• 04-26-2004, 11:50 AM
    minmao
    Do I need to get Prologic IIx?
    I have a pioneer receiver model 812, which support 6.1.
    strange enough, my recerver support 2 surround back channels, but it is still called 6.1 format. (why?)
    Now there is pioneer 814, which are basiclly same as mine 812 except for the prologic IIx support.
    Is prologic IIx a big deal? since my speaker has two surround back channels, if I go for a 7.1 setup, will there be a huge difference with prologic IIx's 7.1 setup?
  • 04-26-2004, 03:20 PM
    Sir Terrence the Terrible
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by minmao
    I have a pioneer receiver model 812, which support 6.1.
    strange enough, my recerver support 2 surround back channels, but it is still called 6.1 format. (why?)
    Now there is pioneer 814, which are basiclly same as mine 812 except for the prologic IIx support.
    Is prologic IIx a big deal? since my speaker has two surround back channels, if I go for a 7.1 setup, will there be a huge difference with prologic IIx's 7.1 setup?

    The question is not whether you need PL II, it's do you want it. No it is not NEEDED, but if you like your two channel soundtracks remixed by its decoder into fake 6.1, then by all means get a receiver that supports it.

    The two back channel outputs carry a single mono signal. That is why it is classified as a 6.1 receiver. It also supports TRUE 6.1 which comes in the form of Dts ES discrete, the only TRUE 6.1 format for consumer use.

    No, there will not be a HUGE difference listening to prologic through a 7.1 setup. Its all fake anyway, and it depends on whether you like the effect or not.
  • 04-28-2004, 10:31 AM
    magictooth
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by minmao
    I have a pioneer receiver model 812, which support 6.1.
    strange enough, my recerver support 2 surround back channels, but it is still called 6.1 format. (why?)
    Now there is pioneer 814, which are basiclly same as mine 812 except for the prologic IIx support.
    Is prologic IIx a big deal? since my speaker has two surround back channels, if I go for a 7.1 setup, will there be a huge difference with prologic IIx's 7.1 setup?

    Knowing what I know now, I would be very happy if some of the manufacturers took out a bunch or all of their stupid digital 5.1/6.1 decoders such as PL II or DTS Neo and charged us less for their product. I only listen to my satellite in 2 ch. direct because I hate the way all the other digital formats sound.
  • 04-28-2004, 11:35 AM
    bikehikefish
    To each his own, I guess.

    I really enjoy PLII, and use it for any satellite program that isn't 5.1. The dialogue comes mostly from the center speaker, effects pan from left to right, and right to left, and other effects come from the rear surrounds. Every once in a while something is decoded a little "off", but overall, it is a huge improvement from listening in stero mode.

    I really would not call it another "DSP" mode, to me it is a couple levels beyond hall, jazz, etc. effects.
  • 04-28-2004, 02:11 PM
    minmao
    I am confused. So only dolby digital is the real 6.1(or 5.1 format), right?
    does it mean that what the PL II or PL IIx can actually do is to make fake 5/1/6.1/7.1 from a stero source?
    Thanks.
  • 04-28-2004, 03:39 PM
    Sir Terrence the Terrible
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by minmao
    I am confused. So only dolby digital is the real 6.1(or 5.1 format), right?
    does it mean that what the PL II or PL IIx can actually do is to make fake 5/1/6.1/7.1 from a stero source?
    Thanks.

    You got it bud. It's a fake 5.1/6.1/7.1 matrix. It is not discreet, and the decoder actually does the panning for you. Dolby digital is only a 5.1 format.
  • 04-28-2004, 03:40 PM
    Sir Terrence the Terrible
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bikehikefish
    To each his own, I guess.

    I really enjoy PLII, and use it for any satellite program that isn't 5.1. The dialogue comes mostly from the center speaker, effects pan from left to right, and right to left, and other effects come from the rear surrounds. Every once in a while something is decoded a little "off", but overall, it is a huge improvement from listening in stero mode.

    I really would not call it another "DSP" mode, to me it is a couple levels beyond hall, jazz, etc. effects.

