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The official Dolby Atmos thread (home theater version) – Check out post 1 first

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#1 · (Edited)
Last update: 02.04.2023



Official Dolby Atmos at home website

Dolby on Atmos for the home
Dolby Atmos Speaker Setup
Ceiling-firing speakers ("Atmos-enabled speakers")
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/dolby-atmos/dolby-atmos-enabled-speaker-technology.pdf
Speaker installation guidelines
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technolo...tmos-home-theater-installation-guidelines.pdf
If you're more the visual type of guy here's a good video explaining the basics of placing your Atmos speakers:

Insights from a recording and mixing engineer


Technical specification for studios wishing to employ a 7.1.4 home entertainment Dolby Atmos monitoring setup
Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment Studio
Certification Guide


Blog posts
Dolby Atmos: Coming soon to a living room near you - Lab Notes
Dolby Atmos for home theaters: FAQ - Lab Notes


Dolby Patent Application
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/WO2014036085A1.html


Dolby on Atmos for movie theaters
Wayback Machine

Specifications for movie theaters
Wayback Machine


How Atmos content is created
Wayback Machine


How Atmos is encoded into TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus
https://professional.dolby.com/site...on/dolby-atmos/dolby_atmos_renderer_guide.pdf


avsforum.com Members Atmos & Auro Configuration Spreadsheet (at Google Docs, maintained by user kokishin)


Atmos test tone downloads (E-AC-3 audio in .mp4 container)
https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/test-tones.html

Other Dolby trailer downloads
 
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#4,541 ·
None taken. In the grand scheme of things, if it works, it works irrespective of where the extra height effects processing is done. I agree. I would also think that this would take place in the receiver or pre-amp/processor and not in the "Atmos" speaker itself. It just seems more logical.

And yet, if you look at what some reports of experiences and thoughts from these Dolby demo/meet n' greet press events have talked about, like Scott Wilkinson's, they were getting some inconsistent information from Dolby (compared to what you and others have talked about on this and other threads), and the presentations themselves seemed to have 100% totally different opinions and outcomes about what were the better height effect speakers ("enabled" or in-ceiling), etc. based on said home theater demos. That makes me curious as to what caused this total 180 discrepancy.

The placement and "calibration" of their ceiling speakers didn't seem to be as well thought out either (compared to discussions on this board). They're aimed straight down at the ground, for one thing. Are they consciously trying to play-up the Atmos enabled speakers? I'm just not sure what their motivation was here? And yet Scott's "team" agreed that the ceiling surrounds were the more effective means of reproducing the height effects. Again, a complete reversal of Keith's (and others') group experiences.

More than one person has mentioned that the movie demo material (especially the Star Trek clip) didn't highlight Atmos' benefits very well (compared to the other "unmentionable" movie clip that Keith heard) and their cinema auditoriums were playing material too loudly and were harsh sounding. That diminished the effectiveness of the demos.

You would admit that Dolby needs to address some of these issues, if this is indeed the case. Wouldn't they want to show home Atmos (a fine technology, I'm sure) and the Atmos format in general in the best light possible?
In the NorthSky of things it would make the utmost (atmos) sense.

Also because if people can build their own speakers: If them Dolby Atmos speakers were DSPed inside their own enclosures from the crossover network in the analog domain, then we wouldn't be able to choose our own designated or custom-made build coaxial speakers for Dolby Atmos overhead speakers or up-firing module Dolby Atmos speakers.

Maybe! Maybe the overhead ceiling speakers are DSP processed (digital domain) in the Dolby Atmos receivers, and the up-firing modules are ASP processed (analog domain) in the speaker modules themselves? ...Or vice versa?

Do the Dolby Atmos people know what's happening exactly? ...We've got to know some more...
And the same with Dolby Surround; like having demos with it because it is one of the most (atmos) important features in the first generation of Dolby Atmos AV receivers and Surround Sound Processors (SSPs). If some manufacturers decide to not include this very important surround sound audio decoder in their first gen products, then they'll be doing a big disfavor to their first customers. ...Me truly thinks.
 
#4,543 · (Edited)
So for people going with physical in or on ceiling speakers, is in ceiling poor choice if they can not be aimed? Ideally they should not point straight down? Or it's ok if the dispersion angle is wide?

Thanks
Dolby Atmos people seem to aim them straight down. I'm sure they know what they're doing because those overhead speakers have their own mounting brackets with the option to be aimed @ different places.
So if they chose a straight down aiming it has to be a logical reason. ...My guess is that they are of the wide dispersion type speakers, and if aiming them @ the MLP (main listening area position) they might be too prominent and less immersing. ...And perhaps the reason why some people prefer the up-firing modules instead, with a greater sense of envelopment without calling due attention as to their directional origin.

Is that make some reasonable sense, anyone?

* Plus my previous theory (she still stands, by my own account) on the dual beams effect (sound beam).
...The first beam of sound going towards the ceiling, and the second beam of sound, being reflected by the ceiling's surface, going towards the MLP and its surroundings. ...Two beams of sound multiplied by four up-firing speakers are much more immersing/enveloping 3D wise than just one beam of sound multiplied by four overhead speakers. It's acoustical physics, covering a wider area in a more diffuse/infuse sound envelopment without precise localisation and with better object rendition in a more spatial three-dimensional cocoon.
Our brain is part of the entire processing with DSP in an HRTF (Head-Related Transfer Function) derivative algorithm.

ASP (Analog Signal Processing); I just don't know.

And we also know about the notch filter applied @ 10kHz. ...And the 180Hz crossover.
 
#4,544 ·
Perhaps more than you'd think Marc.
No... Not really IMO.

For the majority of the targeted consumer base, very few of which know what an AVS even is, they won't have the inclination or the where with all to do it.

