Dolby Atmos, Auro, and 3D audio thread

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Initially most are, but no vendor is increasing the number of amp channels on a AVR compared to the previous year, they are just including Atmos decoding. If you do add amp channels then cost will go way up, because the AVR is becoming more specialized and a lot larger due to power supply capacity, and additional amps. Most owners would use the pre-amp outputs to drive additional amps for a Atmos setup. IMHO I think the industry is trying to see if the Atmos carrot will lead a certain percentage of home theater owners to buy the necessary gear and additional speakers. Its a gamble IMHO.

It is a huge gamble. The contempt shown by some "aficiando" types to the idea of a modular add-on is a total mystery to me. Will the manufacturers gamble on pushing users into this - gluing it into every receiver that is decent, and trying to harvest a return?


Probably not. Even now, with 7.1 receivers being the standard, they know that many folks won't use more than five channels, and view this as an expansion option that might or might not be used.


But the idea that someone is paying for a mode that is simply not that impressive, can't work without buying 40% more speakers, and has a possibly unmoveable installation price, is going to chase people away in droves.


If they sell an add-on kit, it might work. Considering how haphazard this rollout is becoming, I am not optimistic.

[Bmoney003]

not that impressive?!?

have you even heard ATMOS?

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Bmoney003

not that impressive?!?
have you even heard ATMOS?

Thats not the point, its whether the additional expense and ceiling modifications vs one's existing setups makes sense to home theater fans. Right now the immersive audio marketplace barely exists. Look over the offerings here. Look at the AVR's, majority aren't even HDCP 2.2 capable, which is what 4k BD media playback will require. Look at the BD titles, exceeding few, look at the speakers, only a few. Its not a discussion of whether Atmos is a better audio environment, his observations are related to marketplace viability on whether this will take off.

On AVS there are a bunch of bleeding edge types that all went the Atmos setup route and like the results, then D&M drops the bomb that only the late shipping flagship models will offer a paid hardware upgrade for HDCP 2.2. This is why a lot of us are quite pessimistic of the industry.

[JohnAV]

I thought these comments from Big Picture Big Sound answers why aren't the various movies in cinemas that offered Atmos isn't reflected in corresponding new BD releases.

So why are the studios so hesitant to commit to the new format? And why are they selecting such low quality films as their launch titles? After all, Dolby recently announced the 200th theatrical film which is slated to include a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. In theaters, some great (or at least highly entertaining) films have gotten the Dolby Atmos treatment: Gravity, Godzilla, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Edge of Tomorrow, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Hobbit films, and more. But what do we get on Blu-ray? Forgettable sequels of franchises that were never all that ground-breaking to begin with.



Dolby Atmos on Blu-ray Disc
Is this really the Dolby Atmos "A team?"
Part of it is timing of course: Gravity (the poster child for Dolby Atmos) was released on Blu-ray before the home version of Dolby Atmos was finalized, and the latest Star Trek: Into Darkness release (on the "Star Trek: Compendium" Blu-ray set) was also in the can too soon to include Dolby Atmos. But what about The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (Extended Version) or The Edge of Tomorrow? These films had Dolby Atmos soundtracks in movie theaters, and were released on Blu-ray after Transformers: Age of Extinction." Surely these could have included Dolby Atmos soundtracks, no?

The answer? We suspect it's "all about the money." With any new format, early adopters will line up to buy anything that's available in the format. So by including Dolby Atmos, Blu-rays that otherwise would have had dismal sales figures will have slightly less dismal sales figures. And for popular movies such as Godzilla, Edge of Tomorrow, The Hobbit, and more, the studio can sell the initial Blu-ray Disc to the fans and then do a double dip in Dolby Atmos later, for those who want the best audio they can get.

The problem, of course, is that it's a classic Catch 22: without content available, prospective customers will wait to buy the hardware. And without Dolby Atmos receivers and speakers in people's homes, there's no one to get excited about the format, hence no one to buy any Dolby Atmos-compatible titles that do get released. This "wait and see" attitude on the part of the studios will only serve to dampen any excitement in the format, just as it did for the home launch of 3D a few years ago.

In an age where home entertainment sales are lagging -- particularly physical media like Blu-ray Disc -- you would think the studios would embrace an exciting new format with open arms. But instead they appear to be waiting on the sidelines. C'mon, Hollywood: get in the game!

[dvdmike]

My local retailer installed a 2 and 4 in ceiling set up and there was a guy from Dolby UK there to answer questions, they had a demo disc and Transformers.
I have to say the 4 set up had the better system and was projection, but the 2 was more directional in a way with the demo discs.
I think the object based nature of the mix "at home" was better than the god speakers.
I have a height set up and there are a few discs (mostly older titles) that pull out a ton of height info and I bet these will work in an upmix quite well.
The demo disc had an HD track and a Plus track and he let me switch it, and I must say the plus track was really impressive and had all the directionality of the HD mix.

