[Help] Dolby Surround 2.0 Matrixed files Upmix

[deleted user]

How do I export the resulting mix with the DSP effect applied to a 6 channel wav or 6 mono's?

Right click the file in your playlist -> Convert -> ...

Then click on "Processing". Here you can input the FreeSurround DSP or you can load a DSP chain preset, if you created one in the normal DSP menu.

If you have multiple files that are supposed to play gaplessly (like music albums), use the "Don't reset DSP between tracks" option.

Click "back". In Output Format you can select your output format. For example FLAC or WAV and bit depth. Internal processing is done at 32 bit floating point, but automatic selection of output bit depth is the same as the input file.

When you are satisfied with the settings, click "Convert".

Would capturing from these with PLII Movie option selected be the same as using the hardware decoders mentioned previously?

To my knowledge: Not the same as SDU4, can't speak of the others. PLII is newer than normal PL and not quite the same. Though it may sound similar to the ears, I don't know. After all, they're meant to be compatible to each other. Problem with PLII in theory is that with older movies you will get high frequency crosstalk to the back channels because the original back channel was frequency limited, so any high frequency content you may hear is not "real". It also splits the original rear channel into two separate channels, the accuracy of which is of course doubtful.

[zoidberg]

I have to say I used pro-logic II extensively with my first laserdisc setup and it worked beautifully. The effects steering was so good it could almost be discrete 5.1. I'm pretty certain the bandwidth of the rear channel was limited by the pro-logic decoding itself, flip between pro-logic I/II and you'll hear the difference.

[deleted user]

I'm pretty certain the bandwidth of the rear channel was limited by the pro-logic decoding itself

That's improbable, as there were no discrete rear channels in the original pre-matrix mix to begin with. That is, of course, until DPLII was officially used for mixing as well, which I would guess would be around 2000. As for the older ones, at best they are upmixed in a way that sounds good.

[CSchmidlapp]

@TomArrow. Thanks bud, works great
The 5.1 setting comes out pretty good.

Which settings in the Freesurround DSP setting most accurately reproduce the Dolby Matrix Decoding?
Does anybody know where I can get hold of the PLII wrapper and ATSurround plug-ins for testing?

[spoRv]

Both ATsurround and the Dolby Pro Logic II wrapper links are down.

Haven't found the ATsurround myself, but if you need the DPLII plugin, drop me a PM.

[zoidberg]

As you will no doubt know Tom Dolby Surround/Pro Logic used phase shifts to matrix the LCRS channels into a 2 channel Lt-Rt mix which could be then played through a Pro-Logic processor or as standard stereo. The rear channel was bandwidth limited to 7kHz during playback to avoid leakage from the centre channel. Pro-Logic II's decoding/steering is far more sophisticated, essentially creating 5 full bandwidth channels. Like I said before, it works stonkingly well with laserdiscs PCM tracks.

[deleted user]

@zoidberg Yep, exactly as you say. All I meant to say was that older tracks didn't have 5 full bandwidth channels to begin with, so whatever the DPLII decoder produces is not a real multi-channel rear experience. Another interesting note from using my decoder ... it seems to actually be more around 10 kHz. Strange, I know. Maybe it has some kind of defect, not sure.

[zoidberg]

You're right, in the sense that it's 'guessing' the rear channel separation, but it's a very well educated guess. AFAIK there's no way to 'mono' the rears with PLII, but it still works on the principle of phase separation within a Lt-Rt mix.

[spoRv]

AFAIK there's no way to 'mono' the rears with PLII

Is there any receiver/decoder with a Dolby Surround/Pro-Logic selector?

[captainsolo]

No. PLII and IIX do very well but can stereo-ize the rear at times. I think IIx in movie mode does a better job as it tweaked the formulas to be more accurate. I still use that over PLII, Neo 6 and even EX on EX titles as it sounds better.