Star Wars DVD's are missing Dolby Digital 5.1EX track

 

New member
Username: Dobyblue

St. Catharines, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 7
Registered: Oct-05
Okay I now have Episodes I, II, III, IV, V and VI on DVD.
I keep my Pionner VSX-1014TX receiver set to Extended AUTO, so that when ther's a Dolby Digital 5.1EX or DTS:ES 6.1 track it will recognize the center surround channel and place it through the 6th and 7th speakers, otherwise with normal DTS and Dolby 5.1 tracks it will not use the rear surround speakers.
When I play any of the original trilogy, Eps IV, V or VI, it sees the centre surround, but on the new trilogy, Eps I, II or III, it only sees a 5.1 signal, no central surround.
I find it hard to believe that they screwed up every DVD of the newer trilogy, but there seems to be no other logical explanation.
Did anyone else with a 6.1 or 7.1 system pick up on this?
 

Silver Member
Username: Chaunb3400

Huntsville, Alabama U.S.

Post Number: 929
Registered: Jul-05
thats interesting
 

Anonymous
 
Dobyblue,

I have a 6.1 system and have noticed the same problem as you. I am extremely disappointed. At least I know I am not the only one.
 

dshfhfh
Unregistered guest
I have noticed the same thing on revenge of the Sith. There is a Dolby EX splash screen demo that plays for about 20 seconds just before the movie starts. My receiver correctly detects it as a Dolby EX signal. But once the movie starts it is only Dolby 5.1.
 

MacHack
Unregistered guest
So what is the solution here? Anyone have an idea as to what is happening to us?
 

Doggysmockey
Unregistered guest
Please read the note below from the DVD producer, which hopefully will
clear up this issue for you:

Following a precedent set on Episodes 1 and 2 (but not the trilogy,
oddly), Lucasfilm asked that the EX flag be turned OFF on the 5.1 EX
Dolby Digital stream on Episode 3. As I understand it, the ostensible
reason for this decision, apart from some consistency, was because many
older AV receivers from the pre-EX era do not handle EX-flagged streams
well, to the extent that they may damage or blow out speakers. I
believe that LFL chose to go this route out of caution.

The "extra channel" --meaning the center surround-- is in fact on the
disc, and can easily be accessed by manually setting the mode to EX on
the viewer's AV receiver. All the lack of an EX flag does is not make
the selection of EX automatic.

If you have any further inquiries, please call the DVD hotline for
assistance: 888-223-2369

Regards, Lucas Online
 

Anonymous
 
I have the same issue with revenge of the sith.. The THX trailer plays using the EX channel, the receiver automatically turns it on, however, when the movie starts, it defaults back to regular old Dolby Digital. I have gone in during the movie and manually selected the EX track, however it does not play in EX, only standard 5.1
 

Unregistered guest
No Brasil, tambem a saga Star Wars nao possui o sinal Dolby EX, apenas o 5.1, a Fox nada diz e apenas orienta a ligar o surround back virtual do receiver...um absurdo...sumiram com o canal EX.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Dobyblue

St. Catharines, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 38
Registered: Oct-05
Sounds like a cover up to me! Haha!

Why does it work on the Trilogy and the THX trailer on Epiii but not onthe movies on i, ii and iii.

Anyway I'm glad someone else finally noticed this.

Interestingly enough in the manual for the Pioneer VSX1015TX 7.1 receiver it does note that some discs may have 5.1EX encoded but not digitally flagged and that you should set your receiver to Extended ON for these discs. I've since noticed that my HIghlander disc does this too - but it has a DTS:ES track on it so I'll never be using the DOlby anyway - I wish Star Wars had DTS:ES tracks too.

From what I've also heard all the EX does is use an algorithm that picks out instances where the signal from the left and right speakers is identical and puts it through the 6th channel, which is why it's considered a matrix and far less valueable to audiophiles as a DTS:ES 6.1 which is the only discrete 6th channel currently available.
 

Gold Member
Username: Thx_3417

Post Number: 1349
Registered: May-05
This is only, a technical encoding issue, so just activate it manually, it's that simple.

I've been using the centre back surround nearly two years before, they where installing it onto AVR units left right and centre.

The basics of the Dolby Surround-EX "SA-10" comes from the Dolby CP-45 which is an affordable Dolby Stereo processor for some cinema chains that can't afford the CP-500 or the CP-650, the CP-45 like its earlier CP-50 which came around in the mid 1970's is similar, thou fewer improvements have been made to the Dolby Stereo matrix over the years, and with A and SR type NR noise reduction, making films sound better.

So when you play your next Dolby Digital surround-EX film just think about its origins.

Also nearly all Dolby Digital, and Dolby Stereo, films from the 70mm era with split-surrounds will work on any Dolby Surround-EX circuitry.

Ashley






 

Gold Member
Username: Thx_3417

Post Number: 1350
Registered: May-05
Hear is a view of the professional Dolby CP-50, CP-45 and the SA-10.Upload
Upload
Upload
 

Gold Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 5905
Registered: Dec-03
Nice...don't tell me you have these as well Ashley.
 

Gold Member
Username: Thx_3417

Post Number: 1355
Registered: May-05
Berny'

No comment mate.
 

Gold Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 5922
Registered: Dec-03
:-)
 

Gold Member
Username: Chaunb3400

Huntsville, Alabama U.S.

Post Number: 5657
Registered: Jul-05
How much would that cost???
 

Gold Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 5945
Registered: Dec-03
lots
 

Gold Member
Username: Thx_3417

Post Number: 1360
Registered: May-05
A few thousand dollars or pounds, but if you look in the right direction that is, say "future Projections", you may find a bargain or two.

http://www.fproj.com/about.htm
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