Dolby Atmos coming soon for home use

[Mr.Twinks]

Originally Posted by Kirk Out

do you think theres going to be noticeable difference between atmos and true hd or dts hd at home? i think speaker layout will play key role than anything right?

Yes speaker placement is key, especially with the ceiling VOG channels.

Well with new hardware/algorithms calculating the z,y,z space to give the 3D sound effect, I do believe this is the biggest improvement in sound for home theater. I haven't heard a Dolby Atmos equipped theater but my family and friends say it is worth the price of admission to see a movie presented that way.

Oh and Atmos is coming to BD, read here! http://www.avsforum.com/forum/286-la...g-blu-ray.html

The thing is you don't need the full 64/128 channels to get the benefit of Atmos sound in your home theater. Remember these are big auditoriums that need all of those channels, our theaters on the other hand will need way less speakers/channels.

[blujacket]

I'm in also. Glad I waited to upgrade my receiver. I almost got a new Marantz

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

If "Dobly" was referenced in a movie, you'll have to tell me which one. I've seen too many comedies to remember them all. Or are you just covering up the fact you made a typo? LOL!

It was a reference to This Is Spinal Tap.

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Didn't she pronounce it "Dubly"?

The caption has it spelt as Dobly. Someone says "Dublin?".

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Exactly. Hardly any films are mixed in anything other than 5.1 or 7.1.

Pretty much every major studio film this season has an Atmos mix.

[PeterTHX]

Has anyone seen which titles will launch the format this fall?

Speculation for possible launch titles:


Godzilla
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Edge of Tomorrow
Malificent
Guardians of the Galaxy
Frozen 3D


Double dips on titles missing their Atmos mix like Gravity, Iron Man 3, or Man of Steel?


Will movies be remixed?


A lot of questions, lots of possibilities.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Has anyone seen which titles will launch the format this fall?

Speculation for possible launch titles:


Godzilla
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Edge of Tomorrow
Malificent
Guardians of the Galaxy
Frozen 3D


Double dips on titles missing their Atmos mix like Gravity, Iron Man 3, or Man of Steel?


Will movies be remixed?


A lot of questions, lots of possibilities.

My concern is that with Dolby's "recommended" 7.1+4 configuration there isn't enough to really differentiate between object surround and traditional channel based systems. Yes, there's a height element that wasn't there before, but there is one thing completely missing... and it's the main reason why object surround has a distinct advantage:

The capability of multiple surround speaker arrays (front sides, side walls, backs, and heights) that can allow for the precision of movement via a pan-through array. What you have now with consumer Dolby Atmos is exactly the same panning ability as before... but with heights that often are underutilized anyway.

Notice with the 7.1+4 that there isn't a pair of frontal side surrounds to fill in the positional gap between the screen speakers and the side surrounds, which would have created a 9.1+4 setup. Move to their 9.1+2 setup and you lose a pair of heights in order to gain wide front surrounds (gain something while losing another advance). It's the "no-win" scenario.

You need modular surround equipment and soundtracks that expand when you want to.

What I would love to know is whether or not the actual Atmos SOUNDTRACK encoded on these new, upcoming discs will contain the metadata necessary to expand beyond what Atmos (and DTS-UHD) first generation products can deliver?? And whether there are sufficient amounts of objects that can be manipulated.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Exactly. Hardly any films are mixed in anything other than 5.1 or 7.1.

There have been 26 films (including 2015 announced films) mixed in Auro-3D Barco 11.1.

There have been 75 films (including 2015 announced films) mixed in Dolby Atmos.

This doesn't include foreign-language films unlikely to be released in the U.S.

In 2014 alone (including future 2014 releases), there are 25 Dolby Atmos films and 10 Barco 11.1 films.

[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?

[FilmFreakosaurus]

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?

As many as necessary... or "it depends."

For right now, Atmos for the home doesn't have nearly enough speaker outputs IMHO to differentiate between channel based and object based surround.

It needs more, so you can place various audio elements in more precise locations.

[PowellPressburger]

Maybe this means we can finally get a better release for Gravity. The current is only 5.1 and should have been released in 7.1 and Gravity was great in Dolby Atmos at the movies.

I hope my Marantz model will have an update :-) or will I have to purchase a whole new receiver?

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Maybe this means we can finally get a better release for Gravity. The current is only 5.1 and should have been released in 7.1 and Gravity was great in Dolby Atmos at the movies.

I hope my Marantz model will have an update :-)

I think you're beginning to see why the first release of Gravity was 5.1 only and Disney's Frozen 3D was dropped from the schedule.

[PeterTHX]

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?

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

As many as necessary... or "it depends."

For right now, Atmos for the home doesn't have nearly enough speaker outputs IMHO to differentiate between channel based and object based surround.

It needs more, so you can place various audio elements in more precise locations.

