Playing 6.1 track on a 5.1 reciever question (1 Viewer)

[Josh Varghese]

So a few questions:

Is the rear center channel discrete or matrix in DD-EX and DTS-ES 6.1 tracks? This affects my main question, which follows.

Say you have a 6.1 track, DTS-ES or something, but you only have a 5.1 receiver. What happens with the channel containing the rear center information. Does the 5.1 receiver read the signal and play it over both the left and right surround to create a pseudo-rearcenter or does the information contained in that signal just not get played at all?

If the information does not get played, then it would be ideal to choose the DD 5.1 track if available then becuase you'd be getting all of the sound information encoded in a way setup for 5.1.

Thoughts???

 

[Seth_L]

Nothing happens because the 6th channel is also encoded into both of the rear channels. On a 5.1 channel setup you don't need to do anything. If a 6.1 channel playback system exists the 6th channel is decoded and removed from channels 4 and 5.

Seth

 

[Philip Hamm]

All current 6.1 formats are fully backwards compatible. Don't worry about it and enjoy 5.1.

 

[Andy_SB]

To answer your original question, DTS ES is the only format with a truly discrete 6th channel AFAIK.

If you play it on a 5.1 channel system, yes, the receiver should adapt to this and play those effects through both rear speakers.

 

[Marty Neudel]

>Is the rear center channel discrete or matrix in DD-EX and DTS-ES 6.1 tracks?<

Josh,

the answers you've received pretty well cover your questions. There is one point that should be made: the "6"th channel isn't really a "rear-center" so much as a "back-channel."

Remember, the surround channels are mixed to sound best if played back beside the listener; and the EX/ES channel is mixed to play back behind the listener. So playing back an EX/ES track in a conventional 5.1 speaker setup will definitely reproduce all the sound. It will not, however, reproduce the back-channel in the right place.

Marty

 

[Josh Varghese]

Wow, I posted this question on a few other forums and it was viewed several times but NO responses. And you guys all responded SO quickly.

All your answers were VERY informative and I'm happy I decided to become a member of this forum.

Thanks.

 

[Myo K]

ive read that a rear center channel isnt all that its cracked up to be, since human ears can easily misinterpret sound directly behind us as sound directly in front of us.

so would you guys say a dts es receiver is a bit over-rated?

im still looking for a receiver with a limited budget (500 dollars) and im wondering if the 6.1 is worth the extra 200 dollars for my mid sized bedroom.

i dont know if i should stick with 5.1 and upgrade to 7.1 when 7.1 receiver become more affordable.

 

[Andy_SB]

Myo, the way people address this issue is to use two separate speakers, slightly offset from center, for the 6th channel. Doing this allows the ear to recognize that those sounds are coming from behind the listener.

Many 6.1 receivers actually have two sets of posts for the 6th channel to make this type of setup easier.

- Andy

 

[Seth_L]

To answer your original question, DTS ES is the only format with a truly discrete 6th channel AFAIK.

DTS's claims are somewhat misleading. It's not completely discrete. The 6th channel is mixed into the 4th and 5th channels. The 6th channel is encoded seperately. That means the 6th channel has to be mathematically subtracted from the 4th and 5th.

Seth