    It IS nothing more than a DSP mode. No soundtrack is encoded for DPL II decoding, so it is no better than a hall mode is for music only sources. DSP modes CREATE soundfields, and so does DPL II
  • 04-28-2004, 04:19 PM
    minmao
    When I play video games, some ps2 games say supporting pl II. some xbox games support dolby digital, and there is also one xbox games support pl IIx.
    what do they mean? Do they mean that the sound effects in those games were pre-recorded in seperate channels? (Sorry, I am new to the audio things)
  • 04-29-2004, 05:48 AM
    bikehikefish
    minmao - maybe this excerpt from www.dolby.com will help you:

    "Prior to the advent of digital audio, Dolby Laboratories developed a way of delivering four-channel surround sound from stereo VHS tapes, TV shows, video games, and other analog sources. Called Dolby Surround, it encodes four channels of information (left, right, center, and a single surround channel) onto regular stereo soundtracks. The four original channels can be reconstructed upon playback by means of a Dolby Surround Pro Logic decoder, which is included in virtually all home theater systems, including those that also have 5.1-channel Dolby Digital decoding.

    More recently, Dolby Laboratories introduced an improved decoding process called Dolby Surround Pro Logic II. It provides a listening experience more like Dolby Digital 5.1, by deriving five channels, including two full-range surround channels, not only from programs encoded in Dolby Surround, such as movie videos, but also from regular stereo material, such as music CDs. The result is improved spatiality and more accurate localization of sounds on Dolby Surround material, and an enveloping, lifelike soundfield on regular stereo recordings."

    Since you are new to this stuff, you may want to look at the Dolby web site; it has a good overview of HT:

    http://www.dolby.com/ht/Guide.HomeTh...0110.html#s1.2
  • 04-29-2004, 07:53 AM
    minmao
    Thanks for the link. It is very helpful.
    One more question: what is the difference between dolby digital ex 7.1 and dolby pro logic IIx 7.1?
    (My receiver only has the digital ex 7.1)
  • 04-29-2004, 09:03 AM
    Sir Terrence the Terrible
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by minmao
    Thanks for the link. It is very helpful.
    One more question: what is the difference between dolby digital ex 7.1 and dolby pro logic IIx 7.1?
    (My receiver only has the digital ex 7.1)

    First, there is no such thing as Dolby Digital EX 7.1. Dolby digital EX is a 5.1 setup, with a matrixed center rear sometimes spread between two speakers. It is not a discrete 7.1 system. Dolby prologic IIx is a matrixed(non discrete)system that takes two channels and splits it into seven channels using DSP algorythms.
  • 04-29-2004, 09:34 AM
    minmao
    I see. thanks.
    now I am happy with my current receiver.
  • 04-29-2004, 09:56 AM
    magictooth
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by minmao
    Thanks for the link. It is very helpful.
    One more question: what is the difference between dolby digital ex 7.1 and dolby pro logic IIx 7.1?
    (My receiver only has the digital ex 7.1)

    Dolby Digital is a surround format that you'll see on most new DVDs. The actual format is 5.1 which means that you have 5 discrete channels of sound (front L/R, center, surround L/R) + a LFE or subwoofer channel. From the looks of it, your receiver will take the surround L/R information and digitally create 2 extra channels for you - hence the designation "7.1" (a misnomer in my opinion, but what's a guy like me supposed to do?).

    Dolby PL II is a digital algorithm that will take any 2 channel sound such as regular cable or satellite and convert that into 5 or 7 channels. I'm pretty sure that you won't get a separate signal going to your subwoofer, but if anybody out there can correct this, please post the correct info.

    As I said above, I personally hate the digital fiddling around, but I can see how some people may find it great. The thing that I dislike most about DSPs including PLII is that most of the sound comes from the center channel. You don't get the normal ambience that is created from direct 2 ch. My system is set up very well with calibrated speakers and I get a better left to right panning of sound when that is required, and I also get a better sense of depth to speech - the person speaking isn't only dead center, but sometimes sounds like he's speaking a bit more to the right or left as the case may be.