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LOTR DVD issues (merged thread) (1 Viewer)

JeremySt

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My disc had frequent popping sounds coming out of the right channel. Happened at the exact same places in the film, every time. the first one was at 3:05 or so, right after the voice over line from Cate, during the shot of Hugo Weaving looking at his foe. I happened on every player I tried in the system, (coax and tos) all with the same result. I will get a new disc tomorrow.
 

John P Grosskopf

Second Unit
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Jan 21, 2001
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Could the skipping some people are experienceing have to do with the layer change, which occurs at the end of chapter #23 as it goes to chapter #24 at 1:33:24?
 

Jim_C

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I haven't had any problems with my copy of LOTR. The layer change came and went without issue.
 

Espen Braathen

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Bjoern wrote:
"what makes you think that the dialnorm 'compensation' feature that some receiver manufacturers build into their equipment (like Pioneer) has anything to do with THX?"
I have recently made a survey on dial norm and THX products and they all behave in the way described in the table below.
"Most THX receivers don't have this"
Afaik _ALL_ the THX Ultra / Ultra2 certified receivers/amps in my surveyed had this feature. Its part of the THX specs, a fact that has been confirmed by technical personell at Dolby. I have not seen any non-THX products which behave in the same way.
"and i am not aware of ANY preamps who do."
Integra Research RDC-7 and Anthem AVM-20 does.

How old is your Lexicon MC-1? Some of the _very_ early THX 5.1 products might behave differently, but all the recent THX 5.1 products made during the last 3-4 years should behave as described in the table below:
Link Removed
 

Wayne Bundrick

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Dialog Normalization is a feature of Dolby Digital, not THX. Some Dolby Digital receivers don't implement dialog normalization, but since THX requires a fully functional Dolby Digital decoder, THX therefore requires dialog normalization. However, the 4 dB offset is a THX idea.

The reason why this DVD is so friggin loud is because the soundtrack has been specially remastered to fit your living room.
 

Espen Braathen

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"Dialog Normalization is a feature of Dolby Digital, not THX."

Where have I stated otherwise?

"Some Dolby Digital receivers don't implement dialog normalization"

According to my sources at Dolby Laboratories this is not legal...

(However, some might do it anyway I guess... Do you have examples? Does Lexicon fall into this category?)

"but since THX requires a fully functional Dolby Digital decoder, THX therefore requires dialog normalization.However, the 4 dB offset is a THX idea."

Basically all THX products boost the DD sound by +4 dB to compensate for the default dial_norm value (-4 dB).

"The reason why this DVD is so friggin loud is because the soundtrack has been specially remastered to fit your living room."

No, the MIX is insanely loud and was so in the theatre as well. It was the loudes movie to be nominated for the academy award for sound this year.

Espen Braathen
 

Steve Kuester

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Regarding Dialnorm,
Am I hearing the soundtrack correctly, or am I hearing it with the dialogue artifically 4 dB louder than it should be?
I don't want to complain, I love the disc, but the actors voices didn't seem to be in the mix. Rather about 10 feet out in front of it. I dropped my center channel down 2 dB and felt it was a better mix. I've calibrated with AVIA and an SPL meter, and this is the only disc I ever felt like I needed to make an adjustment.

Btw, I have a Denon 3802 and it gives me a reading "offset +4"

Again, not complaing, love the disc. But curious.

thanks,
steve
 

Espen Braathen

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"Btw, I have a Denon 3802 and it gives me a reading "offset +4"

It basically means that you should turn the volume control down to the -4 dB setting to get the correct reference level, i.e. 75 dB SPL for -30 dbFS (see my previous table).

The 3802 is not THX certified as I recall, but Denon seems to have chosen to apply the same calibration procedure on their non-THX products as well.

As previously stated; the sound mix on LOTR is extremely loud by any standard.


Espen Braathen
 

Tomoko Noguchi

Second Unit
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Nov 23, 2000
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My Sony 9000ES locks up at the layer change and skips to chapter 24. I have to wipe it really well and put it back in and then it usually works ok. I can't exchange it though. I bought mine in Tokyo and the better thing to do would be to buy the Region 2 disc when it comes out.
 

