What is the difference between 7.1 and 5.1 audio for blu rays?

[Movie shy]

Hi everyone,

I do not have a surround sound system my speakers are just in my HD tv. I am trying to figure out the difference in all the audio that comes on a Blu Ray. I know there is 7.1 Lossless and 5.1 and others. If someone could explain the differences it would be greatly appreciated. I was under the impression that most Blu Ray's would automatically default to the best sound possible but that's not always the case and you need to go into the set up to change Audio on some blu ray's. My tv is on the smaller side and as I said I have no surround system. I am not sure what the best audio would even be for myself to play on a blu ray disk. Thanks.

[schan1269]

Default your player to 2.0pcm.

Most TV if they are receiving anything else, will internally translate it to 2.0pcm. Although, some TV can't do that.

With HDMI(and modern CE), there is EDID.

EDID is, essentially...

"Hi, I'm x BD player and you are what?"

"I'm y tv, glad to meet you"

[Kryptonic]

If you don't have a surround sound system, it doesn't really matter to you.

[solarrdadd]

most modern players have an internal option to downmix to stereo; check to see if yours does.

you will still get lossless audio to the tv, just downmixed to 2 channels so you won't be missing anything.

i have an oppo 105 in my 2 channel only and i watch blu-ray movies all the time 7 or 5 channel movies and they sound great (of course i have external speakers and an external amp to power them)! my point is 2 channel will be ok.

to tell you the truth, if your tv has 2 channel audio out (usually RCA, sometimes 3.5mm) and if you have the money, and a little space, get yourself a logitech (or any brand within your budget) 2.1 speaker system Dell has one for under $70.00 or if you want to spend a little bit more, for a better pair of speakers, and and connect that to your tv. your tv watching experience will change 100% trust me.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Movie shy

Hi everyone,

I do not have a surround sound system my speakers are just in my HD tv. I am trying to figure out the difference in all the audio that comes on a Blu Ray. I know there is 7.1 Lossless and 5.1 and others. If someone could explain the differences it would be greatly appreciated. I was under the impression that most Blu Ray's would automatically default to the best sound possible but that's not always the case and you need to go into the set up to change Audio on some blu ray's. My tv is on the smaller side and as I said I have no surround system. I am not sure what the best audio would even be for myself to play on a blu ray disk. Thanks.

No, they default to whatever the software encoded on the BD tells the player is the "default".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surround_sound

For future reference, try Googling your questions first.

[Tellymon]

All the same coming out of your TV as others said. Oh how I miss my surround system. It's in storage waiting for now =(

[Movie shy]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

most modern players have an internal option to downmix to stereo; check to see if yours does.

you will still get lossless audio to the tv, just downmixed to 2 channels so you won't be missing anything.

i have an oppo 105 in my 2 channel only and i watch blu-ray movies all the time 7 or 5 channel movies and they sound great (of course i have external speakers and an external amp to power them)! my point is 2 channel will be ok.

to tell you the truth, if your tv has 2 channel audio out (usually RCA, sometimes 3.5mm) and if you have the money, and a little space, get yourself a logitech (or any brand within your budget) 2.1 speaker system Dell has one for under $70.00 or if you want to spend a little bit more, for a better pair of speakers, and and connect that to your tv. your tv watching experience will change 100% trust me.

Hi solardadd,

Thanks for your input. My room where my tv and blu ray player is small and I have no room for speakers. My tv is a Vizio HD but blu rays still sound good. If I had the money and space would love to have a surround system but that can't happen. I just get confused with the different audio settings for blu ray's.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by Movie shy

Hi solardadd,

Thanks for your input. My room where my tv and blu ray player is small and I have no room for speakers. My tv is a Vizio HD but blu rays still sound good. If I had the money and space would love to have a surround system but that can't happen. I just get confused with the different audio settings for blu ray's.

What are the dimensions of the room? Sometimes you'd be surprised at what you can do with a little ingenuity and some money saved up.

You're missing a great deal by using the cruddy built-in speakers... audio is at least 50% of the movie experience. And surround is about 60, especially with the new 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos.

[Scarface32]

5.1 is 5 channels of audio and 7.1 is 7 channels. These apply to sound systems with either 5 or 7 speakers. They mean nothing to someone that has their audio output from the TV.

Let's say you had a 5-speaker sound system, the BD player would default to the 5.1 audio, even if the disc has a 7.1 option.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

5.1 is 5 channels of audio and 7.1 is 7 channels. These apply to sound systems with either 5 or 7 speakers. They mean nothing to someone that has their audio output from the TV.

Let's say you had a 5-speaker sound system, the BD player would default to the 5.1 audio, even if the disc has a 7.1 option.

No.

Originally Posted by jscoggins

No, they default to whatever the software encoded on the BD tells the player is the "default".

[Scarface32]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

No.

I've never had a single BD fail to default to 5.1 for me, if 5.1 was an option.

I think the player has more to do with it, than the disc itself. My player lets me set a default audio option and I picked "auto" so it automatically finds the best option based on what hardware I have plugged in.

A lot of times I see it display on the screen "English 7.1" and then within a second or two downgrade it to "English 5.1" – It starts with the best option on the disc, and goes down from there until it finds the best for my hardware.

