Official Dolby Atmos Fans Thread (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Colin Jacobson
BTW, this is a bit off-topic, but does anyone have a link to a site that lists screen sizes for various real IMAX screens? I found the dimensions of the Lincoln Square screen via the "IMAX vs. Liemax" discussions, and I dug up a page that compares the Smithsonian screens, but I'd love to see the dimensions of all the US real IMAX screens...

I'm wondering the same thing as they're building a new theater complex in my town this spring with the following screen for one particular theater. Will they be able to play IMAX films on it? Anyway, at least we're getting Dolby Atmos.

Goodrich will debut their first cutting-edge large format auditorium, "GDX" for Giant Digital Xperience. This premium theater experience will feature a giant a screen over 70-feet wide with floor-to-ceiling viewing. The GDX screen will be the largest screen and auditorium north of Flint. The new theater will continue to offer all digital projection and 3D, but also offer the latest technology and amenities to include:
• Dolby Atmos 12.1 sound in the GDX auditorium that features over 400 seats

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
I'm wondering the same thing as they're building a new theater complex in my town this spring with the following screen for one particular theater. Will they be able to play IMAX films on it? Anyway, at least we're getting Dolby Atmos.

"GDX" sounds Regal's "RPX". They have an "RPX" screen at the Regal I most often visit, but I've yet to splurge for the higher ticket price to see if it's worth it. My guess? Probably not...

 

[DaveF]

Including Tysons Corner VA and Paramus NJ!

Thanks. Didn't know there was an Atmos theater in the area. Will have to check it out some weekend.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I saw the new "Die Hard" movie at the local Atmos theater and can't say I thought the extra speakers brought anything to the movie. The sound was good but it didn't seem any better than a non-Atmos mix to me...

 

[Parker Clack]

I am with Matt on the Cinema Suites we have here in KC. They make for a much better experience when going to
see a movie. Give me that over the overly huge screen and fancy sound any day.

 

[TonyD]

Thought I'd pop this topic back up after hearing Gravity earlier today.I've seen maybe 4 at the Atmos in Disney World and so far Gravity has been the one that makes a difference. Gravity was qbout as surround sound as it can possibly be I think.Besides the 3D being immersive(sp?) The sound WAS.I really thought theremight be speakers under the seats.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A new theater complex is being built in my town so we'll have this audio setup in another couple of months.

 

[Wayne_j]

A new theater has just been built in my area, with a deluxe screen, but apparently no atmos.

 

[TonyD]

Something that I didn't know is that some movies are being filmed with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack.Atleast according to the info on that link I posted earlier.Maybe thats why Gravity sounded so good.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Something that I didn't know is that some movies are being filmed with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack.Atleast according to the info on that link I posted earlier.Maybe thats why Gravity sounded so good.

We found that out when we visited Dolby last year during our HTF Meet in LA.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Upcoming Dolby Atmos Titles
2014 scheduled releases:
· DreamWorks Animation, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, March 7, 2014
· Lionsgate, I, Frankenstein, January 24, 2014
· Twentieth Century Fox, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, July 18, 2014
· Twentieth Century Fox, Rio 2, April 11, 2014
· Twentieth Century Fox, X-Men: Days of Future Past, May 23, 2014
· Warner Bros., 300: Rise of An Empire, March 7, 2014
2013 scheduled releases:
· Disney, Frozen, November 27, 2013
· Disney, Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, November 8, 2013
· Lionsgate, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, November 22, 2013
· Summit Entertainment, Ender’s Game, November 1, 2013
· Twentieth Century Fox, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, December 25, 2013
· Warner Bros., The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, December 13, 2013
Dolby Atmos Momentum
Dolby Laboratories is equipping the cinema world with its new Dolby Atmos technology. Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by making it easy for filmmakers to place or move specific sounds anywhere in the movie theatre. The result is what moviegoers have described as a virtual reality of sound and the most engaging and lifelike cinema experience ever.
Introduced in April 2012, Dolby Atmos has been embraced by all major Hollywood studios, six Academy Award winning directors, and 11 Academy Award-winning sound mixers, among others. More than 300 Dolby Atmos screens have been installed or committed to in 33 countries with more than 100 exhibitor partners. 85 films from 10 different countries—representing a broad range of genres—have been or are scheduled to be released with Dolby Amos sound since the first film debuted in June 2012. Dolby Atmos has received technical achievement awards from both the Hollywood Post Alliance and the Cinema Audio Society.
For the latest list of Dolby Atmos titles, visit dolby.com/atmosmovies. To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos.

