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View Full Version : Do u need DD 5.1 for surround sound?



XboxAddict04
12-05-2001, 06:08 PM
j/W do u have to have a DD 5.1 reciever to get surround sound from left 2 right , like lets say in delta storm when u blow sumthin up on ur right, would i need special speakers or reciver?

Thanx

Frostberg
12-05-2001, 07:39 PM
If you just want simple left to right, sure thats how it is. There are seperate channels for left and right sounds. On your TV, if it has 2 speakers...sure it will be from left to right, however because the speakers are so close, and of pretty low quality, it wont be really that noticeable unless you sit realy close to the tv. DD 5.1 can only be achived with just that, a 5.1 setup with a Dolby Digital receiver and it will be VERY noticeable and be a very nice experience. I love when things do that, like on Max Payne (for PC). People might not think that the extra speakers help, but oh my, they do!

XboxAddict04
12-05-2001, 09:32 PM
So all ur sayin i need is a dolby digital 5.1 reciever and regular speakers (5 + a sub i assume)? My dad is getting a surround sound system for christmas but i have no clue what kind it is, guess i'll wait and find out. How much r 5.1 receivers anyway? like the cheapest one u can get lol .

thanx

Frostberg
12-05-2001, 09:52 PM
as long as he receiver has optical input it will work with dolby digital when you get the advanced av pack or the monster cable gamelink series (get these if possible) with he optical sound adapter. You can get receivers cheap, but it would be wise to invest money into these things along with your speakers.

XboxAddict04
12-06-2001, 12:04 PM
WHATS A OPTICAL INPUT? like a fiber optic input ?? lol i'm audio ld

i have no clue what recivers like that cost , can u give me a in the ballpark range? like under 100 maybey?

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 02:31 PM
umm its an optical input on your receiver...Its just a better quality of sound...I think you should be looking to spend at least $180 at lowest quality with optical inputs

Hugh_Jass
12-06-2001, 04:14 PM
Everyone here is talking about Dolby Digital 5.1. Technically, he asked about surround sound, which can be just about anything. Even the standard stereo jacks can produce Dolby Pro Logic surround with the right equipment. Sure, DD5.1 is far superior but I just wanted to make sure his question is being answered completely.

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 05:57 PM
I pretty much answered that in my 1st post, and if you have an Xbox, you want to stay away from regular TV speakrs

adamw19
12-06-2001, 06:01 PM
I have dolby digital surround sound... but i don't know if it's 5.1... what does 5.1 mean anyway... i have 2 front left and right speakers... 2 back right and left speakers... i center speaker and a sub... what would that be? and it's RCA.

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 06:23 PM
5.1 is 5 speakers and a sub. You only have 4.1. Also I dont know what you mean by RCA. If you have the audio out on your TV which is the white and red RCA plugs going to your receiver, it isint dolby digital. You can only use optical or coax for digital.

adamw19
12-06-2001, 06:38 PM
I have 5 speakers and a sub... i said 2 front speakers... 2 back speakers... that makes 4... plus my center channel speaker which makes 5 and a sub which would make 5.1. lol i meant my brand of my home theater system is RCA.

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 06:40 PM
ok, is it optical to your Xbox then?

adamw19
12-06-2001, 06:42 PM
I'm getting my box at christmas... i'm not quite sure what you mean by optical.

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 06:43 PM
does your receiver have an optical input connection?

adamw19
12-06-2001, 06:46 PM
I'm not sure... theres S-Video and the place where the red yellow and red wires go into... would it maybe be on the back of the reciever?

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 07:00 PM
yep, most likely on the top of the receiver

adamw19
12-06-2001, 07:19 PM
I don't know if i have it or not... but whats it all do anyway?

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 07:54 PM
Well if you dont either use digital coax or optical connectors you would be wasting your 5.1 setup. It isint digital without a digital connector. Although Dolby Pro Logic is nice, it only really is right and left, and kind of simulated dolby digital. It doesnt have 5 seperate channels, it kind of creates the rear and center channels as just extra speakers. But with the seperate channels of dolby digital 5.1, you can actually hear something from all sides of you. Its especially nice in DVDs because you can hear things like a hellicopter doing a circle around you and stuff.

adamw19
12-06-2001, 08:28 PM
Ya when i watch VHS it uses all speakers and you can here planes fly behind you then fly to the front speakers... so it must be dolby digital.


and also it says Dolby Digital on my reciever.

