7.1 Confusion

[SoundFreak]

I finally brought my tv down to the basement and got everything hooked up to watch my first movie in the new room but now I am confused. I read this before but forgot about it until I ran into it.

I have everything wired for 7.1. However, all movies are not in 7.1 so I had sound coming out of my side speakers rather than the rear. Is there a way to make it come from the rear without having to change the connections every time? I'd also prefer to keep it in dolby digital.

Are all newer movies in 7.1 one now or do most of them leave that out?

[crazyBLUE]

Originally Posted by SoundFreak

I finally brought my tv down to the basement and got everything hooked up to watch my first movie in the new room but now I am confused. I read this before but forgot about it until I ran into it.

I have everything wired for 7.1. However, all movies are not in 7.1 so I had sound coming out of my side speakers rather than the rear. Is there a way to make it come from the rear without having to change the connections every time? I'd also prefer to keep it in dolby digital.

Are all newer movies in 7.1 one now or do most of them leave that out?

If you're receiver has A setting for PLIIx , than it will matrix the sound into the rear surrounds on A 5.1 sound track !

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by crazyBLUE

If you're receiver has A setting for PLXII , than it will matrix the sound into the rear surrounds on A 5.1 sound track !

crazy is right, look for the PLIIX listening modes, as this will help. I also know for my SC-05, I have to have the "SB - surround back" set to "on" or "auto" in order for it to matrix the audio into all 7 channels. So, if we knew what receiver you have, it would help alot.

[SoundFreak]

Sorry, I have the Yamaha V663 and it does have the PLIIx but if I use that is it still digital or should say comparable to using 5.1.

Are newer movies coming out with 7.1 soundtracks? If so, is it few and far between. To be honest, I watch a TON of movies but since I never had 7.1 I never cared to look at the sound options at the movies main menu.

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by SoundFreak

Sorry, I have the Yamaha V663 and it does have the PLIIx but if I use that is it still digital or should say comparable to using 5.1.

PLIIx and other digital signal processors redirect some of the audio from the surround channels (sides) to the rears. There's no loss of quality.

Are newer movies coming out with 7.1 soundtracks? If so, is it few and far between. To be honest, I watch a TON of movies but since I never had 7.1 I never cared to look at the sound options at the movies main menu.

Movies are usually mixed in 5.1 for theaters and must be remixed to 7.1 for home release, which doesn't happen very often. You'll need to rely on signal processing to get rear speaker sound most of the time.

[HOME THEATRE ADDICT!]

Lionsgate are the main studio releasing 7.1 soundtracks so far!

[solarrdadd]

when you have a 7.1 sound system and play a movie that is in 5.1 the sound is supposed to come out of the two side channels, they make up the 5, no sound would come out of the back surrounds as they make up the 7 the only way you could re-direct sound to come out of the back two channels instead of the side two channels of your 7.1 is to swap the speaker wires. there is no way around this. whatever source your watching that is the way your system will send it out. now, if you matrix it then the you will get sound from all 7.1 or your speakers, but, not remove all sound from your side surrounds and play them completely through the back surrounds. which is what your asking. your not asking about matrixing to get sound out of all of your channels, as some of the folks have answered. i have a 7.1 setup, by the way.

am i mistaken? to me it sounds like your asking how to make the sound come out of the surround backs and not out of the surround sides when watching a 5.1 encoded movie OR are you asking how to get 7.1 sound out of a 5.1 encoded movie? I think your asking the first part but, please specify!

[BozQ]

Just to supplement what was being recommended here with Dolby Pro Logic IIx.
There are some movies that was originally mixed for Dolby Digital Surround EX in cinemas. A 5.1 soundtrack that can be matrix-decoded to 6.1
I'm not sure if all receivers can do this, but if there's a Dolby Digital EX switch, you can turn it on and the matrixed rear centre channel can be played back on your rear-left and rear-right speakers as a mono channel.

As far as I know, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is one such movie on Blu-ray. Indiana Jones 4 might be another, knowing Lucasfilm is quite particular about this format. And perhaps all Pixar movies too. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. (But not sure about the two sequels)

There is no definite list of movies mixed in DDEX (or DTS-ES) unfortunately. But I reckon it's mostly the big budget movies between 1999 - 2004. After which, 6.1 soundtracks are very few each year.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

am i mistaken? to me it sounds like your asking how to make the sound come out of the surround backs and not out of the surround sides when watching a 5.1 encoded movie OR are you asking how to get 7.1 sound out of a 5.1 encoded movie? I think your asking the first part but, please specify!

That is exactly what I though OP was asking as well.
In which case PLIIx or Neo:6 (or even Logic 7) are the perfect solutions.

[SoundFreak]

solar, you are correct but the PLIIx is an interesting thought. I will have to give it a try. if i'm not losing sound quality then I suppose it can't hurt.

[Buddy Christ]

I finally went with this. (the last diagram)

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-t6T4DQ1...placement.html


They do project the correct "surround" on the 5.1 movies (which is 90%)

And when 7.1 is used it really is for right behind you ambience.

I stopped switching wires