Pioneer VSX-29TX manual Dolby Digital, Dts, Dolby Pro Logic, Surround

Techno Tidbits & Problem-solving

DTS

DTS has been adopted as a sound recording format in the latest movie theaters since the release of “JURASSIC PARK” in 1993, and has a good reputation for high quality sound and dynamic surround effects.

In this system, 6 channels of digital sound are recorded on CD-ROM, rather than on the film. DTS adopts a simultaneous playback format. With a low rate of compression of sound signals and a high rate of transmittance, a higher sound quality format is produced. Also, unlike the process of recording digital sounds on film directly, the only components required are a CD-ROM player as might be used with a personal computer and a DTS processor, and therefore less investment is required than with other formats. For this reason, the format is being introduced in more and more movie theaters, and is being adopted in home movie software (DVD, LD) and music software (5.1 channel CD).

More than 11,000 movie theaters around the world have adopted the DTS format, which is now the most popular digital format for movie theaters, especially in U.S.A, Europe, and Asia.

	Dolby Digital		DTS		Dolby Pro Logic
					Surround
No. of recorded channels	5.1 channels (Max.)		6 channels (Max.)		2 channels
No. of playback channels	5.1 channels (Max.)		6 channels (Max.)		4 channels
Playback channel structure	Front Left, Front Right,		Front Left, Front Right,		Front Left, Front Right,
	Center, Surround Left,		Center, Surround Left,		Center, Surround
	Surround Right, Sub Woofer		Surround Right, Sub Woofer
Sound processing	Digital discrete processing		Digital discrete processing		Analog matrix processing
Rear (Surround) high	20,000 Hz		20,000 Hz		7,000 Hz
frequency playback limit
Other	•	5.1 completely	•	6 completely independent
		independent channels		channels
	•	High dynamic range	• High dynamic range
	• Stable position, high phase		•	Stable position, high phase
		characteristics, and		characteristics, and
		advanced surround effects		advanced surround effects
		reproduction		reproduction
	•	High efficiency	•	Low compression rate
		(Compression rate of about		(about one-fourth), high
		one-tenth)		quality sound

THX

THX is a Lucasfilm, Ltd. program dedicated to maximum accuracy in movie presentation. Movie sound tracks are recorded in large movie dubbing stages using movie theater equipment. For a sound track to be presented accurately in your home, special technologies are required. In your home the room is much smaller and has a bright sound, the speakers are very different and there are only six of them, plus, you sit much closer to each one of those speakers. Because of these differences we often miss the power and emotion that thrills us in a good movie. Now Pioneer and THX have teamed up to bring the full glory of accurate cinema sound to the comfort and convenience of your home.

Re-Equalization™ :In a theater the room is very large and dead sounding, you sit a long way back from the speakers and the speakers themselves are very specialized. Because a sound track recorded in this dead sounding space when it is played at home it sounds overbright. THX Re-Equalization adjusts for this difference in a very precise way.

Dynamic Decorrelation™ : When a sound track sends mono sound to the surround speakers it often seems to be coming come from one side instead of from all around you as it would in a theater. Dynamic Decorrelation helps to correct this inaccuracy.

Timbre Matching™ : When recording a sound track it is very important that the surround sounds move smoothly and seamlessly around the theater. It is very distracting when sounds seem to jump from speaker to speaker. Timbre Matching helps to smooth the movement of the surround sounds even though you are using only two speakers.

Bass Peak Level Manager™ : Some Dolby Digital sound tracks can produce bass peaks that are undesirable in a home theater environment. The Bass Peak Level Manager allows you to set the maximum peak levels appropriate to your system. (Set this function according to the bass peak level instructions on page 30.)

Loudspeaker Position Time Synchronization™ : This feature allows you to adjust for the difference in the distance from each individual loudspeaker to the listening position. Doing this ensures that all the speakers operate in precise synchronization improving the seamless nature of the soundfield. (Set this function according to the channel delay instructions on page 26.)

71