RMC-1

[lrobertson]

Another thing. If I were producing a movie and putting a lot of time and money into the 3d sound matrixing I would not like it if Dolby or DTS didn't allow that to also benefit my bluray sales and rental revenues. It seems like producing companies would have some say or at least pull. But then again maybe they think they gain more when they can sell a viewing for 6-15 dollars a seat. I can only imagine how Call Of Duty developers would love this tech. You would think it would be relatively easy for this type of audio mapping to be synced into their 3d world.

[Erwin.BE]

(pic repost)

Rendering of the maximum speaker layout that Auro-3D is/will be capable to do on the Datasat RS20i. It takes a 6.1 (like dts Neo:6 if 7.1 material it's downmixed) and adds a height to each speaker channel, taking it to twelve. Then there's the overhead speaker, VOG. Making it 13.1.

Hence a sixteen-channel processor has three outputs remaining for subwoofers... I think that is where the RMC-1 (or RMC-2) should result in on the long term. I would be more than happy to invest in a 11.1 RMC-1 though. I'd leave out the rear height and center height. And use an outboard device to handle in-room correction of the multiple subwoofers.

When mentioned @ Emofest, the RMC-1 was projected to have twelve channels, probably 9.3. I'd rather have 11.1 then. But maybe twice the price of the XMC-1 ($1,500 vs 2,500-3,000 at the time) would justify twice the channel count...

[Erwin.BE]

Press release from Auro-3D:

www.auro-3d.com/press/2014/01/press-release-auro-technologies-to-premiere-auro-3d-sound-in-an-unrivaled-package-for-the-home-entertainment-car-and-mobile-platforms/

Quote:
Over 50 international movies, 100 music albums recorded in the Auro-3D® format, and 2 blockbuster games will be released in the course of 2014.

Quote:
The Auro-3D® technology delivers in high resolution audio the most immersive and natural audio experience, while maintaining flexibility, speed and crystal-clear media playback unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before due to its fully PCM compatibility, easily integrated into any hardware device. [Such as the RMC-1...]

Quote:
Early February 2014, Auro Technologies will also begin shipping its own Auro-3D® AV Receiver, the Auro-3D® ISSP 12.200D. [It costs €15K...]

I vote for 9.3 Auro-3D in the RMC-1!

[KeithL]

It sounds to me like they're trying to introduce a new (and, of course, more wonderful) surround sound format - in competition against Dolby and DTS.

I am totally unclear on whether it would give you any benefit whatsoever unless you are using content specifically recorded for it (but I suspect not). Therefore, until there are more than the 50 movies they claim will be released next year in that format, I sort of doubt that many people will be incorporating it into products. Since I haven't personally heard it, I have no comment on whether it sounds good (or worth the bother) or not, but, since I assume it requires a license that the manufacturer would have to pay for (and so pass that cost on to the customer), I sort of doubt we'll be adding it into new products anytime soon.

(Something like Dirac is a process which is valid for anything you play, so everybody will be able to use it, and benefit from having it. In contrast, Auro-3D is more comparable to Dolby TrueHD; it's only worthwhile to have it in a player or pre/pro if you have something to play on it. Therefore, as with most such things, I suspect that the vast majority of vendors, including us, will be waiting to see if enough content is going to be released to make it worth the bother. When someone like Dolby releases a new encoding option, they have enough clout that most player vendors will incorporate it; which, in turn, is a good reason for movie producers to produce content for those players. With Auro-3D you have "the chicken and egg problem" - where nobody will bother to produce movies in Auro-3D until most of the players being sold support it, and nobody will bother building support into players and pre/pros until there is lots of content available. This makes it very difficult for new companies to launch new CODECs successfully - unless it sounds really good and gets enough great reviews. At least initially, assuming it works really well, you will have 50 movies and two games that work very well in that mode on one $20,000 surround processor..... let's see how it goes from there.)

Jan 10, 2014 14:36:56 GMT -5 Erwin.BE said:

Press release from Auro-3D:

www.auro-3d.com/press/2014/01/press-release-auro-technologies-to-premiere-auro-3d-sound-in-an-unrivaled-package-for-the-home-entertainment-car-and-mobile-platforms/

Quote:
Over 50 international movies, 100 music albums recorded in the Auro-3D® format, and 2 blockbuster games will be released in the course of 2014.