As much as we all get wrapped up in this forum, I've never made the mistake to think it's indicative of the "real world" consumers.

Looking at this thread, the majority of constant, frequent contributors numbers in the teens... Even with the lurkers, I have a feeling there isn't a large base of people who are interested in building their own speakers vs. consumers who will buy them at Best Buy, etc. afrer getting demos there....

Just my .02.
 
#4,545 · (Edited)
Dan.. no offense but this detail (how they process audio for the enabled speakers) is hardly important to how the system works as whole (except for those that think they can build their own up firing speakers, which would be relegated to the few here..)
Not just building... anyone who have a few speakers leftofter that the might want to use even if they aren't optimal... but if there is a need of some complex network inside the speakers, it would be good to know it's not even worth trying.

"My dad has an old pair of bookshelves that he doesn't use, why don't we use those?"
 
#4,547 ·
#4,548 ·
On a complete departure from all of this back and forth (which isn't going to change how the products or codec work IMO ;)) I'm happy to finally report I've finally got some audio bliss coming back in my life.

We moved in March and had to liquidate all of my HT gear. Since I knew what was coming there was no sense to buy anything... Until now.

Yamaha RX-A3040 on the way.

Pioneer 5.1.4 speakers pre-ordered. :)
I love Yamaha! ...Always have. ...Congratulations Marc! :cool:

♦ And Andrew Jones is a smart speaker's designer. ...For the common mortals, down-to-earth value oriented people; us. :smile: ...Quality sound performance not missing one bit.
 
#4,549 ·
No... Not really IMO.

For the majority of the targeted consumer base, very few of which know what an AVS even is, they won't have the inclination or the where with all to do it.

As much as we all get wrapped up in this forum, I've never made the mistake to think it's indicative of the "real world" consumers.

Looking at this thread, the majority of constant, frequent contributors numbers in the teens... Even with the lurkers, I have a feeling there isn't a large base of people who are interested in building their own speakers vs. consumers who will buy them at Best Buy, etc. afrer getting demos there....

Just my .02.
Yes, but AVS is only a glimpse of the entire full picture; there are about six thousand+ other audio/video forums on the Wide World Web.

Just my two and half senses. ;):):D
 
#4,550 ·
Not just building... anyone who have a few speakers leftover that the might want to use even if they aren't optimal... but if there is a need of some complex network inside the speakers, it would be good to know it's not even worth trying.

"My dad has an old pair of bookshelves that he doesn't use, why don't we use those?"
E.x.a.c.t.e.m.e.n.t.e. ------ ...And save some m.o.n.e.y.
 
#4,552 ·
And yet, if you look at what some reports of experiences and thoughts from these Dolby demo/meet n' greet press events have talked about, like Scott Wilkinson's, they were getting some inconsistent information from Dolby (compared to what you and others have talked about on this and other threads), and the presentations themselves seemed to have 100% totally different opinions and outcomes about what were the better height effect speakers ("enabled" or in-ceiling), etc. based on said home theater demos. That makes me curious as to what caused this total 180 discrepancy.
I wonder if it's because both statements are true. Per the blog:
The drivers are band limited, and special processing takes place within the Atmos engine to alter select frequencies in order to create the psychoacoustic effect
The bandlimiting function (high-pass filter) is probably inside the crossover so as to protect the little drivers in case they are fed some normal audio signal. The psychoacoustic effect is in the DSP.

Certs is a breath mint. Certs us a candy mint. Both correct. :D
 
#4,553 ·
I wonder if it's because both statements are true. Per the blog: The bandlimiting function (high-pass filter) is probably inside the crossover so as to protect the little drivers in case they are fed some normal audio signal. The psychoacoustic effect is in the DSP.
That's the first thing said about use of passive components in the speakers that made sense compared to being done in the DSP. :)
 
#4,554 · (Edited)
Today I installed a set of 4 Agnos™ ceiling speakers (short for "format agnostic" :rolleyes:). They will first be used for Illusonic Immersive Audio Processing. Then for Atmos, and who knows what may come after that. The closest one on the right is the front-right-height.

 
#4,556 ·
I wonder if it's because both statements are true. Per the blog: The bandlimiting function (high-pass filter) is probably inside the crossover so as to protect the little drivers in case they are fed some normal audio signal. The psychoacoustic effect is in the DSP.

Certs is a breath mint. Certs us a candy mint. Both correct. :D
Does a simple high pass filter qualify as "Dolby Atmos-certified special network"?

"The handsome black modules contain a Dolby Atmos-certified special network that allows the angled full-range driver to beam sound "objects" -such as birdcalls or an aircraft- off your ceiling and into your ears."

http://www.onkyousa.com/Products/model.php?m=SKH-410&class=Speaker&source=prodClass
 
#4,557 ·
^ That webpage also says a 3.25" driver is full range. :rolleyes: We'll just have to wait to see what's really happening.
 
#4,559 · (Edited)
As a side nit Keith, please do not use DSP in connection with speakers. DSP stands for Digital Signal Processing and as such it can only be done in the AVR until the signal is in the digital domain, while speakers are fed with analog signals, so, technically speaking in this context DSP'ing a speaker makes no sense. Thank you for your attention.:)
I should have said the "height cue filter in the speaker" of course, but I doubt if anyone was confused by my post.

Of course, as you probably know, I do understand what DSP is but thanks for the lesson.
 
#4,560 ·
Lucky you!

I love the idea of acoustic panel ceiling cloud mounting brackets! I could use two panels and cut a whole in the middle to install two in ceiling speakers so I can do Atmos in the small room!

I don’t want to cut my ceiling plus the panels would improve acoustics in the small room!
It's quite a neat idea isn’t it?
 
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