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Best Demos for Dolby Pro-Logic IIx ... here is one (1 Viewer)

JedW

Agent
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
43
One of the best movies that I have found for testing out DPL IIx was X-Men2. The best scene was when they were flying through the storm. It sounded like a true 7.1 set up, with discrete sounds coming from all 4 back speakers.
 

Fernando Saa

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 3, 2002
Messages
56
JedW:
I'll check it out I have that movie. But doesn't DPL IIx extract or create two additional matrixed channels out of 5.1 sources? are these sounds you mention truly discrete or they just sound like they are? little confused here...
 

Yogi

Screenwriter
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Jul 25, 2002
Messages
1,741
My latest favourite is The Last Samurai in DD. One hell of a sound track and a great movie, IMHO.
 

Roger Dressler

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 15, 1999
Messages
187
Fernando wrote:
>>But doesn't DPL IIx extract or create two additional matrixed channels out of 5.1 sources? are these sounds you mention truly discrete or they just sound like they are?
 

TimMc

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
220
Good call on The Last Samurai, Yogi. I came home kinda late from work last night & the spousal unit and younger boy were well into that movie. I think they kinda got into it 'cause I'm pretty sure that the big knob got turned 'round to the right just a bit, and believe-u-mee the whole back of the room was really jumping. The entry from our front hallway to "the big room" is about half way along a long wall, and when I walked into the room it seemed as though there was just as much going on to my right (in the back channels, and oh-so-discretely ;~) as from the fronts to my left. A heck of an effect and it seemed like a heck of a movie - I know they both give it a big thumbs up :emoji_thumbsup: :emoji_thumbsup:
 

Allen Marshall

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
561
Wait let me get this straigt. PLIIx can be used ontop of Dolby Digital? i thought it just turned stereo into 7.1 like PLII turns Stereo into 5.1.
 

Roger Dressler

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 15, 1999
Messages
187
Allen, PLIIx does both: 2-->7, and 5.1-->7.1. It also supports just 6.1 outputs, if that's all the decoder has available.
 

Tom.C

Auditioning
Joined
May 5, 2004
Messages
9
Roger - On the Yamaha 1400 it seems like you can apply both PLIIx and a Yamaha DSP mode (like Sci-Fi or Suround Enhanced) for 5.1 sources. Do you know how they interact? Does IIx create the surround back channels from the orignal signals and then does the DSP mode modify both the surround and back surround signals? Or does IIx get applied to the DSP modified signal? OR does the DSP mode not affect the surround back channels? Any insight would be appreciated. I do not usually use the DSP modes, but still would be interested. Thx.
 

Roger Dressler

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 15, 1999
Messages
187
Tom wrote:
>>Does IIx create the surround back channels from the orignal signals and then does the DSP mode modify both the surround and back surround signals? Or does IIx get applied to the DSP modified signal? OR does the DSP mode not affect the surround back channels?
 

Tom.C

Auditioning
Joined
May 5, 2004
Messages
9
Thanks Roger. That solves part of the question. I'll try to find out what the Yamaha DSP does with the surround back channels after IIx has created it.
 

Mike~Sileck

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Messages
510
When you use PLIIx over a 5.1 or 6.1 DD source, does it leave the original sl/r intact, and just add the sb l/r info?

Can you even use PLIIx over a 6.1 source? I mean from what I gather 6.1 sources are usually handled by receivers by just splitting the Rear Center channel. Maybe I'm wrong...

Mike
 

Roger Dressler

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 15, 1999
Messages
187
>>When you use PLIIx over a 5.1 or 6.1 DD source, does it leave the original sl/r intact, and just add the sb l/r info?
 

Scott_MacD

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 13, 2001
Messages
760
And finally, one last question for Roger.

Will the PLIIx matrix technology extrapolate DTS decoded 5.1 surround channels into 7.1 in the same way as it does Dolby Digital tracks? Or is this a feature of the pathway of the reciever/decoder itself?
 