You guys are looking at this all wrong. It's not just the amount of speaker outputs, but the way the sound is presented. It should be viewed much like the difference between matrixed and discrete surround. More accurate and cleaner sound in *any* home theater setup, from a simple 5.1 to the most elaborate multispeaker arrangement. The more speakers you have, the better the sound of course...everyone wins.


Just like HD 1080p picture: the bigger the screen, the more benefit. But those with small screens still see a huge increase in quality over SD.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

You guys are looking at this all wrong. It's not just the amount of speaker outputs, but the way the sound is presented. It should be viewed much like the difference between matrixed and discrete surround. More accurate and cleaner sound in *any* home theater setup, from a simple 5.1 to the most elaborate multispeaker arrangement. The more speakers you have, the better the sound of course...everyone wins.


Just like HD 1080p picture: the bigger the screen, the more benefit. But those with small screens still see a huge increase in quality over SD.

That's the issue I have with the first generation Atmos rollout... that is if they plan on expanding things next year... 7.1+4 doesn't have enough sound "resolution" so to speak. The resolution in object audio comes from the ability to place sound in far more areas of the room with precision. It needed at least 9.1+4 (or 13.1) to start as the "best" configuration. That's two sets of side surrounds and the pairs of heights to go with them (creates the x/y/z coordinates for the metadata instructions). You then have some sort of beginning surround array to pan through. You know the heights aren't going to be utilized as much as the sides and backs.

For some reason the manufacturers stepped in and dumbed it down. More than likely they wanted to be first with some gimmick and didn't have the equipment "shells" ready to go, and not the "best" and most "innovative." I just hope Dolby built in a way to expand the speaker layout in subsequent generations (in terms of the soundtrack's encoding and the rendering software), starting in 2015.

[Lyle_JP]

I'm surprised Yamaha is currently absent from the list. They were the first receiver manufacturer to really push the concept of "front height" speakers and 9.2 surround systems.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Lyle_JP

I'm surprised Yamaha is currently absent from the list. They were the first receiver manufacturer to really push the concept of "front height" speakers and 9.2 surround systems.

Yamaha...they usually push their own proprietary thing. I remember trying to sell it in the 80s.


Note a lot of the initial licensees are often THX certified as well.

[kenoh]

Originally Posted by Mr.Twinks

Yes speaker placement is key, especially with the ceiling VOG channels.

Well with new hardware/algorithms calculating the z,y,z space to give the 3D sound effect, I do believe this is the biggest improvement in sound for home theater. I haven't heard a Dolby Atmos equipped theater but my family and friends say it is worth the price of admission to see a movie presented that way.

Oh and Atmos is coming to BD, read here! http://www.avsforum.com/forum/286-la...g-blu-ray.html

The thing is you don't need the full 64/128 channels to get the benefit of Atmos sound in your home theater. Remember these are big auditoriums that need all of those channels, our theaters on the other hand will need way less speakers/channels.

true but why limit it? Some people have the room and it makes things more interesting! Plus we would never again have to go through such a new audio specification for a very long time, maybe 100+ years!

I say f' it, why not have 22.1 channels if that's what 8k will bring anyways? At least make it half the specification of Atmos with up to 34.1 channel support.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Yamaha...they usually push their own proprietary thing. I remember trying to sell it in the 80s.


Note a lot of the initial licensees are often THX certified as well.

It seems as if Audyssey and THX are becoming a thing of the past. Some models have one or both of these features being dropped for one reason or another.

[Badas]

I'm not sure about this.

More speakers.

It is getting so silly that you can't call it Home Theater anymore.

Seriously there is going to be more speakers than room. Invite people over and say welcome to my HT. By the way you have to sit on this speaker.

[arc trooper]

Originally Posted by Badas

I'm not sure about this.

More speakers.

It is getting so silly that you can't call it Home Theater anymore.

Seriously there is going to be more speakers than room. Invite people over and say welcome to my HT. By the way you have to sit on this speaker.

Lol Ya... When I first saw this I thought the same thing... I think I'll be good when 11.2 becomes the norm like 5.1

[kenoh]

Originally Posted by Badas

I'm not sure about this.

More speakers.

It is getting so silly that you can't call it Home Theater anymore.

Seriously there is going to be more speakers than room. Invite people over and say welcome to my HT. By the way you have to sit on this speaker.

like I said, there only options! You don't have to have 22 speakers, just like people have the option of adding a sub or 2 or going quad. The option is there if people want it. We have advanced processors to downmix the sound to however speakers you have.

Me? I'm only probably going 13.1 channels max! I want rear center, wide and height channels and one over head speaker and maybe wide and height channels in the rear and that's the max for me! I'll accomplish this with a mix of floorstander's, book shelves, a pair of ADP surround speakers and flat panel speakers.

Only floorstanders I have are the two front speakers and two surround speakers for surround music, the rest are book shelves and flat panels. Maybe this will give Disney a reason to create a new audio mix for Star Wars! God I can dream....