What happens to 7.1 on 5.1 systems? - Blu-ray Forum

nycomet · 02-28-2008, 10:39 PM

I only have 5 speakers (and a subwiffer) hooked up on my A/V system. What happens to the extra 7.1 channels (from BDs encoded with 7.1 sound) when I play it on a 6.1 Sony receiver with only 5.1 speakers connected? I'm using HDMI.

Am I really missing out on some of the sound?

Where do the extra sound channels end up going? Do they just disappear?

nhaase · 02-28-2008, 11:04 PM

What's your player? You can just set the player to not output 7.1. I would think that the extra two channels are added in, and that w/out them you're not "missing out" on any sound if the speakers were encoded in 5.1, but that's my guess.

Minimejer05 · 02-28-2008, 11:26 PM

I really do need surround sound

sonicbox · 02-29-2008, 12:53 AM

If the audio is TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, DD+, etc. the format will downmix higher channel content to 5.1 or lower using the meta information provided by the mixer. So, you should get exactly what was intended for 5.1 by the mixer out of your system... even if there are more channels.

For PCM, there is no specific standard and no metadata to assist the downmix. It will depend on your BD player and/or receiver. It may not be exactly what is intended by the mix engineer, but it should be OK in most environments.

02-28-2008, 10:39 PM	#1
nycomet Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Dec 2007 Location:Long Island, NY, USA ; I enjoy watching 3D blu-rays; 41 Blufans steels so far Home Theater Gallery:11 Blu-ray collection:1344 DVD collection:55 Digital collection:246 Blu-ray reviews:40 Trading Score:343	What happens to 7.1 on 5.1 systems? I only have 5 speakers (and a subwiffer) hooked up on my A/V system. What happens to the extra 7.1 channels (from BDs encoded with 7.1 sound) when I play it on a 6.1 Sony receiver with only 5.1 speakers connected? I'm using HDMI. Am I really missing out on some of the sound? Where do the extra sound channels end up going? Do they just disappear?

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02-28-2008, 11:04 PM	#2
nhaase Special Member Member since:Mar 2007 Trading Score:2	What's your player? You can just set the player to not output 7.1. I would think that the extra two channels are added in, and that w/out them you're not "missing out" on any sound if the speakers were encoded in 5.1, but that's my guess.

02-28-2008, 11:26 PM	#3
Minimejer05 Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Dec 2007 Location:Minnesota Home Theater Gallery:14 4K collection:532 Blu-ray collection:1995 Blu-ray reviews:28 Trading Score:6	I really do need surround sound

02-29-2008, 12:53 AM	#4
sonicbox Active Member Member since:Sep 2007 Blu-ray reviews:1	If the audio is TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, DD+, etc. the format will downmix higher channel content to 5.1 or lower using the meta information provided by the mixer. So, you should get exactly what was intended for 5.1 by the mixer out of your system... even if there are more channels. For PCM, there is no specific standard and no metadata to assist the downmix. It will depend on your BD player and/or receiver. It may not be exactly what is intended by the mix engineer, but it should be OK in most environments.

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