[CraigThom]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

I've never had a single BD fail to default to 5.1 for me, if 5.1 was an option.

I think the player has more to do with it, than the disc itself. My player lets me set a default audio option and I picked "auto" so it automatically finds the best option based on what hardware I have plugged in.

A lot of times I see it display on the screen "English 7.1" and then within a second or two downgrade it to "English 5.1" – It starts with the best option on the disc, and goes down from there until it finds the best for my hardware.

It must be the player. I've got a 5.0 setup and just today received Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. It defaulted to DTS-MA 7.1, and that's what my receiver shows coming in. My player is set to output bitstream.

[Nightopian]

5.1 was the surround sound standard implemented for DVD back in 1997. It stands for 5 speakers (2 Front, 1 Center and 2 sides) + 1 subwoofer. That format was carried over to Bluray but an additional 2 rear speakers were added to the sound mix to give you 7.1 for a more complete surround experience.

However, to take advantage of the extra rear speakers the movie would need to be coded with a 7.1 soundtrack. You'll find the majority of 3D titles have this mix as well as several 2D but overall most of titles on Bluray are still rocking the 5.1 sound.

Since you're only using the 2 channel stereo sound from your TV, you don't need to really concern yourself with it. When/If you buy an AV surround sound receiver, it is something to consider.

https://classes.lt.unt.edu/Spring_20...vs7channel.jpg

[WhySoBlu?]

Originally Posted by Nightopian

5.1 was the surround sound standard implemented for DVD back in 1997. It stands for 5 speakers (2 Front, 1 Center and 2 sides) + 1 subwoofer. That format was carried over to Bluray but an additional 2 rear speakers were added to the sound mix to give you 7.1 for a more complete surround experience.

However, to take advantage of the extra rear speakers the movie would need to be coded with a 7.1 soundtrack. You'll find the majority of 3D titles have this mix as well as several 2D but overall most of titles on Bluray are still rocking the 5.1 sound.

Since you're only using the 2 channel stereo sound from your TV, you don't need to really concern yourself with it. When/If you buy an AV surround sound receiver, it is something to consider.

In reference to the bolded part, that's not really true, as long as your receiver can apply Dolby PLIIx (or something similar.) It won't be true discrete 7.1, but it can still sound pretty damn great.


Edit: The quote's not working, for some reason. I'm responding to this: "However, to take advantage of the extra rear speakers the movie would need to be coded with a 7.1 soundtrack."

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by schan1269

Default your player to 2.0pcm.

Most TV if they are receiving anything else, will internally translate it to 2.0pcm. Although, some TV can't do that.

With HDMI(and modern CE), there is EDID.

EDID is, essentially...

"Hi, I'm x BD player and you are what?"

"I'm y tv, glad to meet you"

The funny part? I fully understand all the sound formats, and I have no idea what you just said. EDID? Huh? What planet is that from?

[schan1269]

Originally Posted by Lincoln6Echo

The funny part? I fully understand all the sound formats, and I have no idea what you just said. EDID? Huh? What planet is that from?

EDID (Extended Display Information Data) is the basis for HDCP and DRM.

Do we have to explain those two?

[Eny-]

Originally Posted by WhySoBlu?

In reference to the bolded part, that's not really true, as long as your receiver can apply Dolby PLIIx (or something similar.) It won't be true discrete 7.1, but it can still sound pretty damn great.

That would be the same as saying... Hey, the receiver can take a 2.0 soundtrack and apply Dolby Prologic for 5.1. Not discrete but sounds good.

[WhySoBlu?]

Originally Posted by Eny-

That would be the same as saying... Hey, the receiver can take a 2.0 soundtrack and apply Dolby Prologic for 5.1. Not discrete but sounds good.

No, it wouldn't.

Although I will point out that if you have a 2.0 Dolby surround track, your best results will be achieved by using Dolby PLIIx.

I was going to type out a longer explanation, but really - what would be the point? My original correction of his statement stands.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by WhySoBlu?

No, it wouldn't.

Although I will point out that if you have a 2.0 Dolby surround track, your best results will be achieved by using Dolby PLIIx.

I was going to type out a longer explanation, but really - what would be the point? My original correction of his statement stands.

With lossless 2.0 tracks (Dolby or DTS) many a/v receivers will play them only as discrete right and left channels and will not even decode subwoofer information. If the same tracks are converted to PCM 2.0 (usually by selecting a setting in the player's audio setup menu) then those receivers can apply Dolby Pro-Logic to get at least a 5.1 or to collapse a 2.0 mono track to the center channel plus subwoofer. Sometimes the receiver must also have a setup menu selection to allow both side and back surrounds to work when a 5.1 track is playing. It really depends on what equipment you're using all around.

Even with a smallish TV room, I'd also recommend the OP get at least a subwoofer if not a couple of small surrounds and a small center (or 3.0 soundbar). For almost any movie made in the past 25 years as well as the classic epics from the 50s and 60s, the stereo sound mixes are often half the experience.

[Lincoln6Echo]

Originally Posted by schan1269

EDID (Extended Display Information Data) is the basis for HDCP and DRM.

Do we have to explain those two?

You might...

But what do those things have to do with Audio Track Formats?