[Pieter V]

I also own the Dolby Atmos demo disc. Dolby Atmos: "Leaf" & "Amaze" are the best trailers on that disc.

I am really looking forward on how the catalog titles will sound like, for next year. Expendables 3 & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were disappointing. I don't have a Dolby Atmos set up. But the 7.1 core tracks should give you a glimpse what Dolby Atmos has to offer. Like Transformers 4 proofed.

But these two movies had just a general mix. Nothing special at all. Another missed opportunity. That goes for a lot more movies these days. Rear usage can be a lot better, you don't even have to use Dolby Atmos for that.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by Pieter V

I also own the Dolby Atmos demo disc. Dolby Atmos: "Amaze" & "Unfold" are the best trailers on that disc.

I am really looking forward on how the catalog titles will sound like, for next year. Expendables 3 & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were disappointing. I don't have a Dolby Atmos set up. But the 7.1 core tracks should give you a glimpse what Dolby Atmos has to offer. Like Transformers 4 proofed.

But these two movies had just a general mix. Nothing special at all. Another missed opportunity. That goes for a lot more movies these days. Rear usage can be a lot better, you don't even have to use Dolby Atmos for that.

He gushed over unfold as it was mixed by the same guy who mixed TF

[Pieter V]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

He gushed over unfold as it was mixed by the same guy who mixed TF

Three days ago Dolby has released another Dolby Atmos trailer:

Dolby Atmos: "Horizon" Cinema Trailer - YouTube

Hopefully it pops up on the internet with Atmos sound. Curious how it sounds.

[dvdmike]

I have no idea why they upload them to YT lol

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

I have no idea why they upload them to YT lol

Visibility, how many other sites would offer Dolby marketing trailers?

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Visibility, how many other sites would offer Dolby marketing trailers?

Marketing the audio you cannot hear on YT tho, just always found it silly

[BozQ]

Where do you guys get the Dolby Atmos demo disc?

[ClaytonMG]

In case anyone is looking, The Expendables 3 does have the Unfold trailer on it.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by BozQ

Where do you guys get the Dolby Atmos demo disc?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...Atmos&_sacat=0

[BozQ]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...Atmos&_sacat=0

Thanks. Ouch. It's expensive.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by Bmoney003

not that impressive?!?

have you even heard ATMOS?

No, and not in a home environment. My theaters are for sound and movies - I'm sure I have terrific sound now, and a spherical sound environment is a holy grail not yet achieved anywhere.

I'm sure sound coming from underneath the listener will also be impressive. That, however, is not yet here.

The real problem is getting add-ons like this as modular additions, not integral equipment swaps. This smacks of other recent "upgrades", complete with whole-equipment change and reboots of archive media.

I don't think it will be that impressive. I have a very impressive soundscape in three places in my home; I don't think that something like this is a "wow, you're really missing out" kind of thing. Not at these prices, with a technological change this confused.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by Blu-Dog

No, and not in a home environment. My theaters are for sound and movies - I'm sure I have terrific sound now, and a spherical sound environment is a holy grail not yet achieved anywhere.

I'm sure sound coming from underneath the listener will also be impressive. That, however, is not yet here.

The real problem is getting add-ons like this as modular additions, not integral equipment swaps. This smacks of other recent "upgrades", complete with whole-equipment change and reboots of archive media.

I don't think it will be that impressive. I have a very impressive soundscape in three places in my home; I don't think that something like this is a "wow, you're really missing out" kind of thing. Not at these prices, with a technological change this confused.

It is a game changer

[JohnAV]

^ They said that about 3D movies, but 3D movies represents a very weak marketplace now. At least with 3D you just needed a 3D capable display, and source that was compatible with 3D media.

With Atmos, its a whole lot more complicated being your older AVR lacks the decoder, and your speakers setup needs to have timbre matched elevated speakers or ceiling speakers.

The real question does 3D audio in one's home having staying power as far as the studios are concerned? Do they wish to limit this environment to cinemas where they make most of their money?

How many have those loungers with speakers that make you feel your in the movie environment?

[Samus Aran]

I'm new to the idea of Atmos. An AV website said you can just use any old bookshelf speakers to get the Atmos ceiling-bouncing sound. Is that correct? My AVR is already set up for Atmos, but the only two elevation speakers I see (I won't be using ceiling speakers) are the pretty cheap Onkyo SKH-410 and the Definitive Technology A60 (which has a horrible rating from the one professional review I could find).

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

I'm new to the idea of Atmos. An AV website said you can just use any old bookshelf speakers to get the Atmos ceiling-bouncing sound. Is that correct? My AVR is already set up for Atmos, but the only two elevation speakers I see (I won't be using ceiling speakers) are the pretty cheap Onkyo SKH-410 and the Definitive Technology A60 (which has a horrible rating from the one professional review I could find).

I have a height set up and since they are angled up the chap from Dolby said they will be fine