Dolby Prologic 2 on the PS2! (1 Viewer)

[Chris Rock]

Check this out:
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It's about time. Now I can get even more use out of my Onkyo TX DS898. Yahoo!!!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I thought that DPLII wasn't a big deal. Its not like you need special cables or hardware, N64 games had DPL. Its a software thing, not a hardware thing.

 

[Sean Eldridge]

But DPL2 is supposed to be much closer to 5.1 than DPL.

Sean

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Its still not a hardware thing. For DD5.1, you need a special cable. Not the case for DPL2.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Yeah this isn't huge news. I already use PL 2 on all my PS2 games on my Onkyo 494. It actually works really well even if games weren't encoded for it.

 

[Sean Eldridge]

It will make games sound better. That being the whole point. And, technically, you don't need a special cable for DD5.1 as long as you have digital coax.

Sean

 

[Dan Brecher]

I'm a bit confused why this announcement came so late. Wipeout Fusion on the PS2 already makes use of DPLII encoding, the logo comes up clear as day right at the start, and it its impressive in game as I stated way back in my Fusion review thread.

Dan

 

[Scott L]

Hmmm can't believe I missed this thread. As for encoding the games in DPL II it is a big deal. If Rogue Squadron was only made for stereo or even just DPL there would be a noticeable difference as DPL II puts quite a bit more seperation between the channels, making it closer to DD. I'm glad this format will be put into play for the PS2, the quasi-DTS just isn't cutting it.

 

[DeanWalsh]

DPLII doesn't sound as good as EAs DTS stuff. PERIOD. I have Wipeout Fusion & SSX Tricky, SSX Tricky sounds MUCH better because it has TRUE stereo surrounds, not a gimmicky software encoded attempt at the same thing...

 

[Andrew Grall]

DPLII doesn't sound as good as EAs DTS stuff. PERIOD. I have Wipeout Fusion & SSX Tricky, SSX Tricky sounds MUCH better because it has TRUE stereo surrounds, not a gimmicky software encoded attempt at the same thing...

I have to agree... Who cares about DPL II when there is REAL 5.1 surround in games using DD 5.1 (X-Box) and DTS (some PS2 games)...

 

[Andrew_Cramlet]

Well I'm glad that games will be programmed with DPL2 in mind. Don't forget that the DTS decoding "trick" on the PS2 is a patented Electronic Arts technique, and therefore will only appear on EA software (or games that pay EA to use their technique - which will be few and far between).

It’s a fact

- Sony intentionally kept games from having real-time DD 5.1

- DTS 5.1 (4.0 or whatever) is licensed by EA

Therefore the logical step is for programmers to make use of DPL2 which can produce excellent 5.1 sound (as witnessed by Rouge Leader). I see the benefits of using DPL2 as being great, and I hope that all the future big-name PS2 titles take advantage of this process.

 

[BrianB]

Don't forget that the DTS decoding "trick" on the PS2 is a patented Electronic Arts technique, and therefore will only appear on EA software (or games that pay EA to use their technique - which will be few and far between).

That is complete & utter nonsense. Where'd you hear that? DTS provide libraries to any developer that wants them! The problem is that to use them you're giving up a chunk of PS2 power.

 

[Andrew_Cramlet]

Game Spot
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one more link
I did not say EA created DTS on the Playstation 2, rather they patented a technique to produce real-time DTS 5.1 on the PS2. There's a big difference.
Sony from the beginning tried to prevent digital 5.1 in-game sound because they thought it would tax the processor too much. That is why you will only see DD 5.1 in cut-scenes.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

If a developer finds a way to do DTS in real-time, they can do it, but EA won't license it out to developers. Putting DTS in a game is no biggie, but the trick is getting it to come out in real-time.

 

[BrianB]

If a developer finds a way to do DTS in real-time, they can do it, but EA won't license it out to developers.

Morgan, you know not of what you speak.

DTS have SDKs available to any PS2 developer that wants it, that's all I know. Licence fees to EA, this is the first I've heard of it. Patents by EA, this is the first I've heard of it - I'd love to see a reference on the Patent office site. This is honestly the first I've heard of it. I thought the DTS SDK was by them.

 

[Iain Lambert]

I'd STRONGLY guess that any patented techniques for producing realtime DTS are owned by, well DTS really. To let EA patent them would be a remarkably dumb move on their part.

As Brian says though, you're basically giving over one of your two main vector processors to doing it. If Pro-Logic 2 requires significantly less legwork to do, then its well worth any small decrease in quality (Rogue Leader is stunning on Dan's Tag processor, so its not that bad).

 

[Joe Murray]

You can get PL2 sound from any stereo source. It's not the source that creates the PL2, it's the Dolby processor in the receiver that handles the stereo input. I have a Onkyo 797 and unless I input a Dolby Digital or DTS source, it decodes the stereo sound into PL2 automatically. Dolby Digital and DTS are far superior, but PL2 is very good for what it is.
This is a great article describing the technology:
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[Andrew_Cramlet]

Well I seemed to have sparked quite a little debate here. I was only regurgitating what I thought I had read before. But since my post met with so much resistance I've put some effort into finding out the truth.
I can admit when I'm wrong, and it appears that the DTS Interactive is soley DTS's and not EA's. As understood here. However, this is the only online article I found where DTS takes full responsibility concerning PS2 real-time 5.1
Not to make excuses, but in EA's press release here it does appear that EA had a hand in helping to create this in-game DTS technology. SurroundSoundScape (mentioned in the article) is EA's trade mark name for something, and they claim it is used in conjunction with DTS Interactive.
Perhaps what I read earlier concerned SurroundSoundScape? I can't say I know for sure.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The method by which EA made DTS available on the PS2 is patented by EA. The actual use of DTS is not.

On the GameBoy Advance a company found a way to make 3-D (true polygonal 3-D) games. They patented the engine and are now making it available to other developers for a fee. AFAIK, its the same for the EA DTS thing.