby Digital. Dolby Pro-Logic II would be the one to choose if your Yamaha receiver didn't process Dolby Digital 5.1.

Dolby Pro-Logic II can have up to four channels of sound - surround, front centre, and front left and right. Dolby Digital is more advanced and can have up to seven channels of sound - left, right, and centre surround, front centre, front left and right, and a low frequency effects channel.

Dolby Pro-Logic II is under the analogue section because it is not digitally coded when it is sent from the XBox.

 

[MDS]

PLII is a matrix decoder that can process any 2 channel analog or digital (DD or PCM) signal and extract center and surround channels so you have 5.1 output. It's under the analog section so you choose to use PLII if you connect the xbox with analog cables.

I agree you should choose DD 5.1 because the receiver can process that directly (if you connect using a digital coax or optical cable and setup the receiver to use it).

Note: The older ProLogic is the one that is only 4 channels (it's 5 but the surrounds are identical) and cannot process 2 channel digital signals.

 

[hchytd]

thanx!

Thanx fellas,

I only have front, left, center, sub, and 2 surrounds (5.1). However, once I do switch the 360 to Dolby Digital 5.1 (as you suggest), what decoder setting/sound field program should I choose on my yamaha RX-V2500 (when playing games or watching DVDs)?

Dolby Digital: Sur. Standard
Dolby Digital: Sur. Enhanced
DTS:Sur.Standard
DTS:sur.Enhanced
DTS: 96/24: Sur. Standard
PLII Game
PLII Movie
Neo:6 Cinema:
Sur.Enhanced

(or by setting my receiver to "auto" will it choose the best setting?)

-T

 

[MDS]

If the xbox will only play Dolby Digital and not DTS then your choices are DD:Surround Standard or DD:Surround Enhanced. I believe the 'standard' setting on Yamaha receivers means 'as-is' whereas the 'enhanced' setting adds Yamaha proprietary processing on top of the dolby digital. You'll have to try both to see which you prefer.

PLII Game or Movie would only be available if the xbox is outputting a 2 channel digital signal (like PCM from a CD) or if the disc is Dolby Digital 2.0. Movie mode emphasises the center channel a bit and Game mode emphasises the surrounds. PLII Music has adjustable parameters (I use it for everything) and should also be available on that receiver.

Auto mode is for choosing analog vs digital connections when a device that is connected is sending both as well as for identifying which decoder to use - if the movie is DD 5.1 it will automatically choose the Dolby Digital decoder. Your receiver (being near the top of their line) may also have menu settings where you can choose the matrix decoder to use for 2 channel sources; ie set it to automatically choose PLII Movie when it sees a DD 2.0 signal.