Question on DD EX 5.1 (1 Viewer)

[MattLS]

So a question regarding EX. I know that EX extrapolates a matrixed SB channel from a 5.1 mix. There are some DVD's that are released with DD EX 5.1(eg. Star Wars, The Devil's Rejects) where a flag is present indicating to the receiver that there is a matrixed source on the disc itself to be sent to the SB speaker/s. (That's my understanding anyway. Please correct me if I'm wrong.)Whenever I play a DD disc, EX or not, my receiver always displays and outputs DD EX. This is fine and is how I want it. My question is this- why even bother putting an EX mix on a DVD since if someone wants that back channel they will have their receiver take care of it and turn on EX from there? Is there a difference in quality when having an EX mix on the disc itself as opposed to having the receiver do it on its own? Why doesn't Dolby, like DTS, just come out with a discrete 6.1 format already? Not a major issue obviously, just curious. Thanks.

 

[John S]

Yes, there is a difference between forcing EX post processiong over 5.1 -vs- a disc that is properly flagged and mixed with EX queues. On a 5.1 no-ex title, I am pretty sure the side surrounds are more or less just summed for the rear(s) or duplicated something close to that anyways.


It is one of the reasons you will find people that much prefer running DPLIIx with 5.1 and even EX titles these days. The rear channel(s) that are achieved are a bit more complicated on what is achieved with DPLIIx....

 

[John S]

PS: To make your AVR not auto ex, there is a Flag setting somewhere. I can't remember what it is called, but I switched it by accident one day on my Denon 4802 and it took my quite a while to figure it out. Of course it just happend to be at the same time I was implementing external apmplification so I was using my pre-outs instead of the internal amps so I was for sure the change had been related to that. Not so, the setting auto flag thing just got set wrong by accident.

 

[MattLS]

1- Do you mean actually running DPLIIx and DD at the same time? I didn't know you could do that. How? I'm using a Denon AVR 1804 and a Denon DVD 2200 in a 6.1 configuration.

2- What exactly is the benefit with that scenario? Is the matrixed signal sent to the SB more..... for lack of a better word 'discrete'?

 

[John S]

Little known trick..


You can run DPLIIx over DD 5.1 source and true 5.1 EX source. Supposed to create a much improved 7.1 out of the 5.1 source than using EX .


Nearly eveyrbody I know that has a 7.1 system that has tried it, continues to use it that way.

 

[MattLS]

Huh. Very interesting. Would that work as well with DPLII since I have a 6.1 set up? Or does it have to be DPLIIx with a 7.1 set up?
To do it I assume just run the Dolby Digital as I normally would and then turn on DPLII?
Thanks for the info.

 

[John S]

No DPLII only has 5.1, it does not know about 6.1 or 7.1 at all, that is sort of why DPLIIx came about in all honesty.

 

[MattLS]

Ah, yes. Of course.

I might try the concept tonight though in 5.1. Turn my surround backs (6.1 w/7 speakers) off and turn on DPLII. Just for fun to see what happens.

Thanks a lot for the info.