Dolby Surround

[Poobah]

I don't have any Pro Logic II audio on my computer. I will have to try non-emulation tests next time I can be bothered to set up my computer in the living room (where the sound system is).

Is anyone aware of any software that I can use to decode Dolby Pro Logic audio?

 

[squall_leonhart]

LOL

you don't need Pro Logic II audio LOL

Pro Logic II is a method of upmixing any Stereo source into 5.1 channels

as long as its above 96kb/s bit rate it can be upmixed

you've mixed PLII up with PRI

Pro Logic required the media to be in Pro Logic format.

its very stupid really.. Pro Logic II should have been called something else

theres more information here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Pro_Logic

 

[Poobah]

Howcome console games such as those on the Gamecube imply that audio is being output in a Pro Logic II mode? Just because Pro Logic II doesn't require the source audio to use a special type of encoding doesn't mean that audio can't be encoded to work optimally with its decoding techniques.

I've found some software that looks promising:
http://besweet.notrace.dk/

 

[squall_leonhart]

it adjusts the Audio for better use via Dolby Pro Logic II

thats about it.

as the gamecube is still only stereo.

you can even run a snes or nes in pro logic II

Legend of zelda in 5.1

 

[Poobah]

Ok guys, I was mistaken. I can now confirm that Dolby Surround works 100% in N64 emulators. And no, it had nothing to do with how either the hardware or software was set up.

The first time I'd tested it, I hadn't planned anything, so I just simply ran CBFD and tried rotating around on the menu screen, because I had thought that I would hear the direction from which the band was playing. It turns out, though, that the audio from the band playing on the main menu of CBFD is always in stereo regardless of everything.

This second time, I made sure to prepare some little tests to run through. Firstly, I ripped the audio from the surround sound test on Halo 2's special Collector's Edition DVD. I then used BeSweet to convert the audio file to three different formats:
-Dolby Digital 5.1
-Dolby Pro Logic II
-Dolby Surround
The PLII and DD sound files sounded identical -- with perfect surround sound -- when connected to my sound system through a 3.5mm stereo cable, with the sound system on PLII mode. The Dolby Surround file sounded about the same as the other two, except there was of course just one rear channel rather than two.

When I tested CBFD, I tried running through the easy "The Assault" chapter a couple of times using Azimer's excellent HLE audio plugin, version 0.56 Beta 2. The surround sound sounded identical to on the N64.

Sorry for the confusion I may have caused.

 

[Poobah]

it adjusts the Audio for better use via Dolby Pro Logic II

thats about it.

as the gamecube is still only stereo.

you can even run a snes or nes in pro logic II

Legend of zelda in 5.1

I believe you are mistaken. Pro Logic II is not a "magic stereo to surround sound" converter like SRS. Pro Logic II is simply the next version of Pro Logic with the addition of a second rear channel.

I'm honestly unsure of where you're conjuring up all these random facts that look like mere guesses, and I completely fail to understand why you keep stating obvious facts such as that the Gamecube outputs two channels of audio. I'm sorry, but you really haven't helped at all.

And no, it is impossible to play a game like The Legend of Zelda in 5.1 by using PLII or any of those "upmixers". Assuming that the NES ouputs sound in mono, it wouldn't even be possible to produce more than one channel. You obviously still don't really know how these things work.

You really showed that you are ignorant when you "LOLed" at the concept of needing PLII audio to get PLII sound. The sound has to be not just "slightly optimised", but actually encoded in a way that it can be decoded by a PL decoder. Again, PL/PLII do not just magically convert random audio data into 6 distinct channels. Playing a random stereo source will not produce the equivalent of theatre-quality surround sound; it will simply produce stereo with a centre channel and some extremely quiet muffled noises coming from the rear speakers. If someone wants to test PLII with his sound system, unless he is an idiot, he would output a PLII-encoded audio source to it. Do you really beleive that outputting some random generic stereo music to a PLII decoder will produce even low-quality surround sound? You obviously still have a lot to learn. You really should stop guessing and assuming, and start learning how things really work.

 

[squall_leonhart]

YOUR A LITTLE SHIZ IS WHAT YOU ARE

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II CAN AND DOES PRODUCE 5.1 SOUND FROM A STEREO SOURCE.

go and visit thier god damn site and read it yourself... noob.

In 2000, Dolby introduced Dolby Pro Logic II (DPL II), an improved implementation of Dolby Pro Logic. DPL II processes any high quality stereo signal source into "5.1"—five separate full frequency channels (left, center, right, left surround and right surround) plus one low-frequency-effects (deep bass) channel. Dolby Pro Logic II also decodes 5.1 channels from stereo signals encoded in traditional four-channel Dolby Surround. DPL II implements greatly enhanced steering compared to DPL, and as a result, offers an exceptionally stable sound field that simulates 5.1 channel surround sound to a much more accurate degree than the original Pro Logic.
Because of the limited nature of the original DPL, many consumer electronics manufactures introduced their own processing circuitry, such as the "Jazz", "Hall", and "Stadium" modes found on most common home audio receivers. DPL II forgoes this type of processing and replaces it with simple servo (negative feedback) circuits used to derive five channels.
The Pro Logic II system also features modes designed specifically for music and gaming, and it is frequently used in video games for Sony's PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube as an alternative to digital technologies like Dolby Digital.

