Dolby Atmos--- a new sound system for movies?

[DaveyF]

The new Peter Jackson movie... "The Hobbit, an unexpected journey" will be mixed and released in Dolby Atmos. This system features two extra arrays of overhead speakers and the ability to direct sounds to individual speakers inside the movie theater. Apparently Disney's Pixar film "Brave" debuted the new audio format, when it was released a few months back.

According to the Dolby web page: Dolby Atmos: A Revolutionary New Cinema Sound Technology

Dolby® Atmos™ represents a completely new platform for cinema sound. It provides full creative freedom for filmmakers and ensures that you’ll hear the soundtracks exactly as their creators intended.

Employing overhead speakers as well as surrounds, Dolby Atmos can create realistic and natural sound experiences that envelop and involve you in the stories.

Benefits of Dolby Atmos

Delivers a powerful and dramatic new cinema sound listening experience
Allows sounds to move around the theatre to create dynamic effects
Reproduces a natural and lifelike audio experience that perfectly matches the story
Adds overhead speakers for the most realistic effects you’ve ever heard
Reflects the artist’s original intent, regardless of theatre setup
Employs up to 64 speakers to heighten the realism and impact of every scene
Artistic Freedom

For filmmakers, details matter—a lot. And Dolby Atmos gives filmmakers full creative control over the placement and movement of sound around the audience. This completely new level of artistic freedom enables precise matching of audio to onscreen action.

Dialogue follows characters. Sound effects track with camera pans. Ambient sounds envelop you. For the first time, you’ll hear the whole picture.

Should be interesting to see if this technology comes to the home theater experience.

 

[NorthStar]

---I think that right now only very few theaters are so equipped.
...Mainly in the Hollywood area I believe.

And with DSP and the light speed at which technologies are going, we perhaps will experience that in our own homes sometimes. Or unless DTS is coming up with an even better system.

I like the word 'Atmos'; what does it mean? ...And can we reproduce at home with one speaker (well, let's say five) what sixty-four speakers can do at another venue? ...With high 'vitamins' DSP processing of course.

* 'The Hobbit', is it also in 3D; filmed with 3D cameras? ...4K? ...48fps?

 

[JackD201]

Discreet overhead channels! Finally!

 

[NorthStar]

---I heard that we aren't that much perceptible to overhead sounds.
And with films like 'Master and Commander', what's the real use to use real overhead speakers?

And when you walk into an office building with music playing from overhead speakers; don't you find it awkward? ...In the overall sound quality and realistic impact. ...Perhaps good for elevator music.

How ya doin' Jack?

 

[cjfrbw]

Sounds like planned obsolescence for all those home theater receivers and another bonanza for amp and speaker manufacturers.

 

[NorthStar]

---Yup, that's about just right.

 

[JackD201]

---I heard that we aren't that much perceptible to overhead sounds.
And with films like 'Master and Commander', what's the real use to use real overhead speakers?

And when you walk into an office building with music playing from overhead speakers; don't you find it awkward? ...In the overall sound quality and realistic impact. ...Perhaps good for elevator music.

How ya doin' Jack?

Oh, I won't be doing it at home. I'm ok with 5.1 (2 subs actually). Just give me a big ass center and I'm happy. In a movie house however, I can tell ya it will smoothen out steering.

Remember that height thread? I did say you could trick the folks into perceiving vertical motion but discreet is still better if done right. True we are less sensitive but like a cracking branch over our heads or a hawk in the sky, we do have the ability.

Doin' great Bob thanks for asking.

 

[DaveyF]

I think the 'effects' could be very compelling with the ability to direct the sound to a single overhead speaker, as an example. Bob, I would suspect that the name Atmos is derived from Atmosphere That is an interesting thing to be able to manipulate in a theater setting.

 

[NorthStar]

---Surrounding "atmosphere"; that makes a lot of sense indeed Davey.

* Ok, I agree with you Jack; in a large commercial Theater it is just fine to have discreet overhead channel speakers.
I would love to experience it (...only if I was living close by to Hollywood boulevard, or in the surrounding vicinity of a Dolby Atmos Theater ...).

Perhaps there are some members here who have already experienced the Dolby Atmos system?

By the way, our own Dolby Labs' Roger Dressler, a member right here at WBF, and at various other sites as well (including AVS and Blu-ray Forum), and a friend (from the cyber atmosphere), and a heck of a nice guy, would be in a great position to tell us more. :b

 

[DaveyF]

Perhaps there are some members here who have already experienced the Dolby Atmos system?

. :b

Has anyone experienced the new Dolby Atmos system? Impressions?

 

[NorthStar]

-----Roger? ...Dressler. :b

 

[JackD201]

A new theater complex opened two blocks away and I got to experience Dolby ATMOS for the first time. The pre-movie demos were fantastic. Beat friggin binaural. As for the movie (Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters) I don't think the producers of this movie were able to really take advantage of the new technology. To think I was actively listening for atmospherics and not just panned effects. (Sound Design and Editing for TV and Films was my formal Audio field of study) The movie sucked in my opinion too so that didn't help.

The future however is bright. It will make me want to go to the movies more often.