Twentieth Century Fox to Release Diverse Slate of Dolby Atmos Titles

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Rio 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will be mixed in the world’s most advanced cinema sound format
San Francisco, October 22, 2013—Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) today announced that Twentieth Century Fox will be releasing several Dolby® Atmos™ titles in a broad range of genres, including action, animation, and comedy with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Rio 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Dolby Atmos has rapidly become the preferred sound format of award-winning filmmakers, major studios, and exhibitors the world over. Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by giving filmmakers the ability to precisely place or move sounds anywhere in the movie theatre to create the most engaging cinematic experience ever.
“Dolby Atmos is the most powerful sound technology we have ever used,” said Ted Gagliano, President of Post Production, Twentieth Century Fox. “Whether you are watching an action thriller or a comedy, Dolby Atmos will make you feel as if you, too, are in the movie, not merely watching it. Twentieth Century Fox is proud to have been among the first to support it.”
Fox has released a broad range of Dolby Atmos titles, including the Academy Award® winning Life of Pi, A Good Day to Die Hard, and The Heat, in addition to those announced today.
Ben Stiller directs and stars in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber’s classic story of a daydreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance, and action. When his job, along with that of his coworker (Kristen Wiig) is threatened, Walter takes action in the real world, embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could ever have imagined. The Dolby Atmos version will be mixed by Academy Award nominated rerecording sound mixer Skip Lievsay (dialogue and music). Craig Henighan will be collaborating on the mix (FX) and will conduct the sound design. Henighan and Paul Urmson will be co-supervising sound editors. The Dolby Atmos mix will be conducted at the Zanuck on the Twentieth Century Fox lot and Warner Bros. Stage 6. The film is scheduled to release on December 25, 2013, in the United States.
In Rio 2, from Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios, and directed by Academy Award nominated Carlos Saldanha, it’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel, and their three kids, after they’re hurtled from that magical city to the wilds of the Amazon. The Dolby Atmos version will be mixed by Academy Award winner rerecording sound mixer Randy Thom (FX), who will lead sound design. Thom will be accompanied by Academy Award winning rerecording sound mixer Lora Hirschberg (dialogue and music) at Skywalker Sound’s Mix A Stage. Academy Award nominated Gwen Whittle will be the supervising sound editor. The film is scheduled to release on April 11, 2014, in the United States.
In X-Men: Days of Future Past, the ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods. The beloved characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from the past, X-Men: First Class, in order to change a major historical event and fight in an epic battle that could save our future. The Dolby Atmos version of X-Men: Days of Future Past will be mixed by Academy Award winning rerecording sound mixer Doug Hemphill (FX) and Academy Award nominated rerecording sound mixer Ron Bartlett (dialogue and music) at the John Ford Stage on the Twentieth Century Fox lot. Academy Award nominated Craig Berkey and John Larsen will be co-supervising sound editors. Berkey and Chuck Michael will conduct the sound design. The film is scheduled to release on May 23, 2014, in the United States.
In the sci-fi action thriller Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Matt Reeves, man and ape are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species. The Dolby Atmos version will be mixed by Academy Award winner rerecording sound mixer Andy Nelson (dialogue and music) and rerecording sound mixer Will Files (FX) on the Twentieth Century Fox lot at the newly equipped Howard Hawks Stage. John Larsen, Douglas Murray, and Files will collaborate on supervising sound editing and sound design. The film is scheduled to release on July 18, 2014, in the United States.
“Dolby Atmos creates a virtual reality of sound by precisely placing and moving sounds within the theatre to make audiences feel as if they, too, are in the middle of the onscreen action,” said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema, Dolby Laboratories. “Twentieth Century Fox, with its amazing range of Dolby Atmos titles over the past year, really shows how Dolby Atmos can take cinematic storytelling to a new level through sound.”
About Dolby Atmos
Dolby Laboratories is equipping the cinema world with its new Dolby Atmos technology. Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by making it easy for filmmakers to place or move specific sounds anywhere in the movie theatre. The result is what moviegoers have described as a virtual reality of sound and the most engaging and lifelike cinema experience ever.
Introduced in April 2012, Dolby Atmos has been embraced by all major Hollywood studios, six Academy Award winning directors, and 11 Academy Award-winning sound mixers, among others. More than 300 Dolby Atmos screens have been installed or committed to in 33 countries with more than 100 exhibitor partners. 85 films from 10 different countries—representing a broad range of genres—have been or are scheduled to be released with Dolby Amos sound since the first film debuted in June 2012. Dolby Atmos has received technical achievement awards from both the Hollywood Post Alliance and the Cinema Audio Society.
For the latest list of Dolby Atmos titles, visit dolby.com/atmosmovies. To learn more about Dolby Atmos, visit dolby.com/Atmos.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

How does Atmos compare with IMAX sound? Or can IMAX screens be equipped with Atmos sound systems?

 

[schan1269]

Imax is 5 speakers.
Atmos is 11(or is it 14? been awhile since I cared to check)

Gravity is the first movie in Imax with Atmos. Don't care to check, again, how many screens.

Supposedly The Hobit(next one) will be Imax with Atmos(in theatres not doing AVX), followed by T:4.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I believe Atmos is adaptable and can use less or more speakers, i would love to see a version introduced for the home although i am not keen on buying a new AV Receiver just to hear it.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Hm, I wonder what sound I heard watching Gravity in IMAX the other day.