Quote:
The Auro-3D® technology delivers in high resolution audio the most immersive and natural audio experience, while maintaining flexibility, speed and crystal-clear media playback unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before due to its fully PCM compatibility, easily integrated into any hardware device. [Such as the RMC-1...]

Quote:
Early February 2014, Auro Technologies will also begin shipping its own Auro-3D® AV Receiver, the Auro-3D® ISSP 12.200D. [It costs €15K...]

I vote for 9.3 Auro-3D in the RMC-1!

[Erwin.BE]

Competing against Dolby? You mean Dolby Atmos? I see no signs of Atmos coming to home audio anytime soon, as much as I'd like it otherwise. And DTS and Auro-3D agreed to work together on a "open format for immersive object-based cinema sound"

www.dcinematoday.com/dc/PR.aspx?newsID=3226

It's not always the superior format (for commercial cinema clearly Atmos > up to 61.3 surround from 128 separate input channels) that wins in the end. Cost effectiveness is key. Which one is cheaper to invest in and is most compatible with other formats? Twelve channels is a good start, maybe sixteen in a few years, more would be overkill. No need for 64 channels in the home.

All I ask is that you Emotiva folks not reject it but keep an eye open for it. It's not like the RMC-1 is to be aspected in 2014, is it?

Have any of you folks visited Auro-3D on CES? I saw a picture of David Dolby visiting their stand...

The last time anyone talked informally about the "RMC-1" (Emofest 2012), it was going to be "twelve channel, probably 9.3". I presume a format like Auro-3D would be far more interesting than Dolby PLIIz to fill those nine channels.

[lrobertson]

Hi Erwin. Hope you enjoyed the holidays. I always thought Auro-3d's greatest asset was it's ability to up-convert content and maybe its future ability to allow broadcasted surround sound. I never was too impressed with their concept of what they want to deliver with dedicated Auro coding. It seems limited in light of Dolby's and DTS's object based coding they are trying to implement. But that being said if I had to choose between a 9.3 processor with only Dolby PLIIz processing for heights and a processor that was 9.x with DSX or even 11.x I think it would be a no brainer to go with an Audyssey equipped processor. Direct comparisons even show that PLIIz is very limited compared to DSX with height playback but this may be personal preference. I do hope they implement at least Auro-3d.

[moparmudder]

I am surprised that their is even this much Dobly talk. Maybe it is because I only get BluRay, but it seems that the ratio of Dolby to DTS titles is in the 1 in 50 area. Seems like Dolby has given up on home surround and left it to DTS....

[klinemj]

So, here's something I have been mulling over lately re. the "RMC-1": It sounds like the XMC-1 is now in its final stages...production being planned, ready to take in the 2 HDMI outs and HMDI 2.0. And, the XSP-1 Gen 2 is launched. Ray Dennison was working on both. So...what is Ray up to right now? Is he taking a well-deserved vacation or diving head first into the RMC-1 project? I hope he got a well-deserved vacation, but that he's back working details on the RMC-1.

Why do I hope this? Well, as much as I'd like an XMC-1, I'd rather see an "RMC-1" come out quickly so I could decide between them. I have a 40% off card, and I'd like to use it to maximum advantage. Come on Emotiva...let's see what you can do!!!

Mark

[solidstate]

Jan 23, 2014 14:13:26 GMT -5 moparmudder said:

I am surprised that their is even this much Dobly talk. Maybe it is because I only get BluRay, but it seems that the ratio of Dolby to DTS titles is in the 1 in 50 area. Seems like Dolby has given up on home surround and left it to DTS....

The problem is that production and mastering is being done with DTS thus is makes no sense to convert it to TrueHD for distro.

[Lsc]

Feb 1, 2014 15:29:03 GMT -5 klinemj said:

So, here's something I have been mulling over lately re. the "RMC-1": It sounds like the XMC-1 is now in its final stages...production being planned, ready to take in the 2 HDMI outs and HMDI 2.0. And, the XSP-1 Gen 2 is launched. Ray Dennison was working on both. So...what is Ray up to right now? Is he taking a well-deserved vacation or diving head first into the RMC-1 project? I hope he got a well-deserved vacation, but that he's back working details on the RMC-1.

Why do I hope this? Well, as much as I'd like an XMC-1, I'd rather see an "RMC-1" come out quickly so I could decide between them. I have a 40% off card, and I'd like to use it to maximum advantage. Come on Emotiva...let's see what you can do!!!

