HDTV

[pavyaz19 1]

I have a question about this! HOw much better is 7.1 vs 5.1? Does Directv even support that? Also not sure if the 360 supports it or not either.

for you to hear a true 7.1, the media your watching has to be created in 7.1... this means that there are 8 separate channels (or recordings) flowing at once. I'm not even sure full 7.1 truly exists in film / video audio. At least, not yet.

For instance, I just grabbed some bluRay movies off the shelf, I tried to grab the biggest movies of the last 5 years. As you can imagine, it's bluRay, so it's 1080p, the best picture a consumer can purchase (until 4k discs come out, I'm guessing that'll be a while though, 10 years... however, 4k is here now on my $3,000 macPro computer... currently editing a Heineken commercial shot in 4k on the new "Red" camera). Anyway...

King Kong, Pirates of the Car. 1, Spiderman 3, The Departed, and Nine Inch Nails concert DVD - Beside You In Time... and NONE OF THEM are 7.1, all are 5.1.

So that means a unique audio stream is sent to all five channels (front-middle, left-front, right-front, back-left, back-right) and the 6th channel is the bass that rumbles your room.

7.1 includes unique channels that also run to middle-side-left, and middle-side-right. Since you can't even buy a bluRay disc that includes 7.1, I guarantee you will not hear true 7.1 except maybe in a movie theatre.

In summary, if you own 7.1, the side speakers are simply merging two of your 5.1 channels into each of the middle-side speakers. Therefore, you may hear 7 different channels, but they are not all unique. Instead, it's a down-mix.

edit: the best chance of hearing true 7.1 in the years to come is through video games. but even 360 and ps3 aren't there yet. I'm not completely sure they offer 5.1 since I just looked at the case for Grand Theft Auto 4 (the newest, biggest game ever) and Halo 3, neither of which made a point to say they are in 5.1. However, both 360 and ps3 definitely offer 5.1 when playing bluRay or HDdvds.

Edited May 24, 2008 by pavyaz19

[cupcrazy 13]

for you to hear a true 7.1, the media your watching has to be created in 7.1... this means that there are 8 separate channels (or recordings) flowing at once. I'm not even sure full 7.1 truly exists in film / video audio. At least, not yet.

For instance, I just grabbed some bluRay movies off the shelf, I tried to grab the biggest movies of the last 5 years. As you can imagine, it's bluRay, so it's 1080p, the best picture a consumer can purchase (until 4k discs come out, I'm guessing that'll be a while though, 10 years... however, 4k is here now on my $3,000 macPro computer... currently editing a Heineken commercial shot in 4k on the new "Red" camera). Anyway...

King Kong, Pirates of the Car. 1, Spiderman 3, The Departed, and Nine Inch Nails concert DVD - Beside You In Time... and NONE OF THEM are 7.1, all are 5.1.

So that means a unique audio stream is sent to all five channels (front-middle, left-front, right-front, back-left, back-right) and the 6th channel is the bass that rumbles your room.

7.1 includes unique channels that also run to middle-side-left, and middle-side-right. Since you can't even buy a bluRay disc that includes 7.1, I guarantee you will not hear true 7.1 except maybe in a movie theatre.

In summary, if you own 7.1, the side speakers are simply merging two of your 5.1 channels into each of the middle-side speakers. Therefore, you may hear 7 different channels, but they are not all unique. Instead, it's a down-mix.

edit: the best chance of hearing true 7.1 in the years to come is through video games. but even 360 and ps3 aren't there yet. I'm not completely sure they offer 5.1 since I just looked at the case for Grand Theft Auto 4 (the newest, biggest game ever) and Halo 3, neither of which made a point to say they are in 5.1. However, both 360 and ps3 definitely offer 5.1 when playing bluRay or HDdvds.

Thanks for clearing that up,this tells me there's no need to go buy a 7.1 system as of yet.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I feel for you...

Yeah well, what can you do. I'm a rare sap who is indifferent about HD I guess. Outside of sporting events, I really don't watch a whole lot of TV. I'll get HD eventually I guess.

[DraperFan MN 0]

I just bought mine recently, a 52" Samsung LCD with 5.1 surround system. My only gripe is that my cable provider, WOW, doesn't offer Versus in HD. Since CBC isn't available in HD, either, I have to wait for the NBC broadcasts that start in game 3. So, no HD for me for games 1 and 2.

But yeah, watching hockey in HD makes standard def viewing almost unbearable.

Bluemonk, I remember years back when you posted after seeing hockey in HD for the first time. I used part of that post as my sig for a long time. It was something like this:

"I turned and looked, lo and behold, a hockey game being shown on a beautiful high definition television. It was like looking through a ******* plate glass window."

So yeah....I have a pretty basic system. 42 inch Samsung DLP. For sound I don't have much, I just use an optical audio cord to a 7.1 Sony receiver, but the only speakers I have wired up are two KLH for right and left audio and a nice JBL Subwoofer that you cannot see in this picture on the floor next the bookcase..it could be much better, but like Matt, and you can tell by the picture, our set up is in the family area as well.