 

[Bob_L]

Atmos can support up to 64 channels; however, the installations that were made for Brave supported 24 channels (if I remember correctly.) Frankly, I can't imagine a sound mixer wanting to work with 64 channels, but adding some intelligent steering software after the source tracks might take advantage of that level of positioning with fewer input channels.

What I think Atmos needs to add, however, are floor-based audio channels, positioned at locations under the seats throughout the auditorium. With that addition, you would have a truly immersive audio environment. Imagine hearing a helicopter landing smack dab in the middle of the room.

 

[FoxyMulder]

What I think Atmos needs to add, however, are floor-based audio channels, positioned at locations under the seats throughout the auditorium. With that addition, you would have a truly immersive audio environment. Imagine hearing a helicopter landing smack dab in the middle of the room.

I agree, it would be great, i think we spend so much time looking at advancements in image quality we forget that there is so much more that can be done with sound, it's just the expense of upgrading cinema's that holds this all back, some of this would also be great for the home environment although much harder to implement and get the sound imaging right, at least for the average home, i could benefit from it due to having a dedicated room.

 

[TonyD]

Atmos can support up to 64 channels; however, the installations that were made for Brave supported 24 channels (if I remember correctly.) Frankly, I can't imagine a sound mixer wanting to work with 64 channels, but adding some intelligent steering software after the source tracks might take advantage of that level of positioning with fewer input channels. What I think Atmos needs to add, however, are floor-based audio channels, positioned at locations under the seats throughout the auditorium. With that addition, you would have a truly immersive audio environment. Imagine hearing a helicopter landing smack dab in the middle of the room.

Speakers under the seats would be great. I mentioned in the other Atmos topic that when we saw/heard Gravity in an Atmos theater I would have bet that there were speakers under the seats.Sam if you don't care why did you bother posting anything.Sometimes I wonder if you post in a topic just so you can literally post something in every single thread on HTF.

 

[Brian Dobbs]

We need Dolby Atmos consumer products!

 

[Bobby Henderson]

Dolby Atmos is an incredible sound format with capabilities that absolutely blow away any sound format that has preceded it. It is a paradigm shift away from conventional channel-based audio to object-based audio. The possibilities with Atmos are incredible. However, a few factors come into play on whether a movie in Atmos will or will not impress viewers.

A movie's sound mix must be specifically designed for Atmos. If not, it will sound like a conventional 5.1 mix.

So far, I have seen three movies shown in Dolby Atmos: Man of Steel, Gravity and Thor: The Dark World. Of those three, Gravity is the only one I've seen that really utilized the capabilities of Atmos. The other two movies had mostly conventional sounding mixes; rather, they didn't sound much different than a 5.1 or 7.1 mix. And the mix for Thor was pretty weak at that. Note: I watched all three movies at the same theater (Harkins Bricktown 16, Cine Capri screen, Oklahoma City).

Regarding whether movies are being "filmed" with an Atmos mix: Surround sound is something that is built almost entirely in post production. Outside of recorded dialog, not much audio from a location or stage set is used in the final mix. Much of the mix is rebuilt using hundreds of more carefully recorded elements. The question is how much time & work will the sound editors and mixers be able to spend on creating the mix. Atmos is another tool in that process.

Gravity was mixed first in 7.1 surround. Then the sound designers re-composed the mix in Atmos. Here's a video I found about it:
http://soundworkscollection.com/videos/gravity

The movie theater's sound system must be properly equipped and maintained to allow Atmos to impress viewers.

The Dolby CP850 Atmos cinema processor can process up to 128 simultaneous lossless sound objects in a movie's mix, with each sound object holding its own room positioning/sound panning data. Up to 64 specific speakers (or speaker groups) in the theater can be specifically manipulated by the CP850. This can deliver sound that is highly layered, more natural sounding and with panning events far more vivid and controlled than 5.1 or 7.1 could ever hope to deliver.

The Dolby CP850 Atmos cinema processor has scalable capabilities and new tools that help theater technicians "tune" the sound system (B-chain, EQ, etc.) properly. The CP850 also gives a theater operator a great deal of latitude in how far to go in configuring an Atmos capable sound system. The theater operator can install Atmos in a more standard/minimal configuration with speakers amplified and wired as if it was an 8.1 or 9.1 system. Or he can take it farther, individually wiring and amplifying as many speakers as he likes (or his budget allows). Obviously an Atmos equipped sound system in maximum configuration is going to sound more vivid than one wired in a cost saving minimal configuration. Unfortunately customers have no way of telling how a given theater's Atmos system may be configured.

Currently Dolby technicians install the CP850 cinema processors and set up the sound systems. Screening room dimensions and speaker details are entered into the CP850. That data is used by the CP850 to scale the movie's object based mix to that specific theater's room details. The greater the number of individually wired/amped speakers will equate to greater 3D audio resolution of Atmos in that room.

Having heard the incredible mix of Gravity, as well as Dolby's Unfold and Amaze trailers for Atmos, I'm pretty spoiled by it. I want to see more movies in Dolby Atmos, but with the exception those movies really need to use the capabilities of Atmos rather than sound like a 5.1 layout merely saved in Atmos format.