Steve Kuester

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Dec 19, 2001
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Thanks Espen,
Yeah, the whole disc is loud no doubt. I had the volume at -18 or -19, and I usually set it around -12 to -15.

So dialnorm affects the whole soundtrack? Not just the dialouge? I've got no problem adjusting the master volume to the necessary level, but in this case I felt dialogue was way out front. Hence the reason I dropped only the center channel 2 dB.

Just the name "dialogue normalization" makes me think only dialogue would be affected. Am I incorrect?

thanks,
steve
 

Bjoern Roy

Second Unit
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Oct 15, 1998
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Steve,
no, 'Dialogue Normalization' effects the whole soundtracks overall loudness, NOT only the dialogue. It only takes the loudness of average 'dialogue' as a anchor or reference. Read Link Removed article for a good explanation.
Espen, i think you are mistaken about the 'compensation' being a THX feature. I know many products that don't have it, that are THX certified. On the other hand, i know just as many non-THX certified products that DO have it.
I will get Roger Dressler to clarify.
Bjoern
 

Tommy G

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Sep 19, 2000
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You can add me to the list of those who have had problems at the layer change in chapter 24. I also have the Pioneer Elite player. I'll try taking it to a Best Buy or something to exchange but it looks as if this won't solve the problem. Funny thing is it plays fine on my Sharp but that doesn't have the surround. :angry:
 

Duane_T

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Jul 30, 2001
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A friend of mine told me yesterday that his Panny A120 wouldn't even read the discs (movie or special features). Actually it did, on the seventh or eighth try. He returned it, figuring it was buggy and got another one - but it did the same thing. He didn't say anything about a layer change problem though.

Mine played straight through, but two of the extras would lock up my player (Hitachi ???) unless I fast forwarded right at the beginning of them.

And that's my story.
 

Iain Lambert

Screenwriter
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Jun 7, 1999
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Thanks for the dialnorm information everyone. It may be the THX Ultra badge on my Pioneer 908RDS, it my be Pioneer's doing, but whatever it is, I take a whole 8dB off to get close to something sensible sounding.
 

Mike D.

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Apr 8, 1999
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I watched the first hour last night on my Toshiba 3007 (I know, time to upgrade my player!). For some reason, there was no sound on the opening menu, until I hit the Enter button on the DVD remote, then it kicked in for a second right before starting the movie. I didn't try a second time to see if it happens again, I will tonight.

Other than that, I didn't have any problems with the disk so far. It does seem unusually loud though.
 

ChrisV

Second Unit
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
484
These merged threads are confusing! After having a problem with my disc around the same area as everyone else I watched it again last night, and it played flawlessly. I have no idea what that means, but I'm happier now. :)
I'll have to try it a few more times.
 

Michael Reuben

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How old is your Lexicon MC-1? Some of the _very_ early THX 5.1 products might behave differently, but all the recent THX 5.1 products made during the last 3-4 years should behave as described in the table below:
Espen --
Bjoern's MC-1, like mine, cannot be older than about 3 years, because the MC-1 was released in the spring/summer of 1999. It is THX Ultra certified and does not behave as you describe. Nor is it a "_very_ early" THX 5.1 product. Lexicon's first THX 5.1 product, the DD verion of the DC-1, was released in December 1996. I know, because I had one of the first units.
I have not checked the current model MC-12, but I would be very surprised if it behaved in the manner in which you describe.
Did your survey of THX products include any Lexicon processors? If not, then with all due respect, I doubt its comprehensiveness. If you can direct me to a source where THX specifies this sort of adjustment to dialnorm, please do. But the more likely explanation is that certain receiver manufacturers have decided to include an extra feature to compensate for dialnorm.
M.
 

Henry Woo

Agent
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Jul 3, 2000
Messages
40
Read in reviews of the LOTR dvd and seen in other posts that there is a rebate coupon ($US 5/ $Cdn 8) included for if you were going to buy the 4 disc sets in November. However when I opened my copy, there was no coupon. I bought my copy at Future Shop in Burnaby, Canada. Is this just a US offer or can anyone else in Canada confirm that this should be included in the Canadian release also?
 

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