UHDTV and 22.2 Surround Sound - Does Anybody Think That Thats Going Too Far Too Fast?

[supervij]

Decent 5.1 mixes on TV shows are rare, this is true. But Numb3rs bucks the trend, I think. They always have lots of stuff going on in the surround channels, and the overall sound quality is great. That's one show I always play loud and enable EX.

cheers,
supervij

 

[ChunkyDark]

I'm glad some folks push the envelope and aren't satisfied with what's out there. They are the ones that move us beyond B&W tv and rotary phones.
22.2 certainly seems ridiculous now, but who knows what that might lead to as far as trickle down tech.
As a side note I keep feeling the urge to upgrade my 720 tv even though you couldn't tell the difference at that distance.

 

[fractile]

UHDTV and 22.2

Yeah, there is some good mix coming from those tv shows and also commercials... a few movies. I think it's still a new field. And then music is sitting in one place and easier to capture than an action movie in 3-D, for 3 hours. The weekly tv budget is ... more immediate return. wow

 

[s162216]

UHDTV would actually show too much detail

When I watch HD content, I think that in some cases it actually shows too much detail - such as makeup details and skin details. With UHDTV thats going to be 16 times worst so although it may look as if it is ultra realistic, it could end up being just too realistic as we will see what we don't want to.

 

[Thaedium]

I think its a moot point in any case. They are already working on 3D TV, so likely that will be where things move too over this UHDTV. Crazier things have happened though.

 

[fractile]

Welcome to toontown

When I watch HD content, I think that in some cases it actually shows too much detail - such as makeup details and skin details. With UHDTV thats going to be 16 times worst so although it may look as if it is ultra realistic, it could end up being just too realistic as we will see what we don't want to.

I think for that they will have to computer process it all like in the movie UltraViolet.

 

[Seth=L]

I'm hoping that by 2015, we will all have undergone a simple surgical procedure where a small chip is implanted into our cranium, having broadcast TV and video wirelessly transmitted to the chip. Basically turning our heads into nothing but a seamless 360 degree soundfield of audio nirvana, with the additional transducer butt chip for those real deep low bass (thinking of all the medical benefits of those who suffer from constipation also.) Simple contact lenses will broadcast images so clear that you will lose all facets of reality and spend days watching reruns of "The Hills" just endlessly loop into your brain.

Dare to dream, dare to dream. Seriously, America can't get 4 million nimrods to get an almost free converter box, (postponing the digital conversion) you really think 22.2 surround sound is ever gonna take off?

No volume control, but at least you would never hurt your ears.

 

[Socio]

22.2 is laughable for home theater. But in an extremely large room, it would be okay, although not needed.

Actually 22.2 is doable and even in a small room can sound quite astonishing.

I have set up a 22.2 test system consisting of a core 7.1 system with six CS3X Jr’s two Yamaha DSP processors and a BMC.

I use the CS3X Jr’s to create channels in between channels; they are excellent at extracting and displaying the difference between two channels. With them I created front and rear left and right side axis channels, a rear center channel, and front, middle and rear overhead channels.

I used the two Yamaha DSP processors for front and rear left and right presence channels.

I have one sub ran to the sub out on the receiver and one sub ran to a M&K bass management unit where I have ran the sub outs on the CS3X Jr’s used for the side axis and rear center channels. I set all speakers to large, this way I get the LFE bass and all the bass sent to the speakers that otherwise would go unheard.

Here is the layout and some pics;

For fun I also added a a tactile transducer to the mix so it is really 22.2 + 1;

As you can see the system is relatively small however the sound is amazing and quite immersive, it does take some effort to calibrate it, but I find the end result to be worth it and I will eventually incorporate this system in to my main HT.

 

[s162216]

Actually 22.2 is doable and even in a small room can sound quite astonishing.

I have set up a 22.2 test system consisting of a core 7.1 system with six CS3X Jr’s two Yamaha DSP processors and a BMC.