Mark

You and my buddy. He has the 40% off card and wants to use it on the RMC-1. When I get the XMC-1, he'll have a good idea how awesome the RMC-1 will be...since it'll be turbocharged all around.

[Erwin.BE]

Feb 1, 2014 15:29:03 GMT -5 klinemj said:

Why do I hope this? Well, as much as I'd like an XMC-1, I'd rather see an "RMC-1" come out quickly so I could decide between them. I have a 40% off card, and I'd like to use it to maximum advantage. Come on Emotiva...let's see what you can do!!!

How come you only have one Upgrade Certificate?

I would not hold my breath...

[stiehl11]

Yep, I have two; the price was right ($150) and I couldn't pass it up.

[AudioHTIT]

Feb 2, 2014 12:59:14 GMT -5 Erwin.BE said:

Feb 1, 2014 15:29:03 GMT -5 klinemj said:

Why do I hope this? Well, as much as I'd like an XMC-1, I'd rather see an "RMC-1" come out quickly so I could decide between them. I have a 40% off card, and I'd like to use it to maximum advantage. Come on Emotiva...let's see what you can do!!!

How come you only have one Upgrade Certificate?

I would not hold my breath...

That's a good strategy for those interested in the RMC-1, get the bird (almost) in hand now (the XMC-1), and then have another upgrade card in the hole for the RMC-1.

[jerrin]

Jan 11, 2014 12:10:40 GMT -5 Erwin.BE said:

Competing against Dolby? You mean Dolby Atmos? I see no signs of Atmos coming to home audio anytime soon, as much as I'd like it otherwise. And DTS and Auro-3D agreed to work together on a "open format for immersive object-based cinema sound"

www.dcinematoday.com/dc/PR.aspx?newsID=3226

It's not always the superior format (for commercial cinema clearly Atmos > up to 61.3 surround from 128 separate input channels) that wins in the end. Cost effectiveness is key. Which one is cheaper to invest in and is most compatible with other formats? Twelve channels is a good start, maybe sixteen in a few years, more would be overkill. No need for 64 channels in the home.

All I ask is that you Emotiva folks not reject it but keep an eye open for it. It's not like the RMC-1 is to be aspected in 2014, is it?

Have any of you folks visited Auro-3D on CES? I saw a picture of David Dolby visiting their stand...

The last time anyone talked informally about the "RMC-1" (Emofest 2012), it was going to be "twelve channel, probably 9.3". I presume a format like Auro-3D would be far more interesting than Dolby PLIIz to fill those nine channels.

Atmos is being worked on for home consumption. However, it is several (at least 2-3) years away. I've heard some talk that they may make a push for it to be included in the 4-8K movies.

[rogersch]

Here is a nice video on Auro 3d (and the new Dataset LS10i) from AVSforum.


Mmm, I think I should start digging a cellar in my garden and build a dedicated Home Theatre.....

[Erwin.BE]

Thanks for posting that.

The LS10 costs £10,000 plus £3,000 for the Auro-3D encoder option. It does not have Dirac onboard since that was part of the cost cutting versus the RS20i (£18,600 without Auro-3D upgrade). To steep for me.

A 12-channel RMC-1 with Dirac and Auro-3D for $5,000? I'd jump on that!

[Erwin.BE]

Feb 2, 2014 13:50:14 GMT -5 jerrin said:

Atmos is being worked on for home consumption. However, it is several (at least 2-3) years away. I've heard some talk that they may make a push for it to be included in the 4-8K movies.

Too late, I think. Both Auro-3D and dts will be a lot faster on the market. Auro-3D can simply be included in the current Blu-rays as it resides in the 4 bits that are underused of the 24-bits PCM.

[cwt]

Very clever of Barco to utilise those 4 bits and to give backwards compatability with 2k bluray audio tracks in one fell swoop And with it being object based now with mda all the better ;

www.avsforum.com/t/1499548/auro-3d-11-1-at-the-dub-stage/30#post_23949243

[Erwin.BE]

What worries me is the crazy £3,000 extra for Auro-3D integration. If Datasat has to charge this much and assuming the cost is a marked-up licensing fee they ow Auro-3D, this doesn't look good for the popularization of Auro-3D. I'd pay 1,000 though.

[flamingeye]

$5,000 for a per/pro that's beyond what I can afford for one peace of gear now I my be able to squeeze $3,000 out for one but that's my limit , but anyway I would like to see at lest a 9.2 out of the RMC-1