Surcode Dvd Dts Professional Specifications As

The reason is that Pro Logic consumer products are not built to the same professional specifications as the professional decoders and Pro Logic-equipped consumer products have auto-balancing features which, if used in a mix monitoring situation, may contribute to inappropriate mixing decisions.

Surcode Dvd Dts Software Available For

In this article Ill be looking at some of the common formats available that allow the consumer to enjoy surround sound, and a selection of the software available for converting our Pro Tools surround mixes into one of those formats.

The format can carry up to eight channels of audio, consisting of a six-channel surround mix and a separate stereo mix, as well as video content, menus and so on.

However, for the DVD to be able to deliver all this data, everything must be data-compressed and encoded.

Dolby Digital can be encoded at up to 448kbps at a maximum resolution of 24 bits and 48kHz, and can be used to encode both 2.0 (stereo) and 5.1 surround content.

DTS Digital Surround is an alternative encoding format that can be included on a DVD-V along with the Dolby Digital track; some producers prefer the sonic qualities of DTS, as it can be encoded at up to 1536kbps at 24-bit, 96kHz.

It can support up to six channels of 96kHz, 24-bit uncompressed PCM audio, as well as a separate high-resolution stereo mix.

The benefits of this format over DVD-V are that it provides a disc that will play in a conventional CD player, and that SACD players dont need a video monitor attached to make it possible to navigate around the disc.

Then there is Dolby Pro Logic II, which offers stereo surrounds as well as the three front channels.

Finally, there is Circle Surround from SRS, which can provide a Dolby Pro Logic-compatible output or, with the matching SRS decoder in the consumers system, offer an additional Centre Surround channel, so providing a 6.1 delivery format.

The advantages of these formats are that they dont need any special delivery hardware, Pro Logic decoders can be found in most, if not all, domestic surround systems, and no data compression is used.

The down side is that the matrixing system means the separation between the various channels will be compromised, and anyone without the correct decoder will hear the encoded audio, usually described as LtRt.

Although Surcode For Pro Logic II is their first Pro Tools plug-in, Minnetonka Audio produce a range of stand-alone encoding products for the Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital and DTS formats, as well as the Disc Welder DVD-A disc-authoring packages.

Other tools are available, but they are stand-alone packages that dont work as Pro Tools plug-ins (see the Alternatives box for more details).

There are three matrix encoding packages, and one Dolby Digital encoding package (see box).

All require a Pro Tools TDM rig, since LE systems dont offer surround features.

Digidesign make it clear that you cannot use Dolby Surround Tools for any content destined for film release: film mixes must be handled in approved film dubbing theatres.

The package is made up of three plug-ins: Dolby Surround Encoder, Decoder and Surround Panner.

The Encoder and Decoder plug-ins are software models of Dolbys analogue Models SEU4 and SDU4, and DP563 and DP564 digital rackmount hardware processors.

An input level trim control is used to set the optimum level into the Surround Encoder plug-in for the L, C, R and S input channels, and has a range of 6dB to 12dB.

Since it is a ganged trim, all four input channels are boost or cut simultaneously.

Most of the plug-in window is taken up by level meters, which indicate the input level to the Surround Encoder of the L, C, R and S signals.

These meters feature peak-reading ballistics, with a peak-hold function to indicate momentary peak values, as well as clip lights which stay on until you clear them.

Similar output level meters display the level of the Surround Encoder s matrix-encoded Lt and Rt output signals.

You should use Surround Decoder to monitor the Dolby Surround mix, to make sure that the Surround-encoded two-channel mix will sound good in what ever format the listener chooses.

Digidesign strongly advise that you do not monitor through a Dolby Surround Pro Logic amplifier or receiver to decode a Dolby Surround matrix-encoded signal.