Pro Logic II for Film

[Nate Hoffman]

First - am I the only one that can never seem to get relevant search results on the DUC? Just wondering. I know I've seen threads on this topic before, but getting them to show up in search results is proving fruitless for me.

So question: What is everybody encoding their Lt/Rt film mixes in now, Pro Logic or Pro Logic II? PL2 obviously has greater potential for creating an enveloping surround experience, but are there steering issues that make you prefer PL1?

[infiniteloop]

PL2 is purely a domestic format, not used in cinemas, AFAIK.

[Nate Hoffman]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that the delivery format will be DVD/Blu-ray and possibly broadcast.

[budster]

The go with PLII.

Buddy

[Postman]

Since you have a choice, encode with PLII. Don't forget to check the mix with PL1 also. Usually steering problems are more obvious with PLII playback so if that's okay, so will PL1. The problem is, PLII is not available everywhere and what ends up in the surrounds can be very, very different. Some screening rooms have PLII and some only have PL1, and obviously some only stereo (unless playing an optical track)

I prefer PLII encode even for PL1 playback because it encodes wider frequency response into the surround channel.

[Nate Hoffman]

Awesome. Thanks for the replies. PLII it is then!

[tom_lowe]

If it's for DVD, why not go the Dolby Digital/DTS route, and DTS Master Audio and Dolby True HD for Blu-Ray?

[Craig F]

for reference Dolby Cinema processors only have PL1 decoder (at least the older ones)

[Nate Hoffman]

We will definitely have discrete 5.1 tracks. I was just wondering what the best option for the Lt/Rt version would be.

[tom_lowe]

Originally Posted by Craig F

for reference Dolby Cinema processors only have PL1 decoder (at least the older ones)

A lot of theatres are actually just Dolby Surround, which is like PL but without the centre channel.