I use the CS3X Jr’s to create channels in between channels; they are excellent at extracting and displaying the difference between two channels. With them I created front and rear left and right side axis channels, a rear center channel, and front, middle and rear overhead channels.

I used the two Yamaha DSP processors for front and rear left and right presence channels.

I have one sub ran to the sub out on the receiver and one sub ran to a M&K bass management unit where I have ran the sub outs on the CS3X Jr’s used for the side axis and rear center channels. I set all speakers to large, this way I get the LFE bass and all the bass sent to the speakers that otherwise would go unheard.

Here is the layout and some pics;

For fun I also added a a tactile transducer to the mix so it is really 22.2 + 1;

As you can see the system is relatively small however the sound is amazing and quite immersive, it does take some effort to calibrate it, but I find the end result to be worth it and I will eventually incorporate this system in to my main HT.

Yes, you have shown that it is possible, but how much did that all actually cost? A fairly decent 5.1 system can already cost a good few thousand pounds and 22.2 is what, 4 times more speakers so thats going to be like £8000 upwards. Plus think about how much speaker cable all those speakers will take, that will easily be another £200 or so. Only the real diehard, hardcore are going to actually spend that much and this is mean't to be for the mainstream TV broadcasting, so I just think its a waste of time including it as proberly only less than 1% of UHDTV watchers are actually going to listen in 22.2.
Most cinemas don't even have 7.1 currently, and I seriously don't think that in what, 5 years they will have 22.2 either. IMO it would be best to do 22.2 in a larger setting like a cinema first so that it can become more mainstream, before putting it into the home, like with surround sound mixes originally. Most TV programs were not in stereo until the mid eighties, yet Dolby Stereo had come out a decade ago for use in cinemas and it started doing surround first before being integrated into consumer TV broadcasting.

UHDTV is just going to be a waste of money which is too complex for the average TV viewer. If you want that sort of quality, watch it in a cinema, thats the idea of them, to be better.

 

[MidnightSensi]

I think that it wouldn't take off because most people aren't going to put 24+ speakers in their room. And with 22 speakers, you wouldn't run 2 subwoofers, you'd probably run more like 8+.

So, that's not going to be in a living room (of anyone getting laid).

With 7.1 or even 9.1, you can have it in a living room using a LCD/plasma, a concealed equipment rack, and inwall speakers (and even inwall subwoofers, or hidden subwoofers because couches, etc.).

And even in a dedicated room, with the cost of having 22 speakers, wouldn't you rather put the money into 7 really nice speakers? I can't believe what an upgrade my rear sound was after I added my M&K SS-50s into the mix.

I don't even see many 7.1 mixes. Pan's Labyrinth was awesome in DTS 7.1 ... probably one of the more underrated soundtracks (or at least I haven't seen much talk about it), I thought it was amazing. Not just the immersive sound, but, also the quality of the dialog. I hate movies with bad dialog and mic'ing, its my pet peeve (and there are a lot of good movies with bad dialog sound).

 

[Socio]

Yes, you have shown that it is possible, but how much did that all actually cost? A fairly decent 5.1 system can already cost a good few thousand pounds and 22.2 is what, 4 times more speakers so thats going to be like £8000 upwards. Plus think about how much speaker cable all those speakers will take, that will easily be another £200 or so. .

What you are seeing is just a relatively cheap test system;

I already had a couple amps and a Yamaha DSP, and BMC from previous systems and a 7.1 system already in place, the CS3X JR’s only cost $75 US each the rest I got from EBay, the speakers are just Klipsch Promedia speakers, and a hodgepodge of speaker stands. So in addition to what I already had it probably cost me less than a $1,200 US to go from 7.1 to 22.2.

However to do this in my main HT with higher end equipment would probably end up being 10X that or more and I will have to do it a step at a time as I can afford it. Just the required cabling and speaker wire alone will cost a small fortune.