Can you listen to a final surround product on PT system?

[digidesigner]

I am a stereo music guy and don't know much about surround. I have been asked if it is possible to play back say a DVD of the final product on a Mac Pro Tools HD system with D-Control in a room with x-mon controller and 5.1 monitoring. They say it's not possible, is that true? They also say Pro Tools won't open multi-channel wav files, is that also true?

[mr.armadillo]

Originally Posted by digidesigner

I am a stereo music guy and don't know much about surround. I have been asked if it is possible to play back say a DVD of the final product on a Mac Pro Tools HD system with D-Control in a room with x-mon controller and 5.1 monitoring. They say it's not possible, is that true? They also say Pro Tools won't open multi-channel wav files, is that also true?

No, that's BS. Who is "they"?
About playing back a 5.1 mix: There have been numerous threads covering this issue.

[HD2]

Being that a lot of final surround product is created on Pro Tools why would you not be able to listen back to it on a Pro Tools system set up the way you describe? The only thing you would need is a DVD player with discrete 5.1 outputs patched into your system.
Besides, who are "they"?
and what do they know?

[pneyrinck]

If your DVD player does not have 5.1 discrete out, you can use the Neyrinck Dolby Digital decoder plug-in. It is RTAS and can be used with Pro Tools HD, Native, or Complete Production Toolkit enabled Pro Tools.

[digidesigner]

Hi guys, thanks for respones!

Please excuse me for not doing a search on this as I thought it is something very basic I'm missing here.
"They" are currently the only room around here with such a setup - Icon and 5.1
I was just surprised that it's not working like with audio CD's and Pro Tools, that you insert it and can play back thru Import Audio or Workspace. To me it would make prefect sense that it should be as easy as that.

As I understand software like VLC player has no problem playing back these types of material (DVD, multi track wav) with no problems on Mac hardware so once again, wouldn't it make perfect sense that Pro Tools should be able to natively do similar things, no? How you guys compare your work mid sessions with already commercially available releases?

[HD2]

Originally Posted by digidesigner

Please excuse me for not doing a search on this as I thought it is something very basic I'm missing here.

Well first off you said "playback a DVD" now you are saying you want to import the audio from a DVD. That is two different things and that would probably depend on what format the audio on the DVD is.

[digidesigner]

Originally Posted by HD2

Well first off you said "playback a DVD" now you are saying you want to import the audio from a DVD. That is two different things and that would probably depend on what format the audio on the DVD is.

No I don't want to import! Where did I say that?? I just want to LISTEN to a DVD in surround thru this big bucks system and I see no way. I'm saying it is possible to LISTEN to a CD thru this big bucks system using Import Audio dialog box. Or Workspace, but I see no way doing that with a DVD, don't you think it should be possible to do that without a DVD player and physical patching it's outputs to Pro Tools inputs etc. etc.

[HD2]

Originally Posted by digidesigner

No I don't want to import! Where did I say that??
that you insert it and can play back thru Import Audio

I guess I mis read that then.

Originally Posted by digidesigner

I just want to LISTEN to a DVD in surround thru this big bucks system and I see no way. I'm saying it is possible to LISTEN to a CD thru this big bucks system using Import Audio dialog box. Or Workspace, but I see no way doing that with a DVD, don't you think it should be possible to do that without a DVD player and physical patching it's outputs to Pro Tools inputs etc. etc.

Maybe you should read up on the differences between how audio is burned to a CD as opposed to a DVD, that will probably help you to understand.

[digidesigner]

Originally Posted by HD2

Maybe you should read up on the differences between how audio is burned to a CD as opposed to a DVD, that will probably help you to understand.

Ok, so you are saying cause DVD has audio coded on it that is the reason multi-tens of thousands dollars system (that is probably used to create most of the DVD audio content in the world) cannot play back a DVD but freeware app like VLC can? Don't you guys miss this functionality at all?

I tried to play back using a QuickTime player or VLC and Core Audio drivers and was able to get stereo signal thru, but not 5.1

[Postman]

digidesigner,

Judging from your first post and the one I just read, you seem to want to pick a fight. I think you'll find people here are more willing to help you than to fight about nonsense. Why don't you go blame Apple for not including the functionality in their hardware and software? Pro Tools does not include a DVD mechanism so why should it be Avid's fault that the DVDs don't play through Avid hardware automatically?