7.1 setup, 5.1 movie

[Penitus]

If I have a 7.1 setup, what happens to those extra 2 surround speakers when I play a 5.1 movie? Does the sounds split between them? Do they just not play any sounds whatsoever?

[bigpapy]

What receiver & Player did u have?

[aramis109]

One of two things- either it matrixes it out or it doesn't and you get no sound. Depends on your receiver (hence the previous question).

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Penitus

If I have a 7.1 setup, what happens to those extra 2 surround speakers when I play a 5.1 movie? Does the sounds split between them? Do they just not play any sounds whatsoever?

If your receiver supports it, you can use Dolby Pro Logic IIx for Cinema to matrix the sound from the two side surrounds to the rear surrounds. My receiver supports it. I pretty much run all 5.1 movies in 7.1 mode and I am very happy with the results.

Dolby Pro Logic IIx also does an excellent job of matrixing two channel music into full band-width multi-channel (5.1, 6.1, or 7.1). It has three modes: Cinema, Music, and Games.

[Penitus]

Thanks. I don't have a 7.1 receiver quite yet, due to lack of $ right now, but will within a few months and was curious.

[EvilE981]

I just got a 7.1 receiver and when playing 5.1 movies the 2 back surrounds don't play. However when playing music they work great. My receiver has a THX setting and I haven't tried any of the other sound options like others have mentioned such as Pro logic IIx. My assumption was the THX Cinema was going to be the best for watching movies. But I guess I'll have to try things out. It's always fun to learn/try new things =)

[ShelbyGT500]

On my 705 I use THX Cinema Neo:6. Works really great for putting 5.1 into 7.1 and video games sound awesome. Even TV sounds great.

[paulyg]

Originally Posted by ShelbyGT500

On my 705 I use THX Cinema Neo:6. Works really great for putting 5.1 into 7.1 and video games sound awesome. Even TV sounds great.

I also have the 705, if you watch a uncompressed BD in that mode do you still get the uncompressed track

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by paulyg

I also have the 705, if you watch a uncompressed BD in that mode do you still get the uncompressed track

Yeah, it's just duplicating the surround into the rear surround field. To my knowledge it shouldn't do any compression or anything like that. You're no longer getting the "intended mix" but that's up to personal preference. (If I had a 7.1 setup and a receiver that'd do it... I'd do it!)

[EvilE981]

Originally Posted by ShelbyGT500

On my 705 I use THX Cinema Neo:6. Works really great for putting 5.1 into 7.1 and video games sound awesome. Even TV sounds great.

Thanks I tried this out last night and it sounded great to me! Even gives a new feel to SD =)

[Ethenolas]

The rear two are fed the same sound as the surrounds...just on a time delay. You can adjust the time delay on the receiver...or you should eb able to.

[DRC72]

Originally Posted by EvilE981

I just got a 7.1 receiver and when playing 5.1 movies the 2 back surrounds don't play. However when playing music they work great. My receiver has a THX setting and I haven't tried any of the other sound options like others have mentioned such as Pro logic IIx. My assumption was the THX Cinema was going to be the best for watching movies. But I guess I'll have to try things out. It's always fun to learn/try new things =)

Are you going through the receiver's analog multichannel inputs? I have my S550 going through my receiver's 7.1 multichannel inputs, and any movie that is encoded with 5.1 audio will not get matrixed out to the back surround speakers. Now if I let my receiver do the decoding(I only have standard Dolby Digital/DTS) then it gets matrixed back. I need my S550 anyways to get lossless audio, and honestly 5.1 is plenty for me.

[BUBBASAX420]

Just Use You Sound Modes Neo 6 Works Very Well Thx Ex Works Well To If You Like The Thx Sound Its All Up To You.

[EvilE981]

Originally Posted by DRC72

Are you going through the receiver's analog multichannel inputs? I have my S550 going through my receiver's 7.1 multichannel inputs, and any movie that is encoded with 5.1 audio will not get matrixed out to the back surround speakers. Now if I let my receiver do the decoding(I only have standard Dolby Digital/DTS) then it gets matrixed back. I need my S550 anyways to get lossless audio, and honestly 5.1 is plenty for me.

No i have hdmi in to the receiver and another out to the TV. I was using fiber optic before that.

[DIY_HD]

I have the same setup as DRC72. The back surrounds are silent on 5.1-channel discs. Annoying, but I try to focus on the 6 channels that I do have. I do switch from the analog inputs to optical for standard DVDs and TV. I can then use the AVR's 7-channel mode to synthesize the back two channels. So I only switch to the analog inputs when watching BDs with a lossless audio track.