Dolby Atmos coming soon for home use

[ADstv]

So is it 11.2? I got currently 7.1 and got 2 spare Yamaha satellite speakers sitting in Garage since i'm not using full 5.1 in the other room, I could use those for overhead speakers and get a further 2 more. My theater room has a raised ceiling in the middle so the speakers are easy to mount. It's just as easy upgrade as 7.1 for me. I might start saving for a new amplifier soon, my current one in the Theater room I got in 2009 and only supports HDMI 1.3

[slimdude]

I am more than satisfied with my current 7.1 sound system! The majority of the theatrical releases, are still recorded in the normal 5 and 7.1 digital sound. As I've stated in another thread, I want my house to look like a home, not like a speaker showroom at a A/V store. If I want to hear a movie in Dolby Atmos, I'll go to the theater. I don't want all those speakers in my house! Personally, I think Dolby Atmos is a overkill in the home theater market. How many speakers does a person really need, just to watch a movie. With Dolby Atmos, you will have to buy a brand new receiver, and more speakers. If Dolby Laboratories create a new 150.2 sound design, and name it: Dolby Galaxy, are consumers going to try to keep up with The Joneses, and upgrade their sound system again, to accommodate the 150.2 channels? People have to start using common sense! It's a business, and all the manufacturers are going to be laughing all the way to the bank, when they begin selling these new Dolby Atmos receivers and speakers.

[aiman04]

Are those extra channels discrete? Because I think I read somewhere that they're not native even in the theaters, but using matrix technique.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by aiman04

Are those extra channels discrete? Because I think I read somewhere that they're not native even in the theaters, but using matrix technique.

It's not channel based. Matrixing does not apply (Auro is matrixed).

[kenoh]

Originally Posted by ADstv

So is it 11.2? I got currently 7.1 and got 2 spare Yamaha satellite speakers sitting in Garage since i'm not using full 5.1 in the other room, I could use those for overhead speakers and get a further 2 more. My theater room has a raised ceiling in the middle so the speakers are easy to mount. It's just as easy upgrade as 7.1 for me. I might start saving for a new amplifier soon, my current one in the Theater room I got in 2009 and only supports HDMI 1.3

All I know is Denon's X series supports 13.1 channels with Dolby Atmos through pre-outs.

These are of course first generation Atmos receivers, so maybe next year they will support more channels?

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by aiman04

Are those extra channels discrete? Because I think I read somewhere that they're not native even in the theaters, but using matrix technique.

Discrete in that they can have discrete audio information go to them if so assigned by the soundtrack mix and/or renderer. They're definitely not matrixed.

Atmos and probably DTS UHD have discrete channel beds too. They're more like a hybrid system.

[aiman04]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

It's not channel based. Matrixing does not apply (Auro is matrixed).

Thanks Pete. Interesting, what do you mean not channel based?

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

Discrete in that they can have discrete audio information go to them if so assigned by the soundtrack mix and/or renderer. They're definitely not matrixed.

Atmos and probably DTS UHD have discrete channel beds too. They're more like a hybrid system.

Thanks, that's nice. The audio file will be big then, shouldn't be a problem though. I guess theaters with 68 speakers some of them are matrixed.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by aiman04

Thanks Pete. Interesting, what do you mean not channel based?



Thanks, that's nice. The audio file will be big then, shouldn't be a problem though. I guess theaters with 68 speakers some of them are matrixed.

Well, could be. Atmos can control up to 62.2 outputs. The base channel bed is 9.1. That's why metadata controlled objects can help expand the soundfield without requiring a full 64 channels. It does save some space, and allows for an easier, automated fold-down for smaller systems.

[aiman04]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

Well, could be. Atmos can control up to 62.2 outputs.

Wow, 62.2? I guess some downmixing is in order for home experience. Going to have to get ready to invest into a new AV receiver and some speakers now, and probably bigger display too.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by aiman04

Wow, 62.2? I guess some downmixing is in order for home experience. Going to have to get ready to invest into a new AV receiver and some speakers now, and probably bigger display too.

62.2 for commercial theaters, of course.

I don't know what the maximum allowable is for the consumer version, however. Considerably less I would imagine. Hopefully, it's more than 11.1 as the current 1st generation products can handle. It's whatever code resides in the Atmos Blu-ray soundtrack that will determine the ultimate capabilities.