Roger Dressler

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 15, 1999
Messages
187
Scott wrote:

>>Will the PLIIx matrix technology extrapolate DTS decoded 5.1 surround channels into 7.1 in the same way as it does Dolby Digital tracks? Or is this a feature of the pathway of the reciever/decoder itself?
 

JoeHard

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 24, 2003
Messages
136
I'm going to need some guidance in ProLogic II.I was under the impression PL II was for 2 channel sources and the surround effects were generated using matrix processing. I have enjoyed both PLII and Neo 6 with my Rotel prepro on music cd's, but why would You use it on material that was recorded in discrete multi-channel?
 

Scott_MacD

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 13, 2001
Messages
760
Very enlightening read, Roger, Thank you. I've been wanting to make the dip into 7.1 for a while now, and I have a better understanding of what Dolby has to offer here.

I suggest you read the FAQ too, Joe. It answers your question.

---> snip

Dolby Pro Logic IIx is an extension of Dolby Pro Logic II technology. This highly sophisticated algorithm processes native stereo and 5.1-channel content to produce 6.1 or 7.1 output channels.

---> another snip

# What were the sonic goals in developing Dolby Pro Logic IIx?

[*]Improved surround envelopment[*]Enhanced sense of spatial depth[*]Improved directionality[*]Larger listening area, commonly referred to as the “sweet spot”[*]Compatibility of all native stereo and 5.1-channel content with 6.1 and 7.1 playback configurations[/list]----> snip

Again, many thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Roger.
 

Joe.P

Auditioning
Joined
Oct 21, 2003
Messages
7
Can someone recomend a couple specific scenes from particular movies to sample each type of surround processing for a head to head comparision?
It's seem difficult to make the comparison over the course of an entire movie.
 

Greg Walker

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 21, 2003
Messages
55
I have a Yamaha RX-V2400 (7.1) receiver, but I only have 6.1 speakers hooked up. Are there any advantages to using PLIIx instead of EX to decode the rear center channel. I have read the thread but I am still a little confused on this particular issue. (Sorry):b
 

Jeremy Anderson

Screenwriter
Joined
Nov 23, 1999
Messages
1,049
I have a 6.1 setup (Onkyo 502) and find that DPL-IIx does sound better than using EX processing, even on films mixed for EX. Mostly, it makes it sound more 3-dimensional across the rears, as if sounds were coming from specific points behind you rather than just SOMEWHERE behind you. I'm also finding that movies in 5.1 that previously didn't sound good with forced matrix decoding applied sound much better with DPL-IIx. Specifically, the DTS version of Saving Private Ryan sounds very nice with DTS+DPL-IIx, whereas forcing DTS-ES Matrix made it sound like the rear soundstage was narrow and messed up most of the sidewall pans.

To get back on topic: I just watched Resident Evil again, which is a DD 5.1 movie. With DPL-IIx on, the sound was jaw-dropping. I had to check Dolby's website to make sure the movie wasn't originally mixed for EX, because with DPL-IIx it sure as hell sounded like it.

No one has mentioned any music demos for DPL-IIx, so here are two that I've listened to recently:
Nickel Creek: This Side - The whole album has instruments panned to various points in stereo, making Panorama mode work really well. The surrounds get mostly ambience, but there's a moment in Track 3 where someone whispers something during the song, and I could've sworn that the whispering was somewhere between my right and center surrounds. This album, when played back with DPL-IIx, sounds better than some of the music discs I have that are mixed for 5.1.

Sean Watkins: 26 Miles - The second solo effort from Nickel Creek's guitarist. Again, very specific placement of instruments across the front, so Panorama works well. As with the Nickel Creek album, having the center surround with DPL-IIx really makes it sound like you're in the room with them. It isn't gimmicky like the DSP modes that attempt to simulate live venues; it just sounds like you're there.
 

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