SciFi
12-06-2001, 08:45 PM
OK, you got me confused...
i got 2 front, 2 back, and a middle speaker. They all connect to a thing that plays CD's, cassets, and radio. In the back there are 2 input plugs for L/R...
What do I have??? What setting ought I put the Xbox on???

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 09:20 PM
Originally posted by SciFi
OK, you got me confused...
i got 2 front, 2 back, and a middle speaker. They all connect to a thing that plays CD's, cassets, and radio. In the back there are 2 input plugs for L/R...
What do I have??? What setting ought I put the Xbox on???

Well if you dont have digital inputs of some kind, it isint digital. If you have a subwoofer it is 5.1, if not just 5. But if it isint connected digitally, it isint digital. Now heres the part that confuses some people...even thought it is connected via a digital input that doesnt mean it is always receiving digital signals. If you are watching your TV, chances are it isint digital. If you pop in the matrix or some DVD that supports dolby digital, then it is. Also this applies to games. Although Im sure all games will support dolby digital thanks to the Xboxes built in decoder. Now in case you got confused earlier, TVs dont have anything to do with dolby digital. The audio out on your TV (red and white RCA connectors) goes to the receiver. Now the tv cant do anything digital (soundwise), because it isint connected digitally. Now, this is why you directally connect everything soundwise to a receiver. A DVD player, an Xbox etc. The XBox optical out (get it by buying advanced av pack or monster cable game link with optical adapter) and then buying a good quality (monster cable recommended) optical sound cord. You got your Xbox feeding signals to the receiver, and the receiver feeding to the speakers...and this eliminates the TV...which doesnt have good speakers in the first place. Now adays, only the most rock bottom home theater setups dont have optical inputs. Might have to buy a new setup like I did if you dont have optical inputs on your receiver...it makes a world of difference, and you will like it!

Hugh_Jass
12-06-2001, 10:36 PM
Originally posted by adamw19
Ya when i watch VHS it uses all speakers and you can here planes fly behind you then fly to the front speakers... so it must be dolby digital.


and also it says Dolby Digital on my reciever.

VHS is never Dolby Digital. You are hearing Dolby Pro Logic or some sort of matrixed surround sound.

adamw19
12-06-2001, 10:40 PM
oh i see... so do you have to buy this coax/optical connectors that frostberg mentioned or what?

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 10:45 PM
yes for digital....think about it, how would you get DIGITAL sound without it being hooked up to a DIGITAL input?

adamw19
12-06-2001, 10:46 PM
ya... so where would i get my hands on this stuff and what would the $$$ be.

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 11:13 PM
If your receiver has optical inputs, just buy the cable ($25ish)...and get the advanced av pack for $20...If not you should e able to keep your speakers if you think they sound pretty good and just get a new receiver

adamw19
12-06-2001, 11:19 PM
doens't that advanced av pack require HDTV ready televisions?

Frostberg
12-06-2001, 11:21 PM
thats the HD AV pack

Kennedy
12-07-2001, 10:59 AM
ok

what if my TV has one optical out, and i have a dolby digital reciever with one optical in, and a HDTV pack with one optical out.


how does the tv get hooked up with only a OUT plug needed to connect to 2 IN plugs?

:confused:

SciFi
12-07-2001, 08:20 PM
could get a splitter, or connect teh audio to the recive, and the video to the tv...

XboxAddict04
12-10-2001, 12:06 PM
What exactly do i need (besides speakers and receiver) to get regular surround sound vs. DD 5.1? and what is the cost difference? My dad is getting surounde sound for christmas but i have no clue what kind, so i guess i'll have 2 wait and c.

