[A. Richard Meitin]

I need to mix an audio-only program in surround sound. Though it is an
audio-ONLY program, it will be played back for audiences in movie
theaters - special one-or-two-night programs in a variety of places
(TBD) across the country. The creator of the program will host the audio
show, from the front of the theater. Most of these bookings will be in
art-house style theaters, of 200-400 seats.

I need to figure out what the best common-denominator surround-sound mix
configuration should be - should I mix in 5.1? In 7.1? What should the
track order be? What encoding, if any? What hardware, cabling and
connectors might the show have to carry with it, in order to be able to
plug into the variety of systems out there in the world?

Suggestions? Where do I start? What might I be overlooking?

Thank you!

Rich Meitin

[Richard Crowley]

"A. Richard Meitin" wrote ...
I need to mix an audio-only program in surround sound. Though it is an
audio-ONLY program, it will be played back for audiences in movie
theaters - special one-or-two-night programs in a variety of places
(TBD) across the country. The creator of the program will host the audio
show, from the front of the theater. Most of these bookings will be in
art-house style theaters, of 200-400 seats.

I need to figure out what the best common-denominator surround-sound mix
configuration should be - should I mix in 5.1? In 7.1? What should the
track order be? What encoding, if any? What hardware, cabling and
connectors might the show have to carry with it, in order to be able to
plug into the variety of systems out there in the world?

Suggestions? Where do I start? What might I be overlooking?

What will it be played on? Will all the venues have the same equipment?
I would work backwards from what the venue's playback equipment expects.

[A. Richard Meitin]

Richard -
My main point here is that I do not, and can not know in advance where
these gigs will be or what gear they will have. I cannot work backwards.
I'm trying to determine what the most COMMON formats/gear are, etc. so
that the product I'm creating will stand the best chance of being
useful, most frequently.

Essentially I'm asking: IS THERE A TYPICAL SMALL THEATRE SETUP in
general, that I can to conform to, so that I can create a product that's
going to be useful, more often that not? Is 5,1 better than 7.1 in that
regard, etc?

Thanks.


In article ,
"Richard Crowley" wrote:

"A. Richard Meitin" wrote ...
I need to mix an audio-only program in surround sound. Though it is an
audio-ONLY program, it will be played back for audiences in movie
theaters - special one-or-two-night programs in a variety of places
(TBD) across the country. The creator of the program will host the audio
show, from the front of the theater. Most of these bookings will be in
art-house style theaters, of 200-400 seats.

I need to figure out what the best common-denominator surround-sound mix
configuration should be - should I mix in 5.1? In 7.1? What should the
track order be? What encoding, if any? What hardware, cabling and
connectors might the show have to carry with it, in order to be able to
plug into the variety of systems out there in the world?

Suggestions? Where do I start? What might I be overlooking?

What will it be played on? Will all the venues have the same equipment?
I would work backwards from what the venue's playback equipment expects.

[Mr.T]

"A. Richard Meitin" wrote in message
...
Essentially I'm asking: IS THERE A TYPICAL SMALL THEATRE SETUP in
general, that I can to conform to, so that I can create a product that's
going to be useful, more often that not? Is 5,1 better than 7.1 in that
regard, etc?


Seems to me you should just mix up 5.1 AND 7.1 versions, plus a stereo
version. Then you can use whatever each theatre can handle.

MrT.

[A. Richard Meitin]

Thanks Mr. T - however, I'd have to re-tool to do the 7.1; get more gear
and such. Is it really helpful/necessary? Also, what are the encoding
issues? Do I need a 5.1 encoded with Dolby NR AND not? a 7.1 encoded AND
not? For every variable the issue expands by a power of 2. (The stereo
mix exists already, by the way.) And what kind of hardware do I need to
carry around to do a 5.1 playback? A 7.1?

Again: Is there or is there not a most-common denominator, and how would
I find out, with some authority?

Rich



In article ,
"Mr.T" MrT@home wrote:

"A. Richard Meitin" wrote in message
...
Essentially I'm asking: IS THERE A TYPICAL SMALL THEATRE SETUP in
general, that I can to conform to, so that I can create a product that's
going to be useful, more often that not? Is 5,1 better than 7.1 in that
regard, etc?


