Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with dolby

The sound from a movie download comes out of two speakers, but what about 5.1?

skylar — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:29:35 -0800

These days a lot of movie viewing takes place from digital files sitting on a computer and downloaded from BitTorrent. In this environment, is it worth having a 5.1 type surround sound audio decoder? Do most of the movie files on BitTorrent come encoded as multi-channel surround sound these days? And to output 5.1 digital surround from a computer what does one need? A special sound card? Some kind of surround sound decoder separate attached to the computer via its optical out?

Technophobe seeks help wrangling Dolby 5.1 into plain old stereo

parilous — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:29:37 -0800

More and more DVDs are coming encoded with Dolby surround sound and many don't have an alternate Dolby stereo option. The resulting sound has way too much background noise mixed in, making it hard to hear the dialogue. Usually, we turn down the volume and turn on the closed captions. Is there another way or am I forced to spend hundreds on a surround-sound system? We don't have cable and wouldn't choose to spend money on an entertainment system for the TV. We use the TV for (max) 8 hours a week -- for Netflix movies (the source of the problem), video games (Wii, PS2), and as a clone display for my laptop for a couple of TV shows.

It's a standard tube TV (not flatscreen, not HD), purchased circa 2001, with front inputs (currently connected to a switchbox for the aforementioned peripherals).

If you know of anything easy and cheap that can help, please let me know. Links and step-by-step instructions are especially useful. Thanks!

How can I use my TV speakers as the center channel on my receiver?

odinsdream — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:02:13 -0800

How can I use the speakers in my TV as the "center" speaker on my receiver? I have a receiver hooked up to four normal speakers. I'd like to use the speakers in my TV as the center speaker.

My TV has audio inputs for each set of video inputs. These are normal RCA red-white connectors.

Is there some way to connect powered speaker wires to these without breaking the TV? My first thought was to open the TV and disconnect the speakers from the internal wiring and substitute my own. I'd prefer not to do this since the TV is new and still under warranty.

The other problem would be that the TV has two internal speakers, left and right, which I want to treat as one.

Any thoughts?

Manuals for a Technics SU-G91 amp?

lonefrontranger — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:01:57 -0800

Old-skool AmpFilter: Who can provide links and/or guidance for us to find manuals / technical info for an older Technics amp and 5-CD changer? Neither AskMeFi nor Google has been of any help.

Specifics: The amp is a Technics SU-G91 New Class A Stereo Integrated Amp. The CD player is a Technics SL-PD845 5-CD changer.

Both components appear to have serial# / manufacture dates of 1993. From the (very) sparse info I was able to locate on the web, Technics was apparently taken over by Panasonic at some point, and neither site has any info on these 2 components that I could locate.

mr. lfr was the beneficiary of a friend's move, and picked up these 2 components. Both appear to be in pristine shape, however it's a little flaky trying to figure out how to set up the amp for surround mode with satellite rears.

I think (I'm not that knowledgeable about All Things A/V) that this system may predate Dolby 5.1 Surround. It does have a Dolby ProLogic button on the front of the amp.

I've tried various google searches and the information on these things is not easy to find. A smattering of forum posts on diy sound forums is about all I could find, and they mainly concerned stuff like how to re-solder leads to the heat sink on damaged amps.

Specifically want to figure out how many channels the amp has, and how many watts per channel - I see some references to 130 wpc, but is this for all channels, or only the front? Don't want to fry the satellites or blow the amp.

A link to a .pdf of an user manual for one or both of these components would be ideal. Failing that, someone who knows where we can find links to (preferably free) schematics online, or can otherwise give insight. I would imagine there's someone on MeFi who knows enough about older rack system componentry to provide assistance.

Thanks AskMeFi!

"We should have recorded the album in Dubley..."

Blazecock Pileon — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:31:52 -0800

Wireless speakers for a Philips HTS3555 surround sound system? After years of setting up and breaking down computers, I hate wires with a hateful, bloody passion. Is there any way to use the speakers with this surround system in a wireless fashion, without much extra expense? Is there another system you might recommend which includes wireless speakers and more or less the same features as this system?

Help me get the surround sound system from heaven.

kingjoeshmoe — Mon, 22 May 2006 10:07:24 -0800

Help me get a surround sound system! Specific questions and products inside. So I'm completely clueless. I've made some preliminary decisions based solely on amazon.com rankings and reviews, and I need you to tell me if I'm making a mistake.

Right now, I'm looking at getting this HK receiver, and this set of speakers.

Are these what I'm looking for? Specific questions:
(1) Is that receiver far more than I'd ever want or need, or will it be worth the extra money?
(2) Are the speakers good? They're cheaper than the receiver, which makes me worry, but I didn't find anything particularly better. (If you tell me that I should get separate components rather than a boxed set, please tell me what exactly to buy. Switching from one big choice to seven little ones will make my head spin.)

Here are my criteria:
*Excellent sound quality
*Relatively loud, but not necessarily blow the house down. I'm in an apartment and won't be able to take it up to max capacity anyway, though I wouldn't mind the option for whenever I move.
*Easy hook up/calibration would be nice
*Anything else I'm forgetting?

Budget matters, but if a few hundred dollars will be the difference between "good" and "OMFG I WEEP WITH JOY", I'll pay it. I want to have this a while, and I don't want to cheap out. (That's how I talked myself into that receiver.)

Bonus questions: How do I deal with calibrating the speakers to get the most out of them? Any particular components I should get (e.g., brand of cd player/etc.)?

Please help me. I don't know what I'm doing here, and I'm about to spend a serious chunk of change.

Please don't just tell me to go listen to them in the store. I know that's the best way, but (a) Like I said, I'm clueless, and I want audiophile input, (b) I don't want to have to deal with the salesman who claims to be an audiophile but is really just pushing for a bigger commission, (c) the choice is overwhelming, and seeing 15 home theater systems in a store without any idea about what I'm looking for won't help much.

DVM & AC-3

Protocols of the Elders of Awesome — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:18:26 -0800

Is the DVM audio format actually the same thing as Dolby Digital/AC-3, or does it just use the same WAVE Format ID?

Audio surround question on Dolby Pro Logic I & II.

Mwongozi — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 08:15:19 -0800

I have an audio surround decoder that supports Dolby Pro Logic I and II. (In separate modes.) If it's in Pro Logic II mode, will a Pro Logic I encoded signal still be "correctly" decoded?

Mac Speakers

interrobang — Sun, 21 Nov 2004 19:21:15 -0800

I'm getting the new iMac in the mail on Tuesday, and I want to watch DVDs on it. I'd like to buy a set of 5.1 Surround Sound speakers for it, but as far as I can tell, you can't really just buy a set of speakers and plug them into the headphone jack on your computer. Or can you? My main interest in 5.1 Surround Sound is mostly for using the enhanced "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" DVD, so this isn't really that big a deal, but I haven't found a simple setup for 5.1 speakers online.

If this is indeed not possible, what's a good set of Macintosh-usable speakers that cost around two hundred dollars?

I have just bought a Dolby 5.1 sound system. Please tell me why I should or shouldn't listen to my CDs, recorded in stereo, using all six speakers.

meech — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 19:39:26 -0800

Audionazi-filter: I have just bought a Dolby 5.1 sound system. Please tell me why I should or shouldn't listen to my CDs, recorded in stereo, using all six speakers. [And slightly related: What movies should I rent for their brilliant 5.1 sound?]