7.1 Surround is great, which decoder you like?
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Bronze Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 98 Registered: Jan-05 | I converted my HT into a 7.1 system last night, and I couldnt be happier with the results!! Wow, my surrounds are connected now, and the effect is definitely worth going for(for those considering, but have not yet added speakers). At first, I had a little problems with no sounds coming from the back, but after consulting the owners manual, it wasnt too difficult to figure out. I used the movie "matrix" as a testing DVD, and it really brought the fight scenes alive. I wasnt sure I could have 7.1 in my theater room because I have large sliding doors right where I needed the back-speakers. I ended finding wall mount speakers that fit perfectly in the space above the doors just below the ceiling(8ft), and aimed down onto the listening area. Ideally I would have liked them down lower, but now that they're up there, the effects coming down from the back is pretty do-able. I've been playing with 7.1 encoders and wondered if anybody had any preferences?? For me, they all seem the same. I usually gravitated to the PLIIx Movie mode. Can anybody detect any differences with the various decoders?? Dolby DigitalEX/ES decoders sounded no different IMO. Any thoughts on decoders? |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 2746 Registered: Dec-03 | Have you tried DTS-ES? "The Matrix" is not encoded in DTS, just Dolby. Check out "The Lord of the Rings", Special Extended Edition, any of the trilogies that are encoded in DTS-ES. Then let us know if you don't hear a difference. But first, set up the DVD player (without a disc on the tray), go to the audio set-up menu. By default, only Dolby Digital is activated on most DVD players. So you have to activate the DTS output on the audio options menu. Put your receiver on auto-detect and the digital output on your dvd player is connected. Your receiver should then display what type of signal it is receiving from the dvd player. You shouldn't have to chose the different field modes. |
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Silver Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 103 Registered: Jan-05 | Hi Berny, I did sound test some of 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'I Robot' which were in DTS and both were impressive. I'll have to agree that DTS seems to be the best. I have all of the 'Rings' movies, but they're the original DVDs I purchased as they were released. Im not sure if they're DTS, or not. As for my DVD player?? I can set the default to DD, and set DTS to 'on' on a separate menu line so I never have to go into my DVD player settings....pretty cool, huh? So if I play a DTS movie, all I have to do is set to DTS on the DVD, and the player will play either source without going into my player options. Since Im new with the system, I always confirm my audio-info on my receiver to make sure I have things playing correctly. IE...if it's dts, to make sure it's playing in DTS, and making sure the back speakers are activated. I do have the receiver set to auto-detect, and little lights on the front panel light up, but at this point, I still check the menu where it displays the bitrate, and 3/2/.1 and all that stuff too. On some DVDs, there apparently arent the necessary flags and I have to activate the 7 channel mode manually. I have notice that on some dvds, that they're recorded in dts 6.1, but I dont think I've watched those yet. Something to look foreward to  Last night, I watched the first Spiderman(not DTS), and in the scene where Defoe was walking around in his empty mansion, and the evil voice of the 'green goblin' first appeared, I'll have to admit that it made me jump because the voice came directly from behind and caught me by surprise..........how cool is that?? My old system definitely didnt have that effect, that's for sure. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 2751 Registered: Dec-03 | Very niiice! You may want to check out DTS online. They have a list of movies that are encoded on DTS and DTS-ES. http://www.dtsonline.com/consumer/hometheatre/dvd-titles.php What DVD player are you using? The Special Extended Edition of all the "LOTR" are encoded in DTS-ES. You should check them out, it will give your HT a nice workout. cheers |
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Silver Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 107 Registered: Jan-05 | Thanks for the link. I have a Sony DVD player, but dont have the model number at the tip of my tongue. |
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New member Username: Javmo200GB, Michigan Post Number: 4 Registered: Mar-05 | Paul When you are playing 6.1 channel movie those the sound comes from both rear speakes? if yes is the sound Mono ..Can you lissten to regular CD using rear and front speakers? I am looking forward to have my 7 channels set up. My only concern is the location of my side surround on relation to my rear speakers..they might be to close together( I guess I will find out) Sorry for the confusing question |