Seems to me you should just mix up 5.1 AND 7.1 versions, plus a stereo
version. Then you can use whatever each theatre can handle.

MrT.

[Jens Rodrigo]

A. Richard Meitin wrote:
Thanks Mr. T - however, I'd have to re-tool to do the 7.1; get more gear
and such. Is it really helpful/necessary? Also, what are the encoding
issues? Do I need a 5.1 encoded with Dolby NR AND not? a 7.1 encoded AND
not? For every variable the issue expands by a power of 2. (The stereo
mix exists already, by the way.) And what kind of hardware do I need to
carry around to do a 5.1 playback? A 7.1?
Again: Is there or is there not a most-common denominator, and how would
I find out, with some authority?


Lexicon - Logic 7:
http://www.lexicon.com/logic7/index.asp
http://www.avrev.com/equip/lexicondc1/index.html

Cheers Jens

[Richard Crowley]

"A. Richard Meitin" wrote ...
My main point here is that I do not, and can not know in advance where
these gigs will be or what gear they will have. I cannot work
backwards.
I'm trying to determine what the most COMMON formats/gear are, etc. so
that the product I'm creating will stand the best chance of being
useful, most frequently.

Essentially I'm asking: IS THERE A TYPICAL SMALL THEATRE SETUP in
general, that I can to conform to, so that I can create a product
that's
going to be useful, more often that not? Is 5,1 better than 7.1 in
that
regard, etc?

Why would you think there is ANY common denominator
at all in small theatres beyone maybe 2.1? (if even that?)

If you want anything beyond qustionable stereo, your
host will likely need to haul his own playback system
with him on the junket. Even high-end exhibition venues
aren't 100% identical.

[Mr.T]

"A. Richard Meitin" wrote in message
...
Thanks Mr. T - however, I'd have to re-tool to do the 7.1; get more gear
and such. Is it really helpful/necessary?

Certainly NOT necessary, if it means buying more gear then I'd simply forget
about it.

Also, what are the encoding
issues? Do I need a 5.1 encoded with Dolby NR AND not? a 7.1 encoded AND
not? For every variable the issue expands by a power of 2. (The stereo
mix exists already, by the way.) And what kind of hardware do I need to
carry around to do a 5.1 playback? A 7.1?

Again: Is there or is there not a most-common denominator, and how would
I find out, with some authority?

I can't help you there, but if you do plan to carry your own playback gear
as you suggest, I can't see how it would matter?

MrT.

[Matt Ion]

A. Richard Meitin wrote:
I need to mix an audio-only program in surround sound. Though it is an
audio-ONLY program, it will be played back for audiences in movie
theaters - special one-or-two-night programs in a variety of places
(TBD) across the country. The creator of the program will host the audio
show, from the front of the theater. Most of these bookings will be in
art-house style theaters, of 200-400 seats.

I need to figure out what the best common-denominator surround-sound mix
configuration should be - should I mix in 5.1? In 7.1? What should the
track order be? What encoding, if any? What hardware, cabling and
connectors might the show have to carry with it, in order to be able to
plug into the variety of systems out there in the world?

Suggestions? Where do I start? What might I be overlooking?

Thank you!

Rich Meitin

Having read some of the other replies, my first question would be, "how
surround" does this material need to be, and why does it NEED to be in
surround? Is there something special about it that requires a separate
signal be sent to rear or even side speakers? What kind of information
needs to be in the surround channels? If all you're sending them is
ambience, you don't need 5.1 and higher; if all you're trying to do is
get the same signal to all speakers in a big venue, you don't need
surround encoding at all.

I agree, the most likely "lowest common denominator" you're likely to
find is straight stereo (not even 2.1)... as in, there will probably be
at least one venue that will have only stereo.

The other question you'd need to answer with surround mixing is, what
format are you going to encode it in? Dolby Digital? DTS? AC3? Two
different venues may have 7.1 speaker systems but use different encoding
methods.

For best overall compatibility, you may want to drop back to something
like Dolby Pro Logic, which will still sound acceptable on a stereo rig,
but will give you some (non-complex) surround info as well - any
surround system I've ever run across, whether DD or DTS, still has a Pro
Logic processing mode.