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El-cheapo 6.1 ?? (1 Viewer)

John Devine

Auditioning
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
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9
Can anyone give me some information on going 6.1 by connecting together a Digital receiver and a Prologic reciever.

I read a short article on this, but I wasn't clear on the necessary connections, if you need a surround speaker or center channel and can you use two rear surrounds?

If you have tried it what do you think about the sound?

Thanks

John
 

greg jones

Stunt Coordinator
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Jul 26, 2000
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94
Here's what I know and what I've done for a "Pseuo EX" setup. It's actually quite simple and, though the effects probably aren't as "pure" as a receiver capable of decoding the EX/ES signal, it gives your old Pro-Logic receiver something to do.

First, locate the preamp surround outputs on your DD/DTS receiver. Take an RCA patch cable and run the preamp outs into one of the inputs on your Pro-Logic receiver (I use the VCR1 inputs...DO NOT use the phono inputs, as they are completely different from everything else.) Hook up your rear center channel speaker(s) to the center channel speaker output of the Pro-Logic receiver. Use a DVD such as T2:UE and go to THX's Optimode option. This audio test pattern will give you a matrixed rear center channel speaker signal (Avia doesn't). Adjust the rear center channel level at or slightly above (1-2 dB) the left and right surrounds. Viola! You now have a "Pseudo EX" setup. To check out how it works, play the THX intro from T2:UE. The part where the Terminator walks up from behind really shows what the rear center is capable of.

Hope this helps.
 

Kevin C Brown

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2000
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You might try the search function in this forum and the other hardware forum. "DIY", "pseudo", "homebrew" are all adjectives that have been used to describe this method of getting 6.1.

I use a Shure HTS-5300 Dolby Pro Logic decoder with my Sony TA-E9000ES 5.1 pre/pro. Works really well, I think.
 

Phil A

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Oct 1, 2000
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A Prologic Decoder with built in amps is the easiest way to do it. I have an Onkyo laying around upstairs. Adcom also made a unit I formerly owned (GSP-560) as did Yamaha (DE-200) and many others. These units can usually be purchased for between $50 and $150 on the used market.
 

Dave Poehlman

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Mar 8, 2000
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3,813
This is interesting... well, I guess I can hang on to my old pro-logic receiver.

But now, I need to build another speaker.

Greg:

Are the rear L & R surrounds then run out of the pro-logic reciever? Or are those kept on the Digital? Or does it matter? It sounds like one more volume knob to control... and one more remote laying on my coffee table. But I suppose I would only run it when watching an EX film. (I assume the boxes are marked with the DD EX logo)

Does it make a big difference?
 

greg jones

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jul 26, 2000
Messages
94
I've heard mixed reviews about whether to hook up the left and rear surrounds through the Pro-Logic receiver or not. I personally keep the surrounds on the DD/DTS receiver. I do this for two reasons. First, if for some reason the rear center channel becomes distracting during movie viewing (I've never had this happen yet), you can easily either mute or turn the Pro-Logic receiver off, and still maintain the surrounds. Second, I don't like the idea of "double processing" the surround signal. The signal has to be processed once (inside the D/DTS receiver) so that it can pass through the surround preamp outs. Then, it is reprocessed in the Pro-Logic receiver, steering the sound information to the left and right front speaker level outputs.

As for the volume control, since you are using the preamp outs on the receiver, you only need to adjust the volume on the Pro-Logic receiver once. The volume level from the preamp outs changes as you increase or decrease the speaker volume on the DD/DTS receiver. Thus, the rear center is increased or decreased an equal amount.

I think that adding the rear center channel speaker adds tremendously to the surround effect. This setup will work wonders on any movie encoded in 5.1 (some obviously more than others) and it is not necessary to seek out those movies encoded in EX/ES. You can definitely tell if a movie has been encoded with the extra channel, even on a "Pseudo EX" setup (ie T2:UE).
 

Dave Poehlman

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2000
Messages
3,813
Thanks for the info, Gregg. Now I have an excuse to both keep my pro-logic and build more speakers. :)
Wont my wife be happy. Hahah.
Ahh.. she'll get over it.
 

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