P.S. the Advanced AV pack says you need a fiberoptic cable? can you use a co-ax cable 2????

thanx

spykeinyc
12-19-2001, 05:56 PM
u need to get the optical to coaxial cable converter at soundprofessionals.com

XboxAddict04
12-21-2001, 10:40 AM
So i just need the av pack and 2 rva cables for reular surround sound and a fiber optic cable if i want 5.1 DD ??? thanx

l Maximus l
12-21-2001, 10:56 AM
One thing that I appreciate most is seeing other audio/video novices! :D

Actually, I've learned a hell of a lot from Hugh_Jass, Frostberg, Lynxfx, and others. So, I would like to extend a "thank you" to all of you!

This is what I have learned so far:

1. RFU (worst video connection)
2. Composite video (also known as RCAs) - good video connection
3. S-Video (Better video connection - use Advanced A/V Pack for XBox if you have S-Video)
4. Component video (Best - these are the green, blue, and red wires)

5. Optical (This is for supreme sound...audio only, of course - may come with a price...strongly recommended for a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound set up, but not required).

Am I wrong with anything here? :D

Hugh_Jass
12-21-2001, 12:46 PM
Originally posted by Maximus
One thing that I appreciate most is seeing other audio/video novices! :D

Actually, I've learned a hell of a lot from Hugh_Jass, Frostberg, Lynxfx, and others. So, I would like to extend a "thank you" to all of you!

This is what I have learned so far:

1. RFU (worst video connection)
2. Composite video (also known as RCAs) - good video connection
3. S-Video (Better video connection - use Advanced A/V Pack for XBox if you have S-Video)
4. Component video (Best - these are the green, blue, and red wires)

5. Optical (This is for supreme sound...audio only, of course - may come with a price...strongly recommended for a 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound set up, but not required).

Am I wrong with anything here? :D


No, that's right.

I would just add that it doesn't really cost any more these days for a 5.1 receiver. The increased cost would come from buying 5 speakers and a subwoofer rather than just two speakers.

There are also 6.1 and 7.1 receivers out there that you may want to consider if you use your XBOX for DVD movies as well as gaming. I still have 5.1 because I don't think the software for the other standards is that prevalent. But if I was buying a new receiver today I would definitely consider 6.1 or 7.1.

LynxFX
12-21-2001, 02:08 PM
wow how did I miss this thread. :)

Hugh_Jass is right. A 5.1 setup doesn't cost too much for an entry level system. Plus almost any receiver you would buy today supports DD 5.1 and quite a few even support DTS 5.1 as well.

If you don't have a system and would like to get into the world of digital surround sound then the home theatre in a box solutions would be a good start. Not the best equipment but it is a good start, especially if you don't know much about setup and the terminology.

Hey Hugh_Jass,

I finally got a 6.1 DTS ES receiver. Wow I am very impressed with the sound of ES encoded movies. I popped in JP3 the other night and I kept having dinos roaring directly behind me and then slowly moving around to the front. Unfortunately my receiver doesn't support DD EX. Man I need to get out of this apartment. I want to crank it but I can't. :(

Frostberg
12-21-2001, 02:27 PM
Virtual Martix 6.1 is a wonderful thing...of course I wouldnt mind a REAL 6.1 Setup...but Im happy with it as it is...

XboxAddict04, the packs already come with right and left for surround sound, but if you want DD 5.1 you need to purchase a toslink (optical) cable. You can get it anywhere from Wal-Mart to Best Buy.

if you wish to buy a cheap setup, Best Buy has a wonderful deal until Saturday... Buy a sony receiver ($400, $500 and $600) model and you get a free 5.1 KLH speakers. Its really a good deal and the speakers are not that bad, considering that are a $200 value and are on the top of the line of KLH theater sets. The speakers could be better, but if you get a nice receiver first, you can always upgrade the speakers later.

Hugh_Jass
12-21-2001, 09:10 PM
Originally posted by Lynxfx

Hey Hugh_Jass,

I finally got a 6.1 DTS ES receiver. Wow I am very impressed with the sound of ES encoded movies. I popped in JP3 the other night and I kept having dinos roaring directly behind me and then slowly moving around to the front. Unfortunately my receiver doesn't support DD EX. Man I need to get out of this apartment. I want to crank it but I can't. :(

Sounds Cool!

I've been kicking around the idea of amp separates with an external decoder so I can keep up with all of these changes once and for all.

We went out and bought my wife a car today. I figure it's my turn now to spend some money now. ;)