Games with Dolby Pro Logic II technology transmit surround sound as stereo digital or analog sound. This stereo sound can be understood by an A/V receiver with Dolby Pro Logic II as five-channel surround (Left/Right/Center/Left Surround/Right Surround). This stereo sound is also compatible with a four-channel Dolby Pro Logic system.
Always check a game’s audio options to see if Dolby Pro Logic II is enabled. The options screen will usually refer to Dolby Pro Logic II by name, but sometimes you will see it called "surround."

i also know FOR A FACT, that Dolby Pro Logic II upmixes to 5.1 as PowerDVD 7 has a ProLogic II option for music and movies, and i use it.

and you can't encode 5.1 music to a 128kb bitrate mp3.

 

[squall_leonhart]

problem solved...

this discussion is over.

 

[Poobah]

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II CAN AND DOES PRODUCE 5.1 SOUND FROM A STEREO SOURCE.

There you go again -- posting obvious facts that aren't necessary.

go and visit thier god damn site and read it yourself... noob.

I've already read their pages on Dolby Surround and Pro Logic I and II.

You've showed weakness again, because the first quote you posted was straight from the Wikipedia article on Pro Logic. Now allow me to make a quote of my own:

Dolby Pro Logic II is fully compatible with all Dolby Pro Logic technologies. It provides optimal audio for playback in a 5.1-channel home theater system for the thousands of videocassettes and TV programs encoded in four-channel Dolby Surround[Note 1] (the encoding counterpart to Dolby Pro Logic's decoding technology. Dolby Pro Logic II also enables video game consoles to encode five-channel surround sound information into a stereo signal[Note 1] with virtually no impact on the console's CPU, which means all this extra audio won't slow your game down.

Dolby Pro Logic II can bring new life to your CD collection. Play your music through your home theater system, and you'll hear seamless, natural sound with new depth and detail – it's almost like hearing a newly remastered CD.[Note 2]

In addition to enhancing playback, Dolby Pro Logic II can be used to encode TV programming to deliver a surround sound experience for viewers with stereo TV systems.

Unlike your quotes from 3rd parties, this quote from the official website clearly puts 95% of the emphasis on encoding true surround sound audio into stereo channels for convenient transmission, as [Note 1] shows.

As [Note 2] shows, they don't even mention conjuring up 5.1 discrete channels for music, let alone even simple surround sound. Outputting lower frequency sounds from the rear channel is not producing true surround sound; it's simply utilising all the speakers available for a slight improvement.

i also know FOR A FACT, that Dolby Pro Logic II upmixes to 5.1 as PowerDVD 7 has a ProLogic II option for music and movies, and i use it.

I also know for a fact that Dolby Pro Logic II upmixes to 5.1. That isn't what we are talking about, though. We are talking about your great lack of knowledge about what Pro Logic II is mainly used for.

and you can't encode 5.1 music to a 128kb bitrate mp3.

Yet another unnecessary statement with little relevance.

 

[squall_leonhart]

....typical frickin victorian... no wonder we call you mexicans...

 

[Smiff]

When I tested CBFD, I tried running through the easy "The Assault" chapter a couple of times using Azimer's excellent HLE audio plugin, version 0.56 Beta 2. The surround sound sounded identical to on the N64.

ok that's good, but does it work in PJ64 w/ all default plugins? we (well i) really want to know if PJ64 is working properly. and you dont's specify if you were using HLE or LLE audio.

can you please try 2 things:
Azimer's, but NOT sending audio lists to audio plugin (RSP config)
Jabo's audio plugin

thanks v much in advance

 

[Knuckles]

i wasn't spamming you little sod now go crap elsewhere."

YOUR A LITTLE SHIZ IS WHAT YOU ARE

god damn site and read it yourself... noob.

....typical frickin victorian... no wonder we call you mexicans...

This type of language isn't acceptable in here, this is a warning. Calm down and speak correctly or you'll face the concequences.

 

[Poobah]

ok that's good, but does it work in PJ64 w/ all default plugins? we (well i) really want to know if PJ64 is working properly. and you dont's specify if you were using HLE or LLE audio.

can you please try 2 things:
Azimer's, but NOT sending audio lists to audio plugin (RSP config)
Jabo's audio plugin

thanks v much in advance

Ok, I might be able to test all the plugins thoroughly later today.

 

[Poobah]

I've just finished testing all of the following plugins with and without the RSP handling the audio:
-Azimer's Audio 0.30 (Revision 2.2)
-Azimer's Audio 0.30 (Old Driver)
-Azimer's Audio 0.40 Beta 2
-Azimer's HLE Audio 0.56 Beta 2
-Jabo's Directsound 1.6
-TR64 0.1
-Schibo's Audio Plugin 1.2
-Zilmar's Audio Plugin

When the (official PJ64) RSP plugin handled the audio, the surround sound worked with all of the plugins. When any of Azimer's plugins handled it (since other plugins won't function with this option on), the result was that all the audio was just stereo, with only an occasional sound coming out of the rear speakers.

I was unable to test Azimer's LLE audio plugin 0.50, because it basically caused all DX audio to stop working until I restarted the computer. I'm not sure what was causing the bug, but I couldn't get around it.

I felt that, overall, the N64's surround sound still sounded a little more "well-defined", but this is probably because of all the interference that would be added to the audio as it goes through my cheap onboard sound chip.

 

[Smiff]

ah so, correct me if i'm wrong, but what I and Jabo said (sorta guessed) originally is right then? PJ64 is working fine for Dolby output?

 

[Poobah]

Yes.