Not sure why they would have press demos of around 20 some speakers and then dumb it all the way down to 11.1.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by kenoh

All I know is Denon's X series supports 13.1 channels with Dolby Atmos through pre-outs.

These are of course first generation Atmos receivers, so maybe next year they will support more channels?

13.1 pre-outs, but only processing for 11.1. Seems kind of strange. Maybe it's only 11.1 out at one time, and you can choose your configuration from 7.1+4 to 9.1+2.

I only hope the Atmos tracks will be able to control more than that and all you need is more advanced hardware... and more speakers, of course.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by SethRex

I don't mean to sound like a buzz kill but don't you think this may be a bit overkill for homes? I mean it surely sounds awesome in theaters, I wouldn't know sadly cause my local theater doesn't have Atmos...but man How many channels does a movie really need to portray it's sound?

One, really.

I am actually excited by this. I was going to get a new receiver this year but now I'll leave it 12 months and look into this a bit more.

But, the odd thing it, the vast majority of films I watch are mono or stereo.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by KRW1

One, really.

I am actually excited by this. I was going to get a new receiver this year but now I'll leave it 12 months and look into this a bit more.

But, the odd thing it, the vast majority of films I watch are mono or stereo.

Yeah, the quality of films cannot be judged simply by the amount of speaker outputs they have.

I've been enjoying some old John Ford westerns... and they're definitely not in Atmos!

[Optimus-Prime-Rox]

With all the great advancements in sound I would be happy if you could just legibly hear the dialogue instead of everything bleeding together when you watch a bluray on a regular tv, not everyone can afford a fancy thousand speaker setup just to watch movies.

[kenoh]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

13.1 pre-outs, but only processing for 11.1. Seems kind of strange. Maybe it's only 11.1 out at one time, and you can choose your configuration from 7.1+4 to 9.1+2.

I only hope the Atmos tracks will be able to control more than that and all you need is more advanced hardware... and more speakers, of course.

I thought there was processing for 13+ channels but the receiver itself can only handle 11.1 but with the pre-outs for if you want to process the two extra channels? Thought that's how to release articles explained it?

If it's only 11.1 then that will suck major balls! I thought this whole Atmos deal was going to have BT.2020 and are at least 22.2 channel capable? Maybe it's because it's the first generation iterations? If so then why even upgrade if there going to release 22 channel support later down the road?

[kristoffer]

I wonder if people with 2.0 systems will get an advantage of this?

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Optimus-Prime-Rox

With all the great advancements in sound I would be happy if you could just legibly hear the dialogue instead of everything bleeding together when you watch a bluray on a regular tv, not everyone can afford a fancy thousand speaker setup just to watch movies.

You don't need a fancy setup, just a really good center channel speaker.

[BozQ]

Keeping a very close eye on this. I nearly bought a new 7.1 home theater system.

[Mr.Twinks]

I agree it is kinda 'overkill' but I do think that people that are in the middle or starting to build out their HT room, I really don't think it is that much more work. Just something different. A big plus is that I am kinda tired of hearing about 4K, UHD, 8K etc..it was time to hear something new from the Audio side of the coin!

Oh and if one wants to have more channels you can call Datasat and get their Atmos system if one has the means.



I remember when a lot of people thought myself going to a 5.1 system was overkill ha!

[sega3dmm]

Dolby Atmos: Coming soon to a living room near you

As the Director of Sound Research here at Dolby, I take my audio very seriously. This includes, of course, having a very serious home theater in my living room.

In 2012 when we introduced Dolby Atmos®, the groundbreaking cinema sound system that puts moviegoers in the middle of the action, I started imagining how much better my home theater—and millions of others—could sound. From hearing the exciting cinema sound that Dolby Atmos made possible, I knew there was the potential to raise home entertainment to an entirely new level.

So our research and home theater teams began work on bringing Dolby Atmos to the living room. Our goal was to make home theater sound better than ever, while giving audio enthusiasts flexible choices in how they set up their system. I’m proud to say that after a lot of dreaming, experimentation, and innovation, we’ve succeeded in creating an incredible Dolby Atmos experience for the home that will be available to any entertainment fan.

You may have already heard announcements from some of our hardware partners about their products that allow you to feel every dimension of your home entertainment in Dolby Atmos. You’ll be hearing more of those announcements in the coming months.