Rotel RSX-1067 DTS DTS 96/24, DTS Neo6, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Channel Surround

RSX-1067Surround Sound Receiver 20

Dolby Digital

In 1992, a digital recording system, called Dolby Digital, was first used in the film indus- try. Dolby Digital is a recording/playback sys- tem that uses compression techniques to store large amounts of audio data efficiently, much like the JPEG format stores large photographs in small files on a computer. Because it is capable of performance beyond that of au- dio CDs and can tailor its output for a wide ranges of system configurations, Dolby Digi- tal is the standard audio format for DVDs and for digital television broadcasting in the United States.

The Dolby Digital system can be used to record up to six discrete audio channels, but can also be used for fewer. For example, a Dolby Digital

2.0soundtrack is a digital 2-channel record- ing of a matrix encoded Dolby Surround soundtrack.. To play a Dolby Digital 2.0 re- cording, use Dolby Pro Logic II decoding as previously described.

The most common use of Dolby Digital in newer films, in both the film industry and in home theater, is Dolby Digital 5.1. Instead of encoding multiple surround channels on a two-channel recording, Dolby Digital 5.1 records six dis- crete channels: front left, front center, front right, surround left, surround right, and a Low Fre- quency Effects (LFE) channel containing ultra- low bass signals intended for a subwoofer. A Dolby Digital decoder extracts the channels from the digital bitstream, converts them to analog signals and routes them to the appro- priate amplifiers and speakers. All channels provide full frequency response with total sepa- ration between all channels and large dynamic range capability. A Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack can provide more impressive sur- round sound than matrix Dolby Surround.

Decoding of Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks is automatic. When the RSX-1067 detects a Dolby

5.1signal on one of its digital inputs, it acti- vates the proper processing. Keep in mind that Dolby Digital is only available from digital sources (a DVD, a LaserDisc, or a Digital TV/ Cable/SAT tuner). Also, you must connect the source with a digital cable (coax or optical) to an active digital input on the RSX-1067.

NOTE: Many DVDs have a Dolby Digital 2.0 matrix soundtrack as the default, which should be decoded with Pro Logic II. The Dolby Digi- tal 5.1 soundtrack may have to be selected as an option from the setup menus at the be- ginning of the DVD. Look for a Dolby Digital

5.1selection under “Audio” or “Languages” or “Setup Options” when you insert the disc.

DTS 5.1

DTS 96/24

DTS® (Digital Theater Systems) is an alterna- tive digital format competing with Dolby Digital in both movie theaters and home theater markets. The basic functions of the DTS sys- tem are similar to those of Dolby Digital (for example, 5.1 discrete channels), however the technical details of the compression and de- coding processes differ somewhat and a DTS decoder is required.

A recent extension of the DTS encoding sys- tem is DTS 96/24. These recordings provide the performance of a 96kHz sampling rate while still using actual 48kHz sampling rate of standard DTS discs.

Like Dolby Digital, DTS can only be used on a digital recording and, therefore, is only available for home use on LaserDiscs, DVDs, or other digital formats. To use the RSX-1067’s DTS decoder, you must connect your DVD player to the RSX-1067’s digital inputs.

As with Dolby Digital 5.1, detection and proper decoding of DTS 5.1 signals is automatic.

NOTE: DVDs with a DTS soundtrack almost always have it configured as an option to the standard matrix Dolby Surround format. To use DTS, you may have to go to the setup menus at the beginning of the DVD and se- lect “DTS 5.1” instead of “Dolby Surround” or “Dolby Digital 5.1”. In addition, many DVD players have the DTS digital bitstream turned off by default and cannot output a DTS soundtrack (even if selected on the disc’s menu) until you activate the player’s DTS out- put. If you hear no sound the first time you attempt to play a DTS disc, go to the DVD player’s configuration menus and turn on the DTS bitstream. This is a one-time setting and need only be done once.

DTS Neo:6

The RSX-1067 features a second type of DTS surround sound decoding: DTS Neo:6. This decoding system is similar to Dolby Pro Logic

IIand is designed for playback of any 2-channel stereo recording, either matrix-encoded or not. The Neo:6 decoder can be used with any conventional 2-channel source such a stereo TV or FM broadcast or a CD. It can also be used as an alternative method of decoding matrix-encoded Dolby Surround recordings or TV broadcasts. Activate the DTS Neo:6 de- coding with the DTS Neo:6 button as detailed later in this section. DTS Neo:6 is not used with DTS 5.1 digital sources and the button need not be pressed for those recordings.

Dolby Digital Surround EX

DTS-ES

6.1 and 7.1 Channel Surround

In 1999, the first Dolby Digital soundtrack was released to theaters with an additional cen- ter back surround channel, intended to increase the directional effects from behind the audi- ence. This additional surround channel is en- coded into the two existing surround channels in Dolby Digital 5.1, using a matrix encod- ing process similar to that used previously in Dolby Surround. This new extended surround capability is called Dolby Digital Surround EX.

DTS has added a similar capability for record- ing this extended surround information called DTS-ES®6.1 Matrix. They have also taken it one step further and developed the capabil- ity to record this extended surround informa- tion as a discrete channel in a system called DTS-ES®6.1 Discrete.

All of these systems are extensions of the ex- isting Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 digital surround sound formats. Users with one cen- ter back speaker (a 6.1 configuration) or two center back speakers (a 7.1 configuration) can take advantage of this extended surround in- formation. On traditional 5.1 channel systems, Dolby Digital Surround EX or DTS-ES 6.1 discs sound exactly the same as 5.1 channel discs in each respective format.

If you have configured your system with one or two center back speakers, decoding of DTS-ES discs is automatic, just as it is with stan- dard DTS soundtracks. Likewise, decoding of Dolby Digital Surround EX discs is automatic with one exception. Some Surround EX titles do not have the detection “flag” encoded on