Request for Custom Surround Mapping

[mavericksound]

I have several Theme Park projects that will require 12,16, and 24 channel panning. In the past, I have had to play games with the existing 7.1 and 7.1 sends to make it happen, but man....it's not fun!!! Gets pretty confusing real fast. Meyer Sound has the LCS series with software that can do this kind of thing, but I would LOVE to stay in the Pro Tools environment. Can anyone figure out why it wouldn't be possible for Pro Tools to be able to create a custom surround based on the number of outputs available. In other words, maybe be able to drag speakers (or outputs) around the surround panning area, and then pan thoughout any or all speakers?
I have checked out Sigma, but they never get back with me about any advances in their software, which was compatible with Pro Tools, but cumbersom at the time a few years ago. Thanks much.

[Frank Kruse]

Checkout Sigma. It allows multi-channel panning in PT

http://www.apbtools.com/Web-Site/Produkte.html

Used in theaters and installations. I used it once for an installation. Pretty cool once you´re used to it.

Frank.

[i hear dead people]

This would be a very cool feature -- and I'm sure we will see this, or something like this in 5-10 years as theatrical and home playback systems expand the number of audio channels -- Hello HD DVD already has the provisions for it -- or at least the DTS spec provides for it, I believe.

I think the reason for Digi not expanding beyond 7.1 is that it introduces a lot of variables and opens up a whole can of worms with pan laws and a bunch of other psychoacoustics I know nothing about

But it would be cool and we will see +8 Channels in the future -- We went from Mono to Stereo to Dolby Stereo to 5.1 to SDDS (sort of) to ??? -- What is our next step in "recreating reality" or creating more enveloping sound fields/realistic soundtracks -- this is what actually might save post sound -- more channels means more time and more money -- if the producers/studios see the added benefit, it might catch on...

What's next -- 10.2 -- People are going to demand it -- Post facilities be ready -- Look, picture has done it, why hasn't sound -- From B&W to Color NTSC to HD to ??? so it's got to be right around the corner for us -- This would actually make Pro Tools more valuable (might be a good investment for Digi) -- cause all those expensive OTB consoles won't be able to handle the add'l channels --

But we need standards and there are some -- Tomlinson Holman, the guy who outlined the original 5.1 spec has proposed the new 10.2 spec which I believe has the ability to be our next monitoring standard -- would be very cool --

Ahh to see what the future will bring us -- it's going to be fun --