Affordable Decoder Solution?

[Chuck5021]

So, after using PTLE for 8 years I'm finally becoming acquainted with surround mixing and TDM. I'll be doing a basic surround mix of a TV show about video games. The game footage is already mixed 5.1, I'll only be adding narration and into/outro music.

The problem the online editor mentioned is that they don't have a way of capturing the 5.1 audio from the games. They can only capture stereo, and want me to "fake" surround with that. With the research I've done so far on the DUC that doesn't sound very desirable. After thinking long and hard I think I've found a solution. I wanted to bounce it off the forum and make sure I'm not crazy...

What if I used a consumer home theatre amp/reciever with preamp outputs of each channel? Most higher-end consumer recievers have RCA outs for each channel. Can I not run the game audio into the reciever, then into a 192 I/0? The only problem I've found with this idea is sync. I'll have no way of syncing the audio I record to the video they record...unless I missed something?

I'll be using PT TDM 7.2, with HD1, a 192, and the Neyrinck Soundcode plugin. Suggestions?

[philper]

So, after using PTLE for 8 years I'm finally becoming acquainted with surround mixing and TDM. I'll be doing a basic surround mix of a TV show about video games. The game footage is already mixed 5.1, I'll only be adding narration and into/outro music.

The problem the online editor mentioned is that they don't have a way of capturing the 5.1 audio from the games. They can only capture stereo, and want me to "fake" surround with that. With the research I've done so far on the DUC that doesn't sound very desirable. After thinking long and hard I think I've found a solution. I wanted to bounce it off the forum and make sure I'm not crazy...

What if I used a consumer home theatre amp/reciever with preamp outputs of each channel? Most higher-end consumer recievers have RCA outs for each channel. Can I not run the game audio into the reciever, then into a 192 I/0? The only problem I've found with this idea is sync. I'll have no way of syncing the audio I record to the video they record...unless I missed something?

I'll be using PT TDM 7.2, with HD1, a 192, and the Neyrinck Soundcode plugin. Suggestions?

You'd need to find a receiver that allowed you to turn off the bass management if you wanted.

Philip Perkins

[minister]

contact the people that authored the game....get the files from them.

[jeremiahmoore]

Creative Labs makes a stand-alone decoder DDTS-100

-consumer/unbalanced I/O
-optical and coax input
-lots of flavors of surround decoding including Dolby PLII, Dolby Digital, DTS
-5.1 output on mini jacks

As far as I know it's the only stand-alone decoder box. I patch my G5's optical output into it, for cleaner sound into the board. (Does anything suck more than the mini-out on a G5?)


-jeremiah

[philper]

Creative Labs makes a stand-alone decoder DDTS-100

-consumer/unbalanced I/O
-optical and coax input
-lots of flavors of surround decoding including Dolby PLII, Dolby Digital, DTS
-5.1 output on mini jacks

As far as I know it's the only stand-alone decoder box. I patch my G5's optical output into it, for cleaner sound into the board. (Does anything suck more than the mini-out on a G5?)


-jeremiah

Can you turn off the bass management on this box? (I didn't see anything about that in the manual.)
It seems like you'd have to use a surround speaker system that had defeatable bass management with this box or you'd be "double managed"? How is the sound of thing? Seems like a screamin' deal.

Philip Perkins

[Chuck5021]

Yeah, that Creative box does look decent. My only other alternative is to use a 600-700 dollar home theatre amp. I don't think RCA out versus mini jack out is going to make much of a difference. Both are unbalanced -10db connections anyway, right? I haven't seen either mention defeatable bass management though.. that could be a problem.

I don't think getting the files from the game authors would work in this instance. The games aren't linear.. the audio will depend on the gameplay. I'd have to obtain every sound file they used and remix according to the gameplay. Unless I misunderstood your suggestion. I apologize if I did.

Lastly, does anyone have any input regarding sync? Unfortunately this is new territory for me so I'm flying by the seat of my pants. It's fun though!

Thanks!