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Silver Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 296 Registered: Jan-05 | Javier, I havnt really paid close attention or scruitinized what was coming out of each back speaker enough to tell. My backs are only about 5-7 feet apart(compared to 20 for my surrounds on each side)so the effect the backs deliver is they are both directly behind.(not so much seperation width wise) Regardless of whether you are playing a 5.1 or 6.1 source, so long as you activate PLX11x(or whichever applicable decoder) both speakers will be activated and the decoders will send sounds to both back speakers. heck, even 2 channel sources sound pretty impressive in 7 channel mode. Regardless of the source, having those speakers back there is great!!! I've watched favorite movies that ive seen many times, and then watched them for the first time with 7 channel surround, it was like a new experience. Sometimes(depending on the movie)the back speakers will make you jump unexpectadly. Scary movies are great for putting that perfect effect in the back to catch you off guard. |
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New member Username: Javmo200GB, Michigan Post Number: 5 Registered: Mar-05 | Paul Tahnk you for the insight, I have a Rotel RSX 1067 and it does automatically will decode the DVD /CD..I guess my question every time I watch a Movie (DTS) should I go to PLX11x cinema matrix sorrund?..My receiver also has PLX11x Music Sorrounds..If I play a CD recorded DD 2.0 ..would the sound be bad? The reason I am asking all this question is because in the next 2 weeks We will be seting up all my HT system--(See my profile) and I guess I want to know the best way to set it up..Rotel is Great and has many manual settings which is nice but I think is the complexity is greater.I am concern with not being able to set it up good and loose a lot of the good sound because bad or inadequate set up.. Here is another ?--Would I have to re-conf. my sub with every changes I do on the format? JAv |
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Silver Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 300 Registered: Jan-05 | Javier, In my opinion, I dont think there is a big difference between various decoders. With my receiver, once I activate DTS on the DVD, the DTS decoders are automatically activated on the reciever. I usually use PLXIIx as a default processer, but will occasionally switch it to ES/EX depending on the individual DVD and the method of it's recording. I've toggled back and forth between PLIIx/EX/ES during movie playback, and Im not sure if it really makes a big difference. There might be a specific sound at a specific point in the movie that might be relayed differently, but I have no way of really telling. The PLIIx decoder works great on two channel sources. It works well enough that you'll never even know that it's not a 5 channel source. You may also have a 7 channel stereo mode where it turns all the speakers on evenly without any decoding. That's pretty cool for music. As for your sub, there is no need to re-conf the crossover. You set it up once, and you'll be all set. The only reason you would ever go back and change the crossover is if you want to either increase/decrease the output for personal preference reasons. |
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Bronze Member Username: Javmo200GB, Michigan Post Number: 11 Registered: Mar-05 | Paul Thanks for the feed back--I will let you know how it works. Jav |
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Bronze Member Username: DxjnortoSaint George, Utah USA Post Number: 15 Registered: Feb-05 | My question is are 5.1 DVD players capable of decoding Dolby EX? I know my Onkyo TX-SR602 receiver will create 7.1 channels from 5.1, but that is not the same as the DVD player outputting the Dolby EX encoded on Return of the King. My Panasonic DVD player is about three years old and is capable of decoding DTS, but as far as I know, it is only capable of outputting six channels [5.1] through the optical output. Does anyone know of an inexpensive DVD player that will decode native [rather than matrixed] 7.1 from 6.1/7.1 DVDs? I might be confused. Am I just thinking about this too hard? |
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Bronze Member Username: DxjnortoSaint George, Utah USA Post Number: 17 Registered: Feb-05 | Okay, I was figuring out this whole DTS-ES and Dolby EX thing last night. I could get 3.3.1 out of my Panasonic DVD changer on Return of the King, but when I tried it with The Two Towers, the picture got jerky. I tried it several times with the same result. According to the receiver, they are both encoded in DTS-ES Discrete. I can't think what the difference would be, unless there was some improvement in the DTS-ES Discrete technology from one year to the next. Is my Panasonic DVD changer showing its age? For crying out loud it's three years old! That's like fifty in DVD years. Does anyone know why this would happen? Does anyone have good or bad experience with the Samsung DVD-HD850 or DVD-HD950? |
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Bronze Member Username: Joe_cOakwood, Ga Post Number: 99 Registered: Mar-05 | SOME DECENT RECIEVERS TELL YOU WHEN IT IS A DISCRETE OR MATRIX SIGNAL, I HAVE A SONY CHR AND A DENON AMP AND IT DOES 6.1 DISCRETE. (DONT KNOW OF ANY 7.1 DISCS YET) BUT i CAN REALLY TELL A DIFFERENCE IN "BLADE II" WITH THAT BACK CHANNEL HAVING ITS OWN TRACK |
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Bronze Member Username: Joe_cOakwood, Ga Post Number: 100 Registered: Mar-05 | oops, sorry didn't mean to yell. |
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