Multi-Channel Audio

[John A. Weeks III]

Sirius says that they are experimenting with multi-channel
audio. I hear them talking about laying SACD versions of
songs on The Value (their analog to XM's Deep Tracks).

How does multi-channel audio work on satellite radio? I only
get a left and a right channel jack. Are there systems that
actually give a TOSLINK digital out, or decode 5.1 audio? Or
do they mean that they are playing a 5.1 disc in the studio,
but converting the 5.1 to 2.0 before transmission?

I have seen TOSLINK connector kits for XM PCR radios. Does
that give you a 5.1 feed, or is it just 2.0 as a digital stream?

-john-

--
====================================================================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
====================================================================

[Fred Lorenzen]

@ John,

I have an XMDirect PCR satellite receiver that has a TosLink Optical
Digital Audio Output modification connected to my computer Turtle Beach
Catalina 7.1 surround sound card.

With the TosLink Optical Digital Audio Output from the XMDirect
satellite receiver I am only able to receive two channel stereo. With
the TosLink Optical Digital Audio Output there is a greater improvement
in the audio output quality. There is better stereo separation and
deeper richer audio tone. On some XM channels the audio output is very
good.

XM presently has a bandwidth shortage problem and I cannot envision them
having enough bandwidth to be able to encode the signal to 5.1.

Regards,
Fred


"John A. Weeks III" <john@johnweeks.com> wrote in message
news:151120041837084816%john@johnweeks.com...
: Sirius says that they are experimenting with multi-channel
: audio. I hear them talking about laying SACD versions of
: songs on The Value (their analog to XM's Deep Tracks).
:
: How does multi-channel audio work on satellite radio? I only
: get a left and a right channel jack. Are there systems that
: actually give a TOSLINK digital out, or decode 5.1 audio? Or
: do they mean that they are playing a 5.1 disc in the studio,
: but converting the 5.1 to 2.0 before transmission?
:
: I have seen TOSLINK connector kits for XM PCR radios. Does
: that give you a 5.1 feed, or is it just 2.0 as a digital stream?
:
: -john-
:
: --
: ====================================================================
: John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
: Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
: ====================================================================

[Truth]

> Sirius says that they are experimenting with multi-channel
> audio.

See, just when you think they have done as many backwards and stupid
things they could, they come up with another one. Why waste the
bandwidth for that? The sound quality of satellite is crap NOW, so
why have multi-channels of crap thinking people with the best home
theater set ups are going to want to hear crap digital MP3 type audio
playing through their systems?

> How does multi-channel audio work on satellite radio? I only
> get a left and a right channel jack. Are there systems that
> actually give a TOSLINK digital out, or decode 5.1 audio?

No, because they are not using 5.1 yet, so why would they have made the
radios with 5.1 outputs? Did stereos in the 70s have 5.1 or digital
outputs?

If they would start transmitting 5.1 programming, then they would make
radios with those type of outputs.

[Truth]

> XM presently has a bandwidth shortage problem and I cannot envision them
> having enough bandwidth to be able to encode the signal to 5.1.

Let's hope they are smart enough to not go that route. As it is NOW, the
audio is not good enough quality to run through a good home stereo system,
so the idea that using up more bandwidth just to add more channels in the
hopes people will listen to this crap on their home theater systems is just
RIDICULOUS!

People with 5.1 systems in their homes thing they can hear a difference
between CDs and SACDs in sound quality! Yet those people that insist on
having SACDs or DVD-AUDIO are going to be happy with the quality of
Satellite Radio audio!

ROTFFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[John A. Weeks III]

In article <419A3231.5B0F982@sucks.com>, Truth <yenc@sucks.com> wrote:

> People with 5.1 systems in their homes thing they can hear a difference
> between CDs and SACDs in sound quality! Yet those people that insist on
> having SACDs or DVD-AUDIO are going to be happy with the quality of
> Satellite Radio audio!

The acoustic environment in my home where I have the gillion dollar
sound system and home theatre is far different from teh acoustic
environment in my truck barreling down the highway at 70 miles per
hour. Satellite is good enough in the latter scenario, whereas my
standards at home are higher. It makes no sense to try to recreate
my home theater environment in my truck.

-john-

--
====================================================================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
====================================================================

[Truth]

> > People with 5.1 systems in their homes thing they can hear a difference
> > between CDs and SACDs in sound quality! Yet those people that insist on
> > having SACDs or DVD-AUDIO are going to be happy with the quality of
> > Satellite Radio audio!
>
> The acoustic environment in my home where I have the gillion dollar
> sound system and home theatre is far different from teh acoustic
> environment in my truck barreling down the highway at 70 miles per
> hour. Satellite is good enough in the latter scenario, whereas my
> standards at home are higher.

EXACTLY! So why broadcast in 5.1? No one is going to be happy with the
satellite radio audio quality when using their 5.1 sound systems, only for in the
car and elsewhere.

> It makes no sense to try to recreate
> my home theater environment in my truck.

RIGHT! What the hell is Sirius thinking?

[Mark S.]

"Truth" <yenc@sucks.com> wrote in message
news:419A5A14.7AA98FC4@sucks.com...
>> > People with 5.1 systems in their homes thing they can hear a difference
>> > between CDs and SACDs in sound quality! Yet those people that
>> > insist on
>> > having SACDs or DVD-AUDIO are going to be happy with the quality of
>> > Satellite Radio audio!
>>
>> The acoustic environment in my home where I have the gillion dollar
>> sound system and home theatre is far different from teh acoustic
>> environment in my truck barreling down the highway at 70 miles per
>> hour. Satellite is good enough in the latter scenario, whereas my
>> standards at home are higher.
>
> EXACTLY! So why broadcast in 5.1? No one is going to be happy with
> the
> satellite radio audio quality when using their 5.1 sound systems, only for
> in the
> car and elsewhere.
>
>> It makes no sense to try to recreate
>> my home theater environment in my truck.
>
> RIGHT! What the hell is Sirius thinking?

There are some high end car stereos that actually support 5.1, but nothing I
could afford, or even if I could would I consider putting in my car as it
would probably get stolen. I don't understand why people buy car stereos
that cost more than their car does with pop out DVD screens the size of my
hand. Hell, you could buy a laptop with a much bigger screen and a DVD-ROM
drive for cheaper, and you could take it wherever you want, plus it's a
computer! Anyways, I think Sirius is broadcasting in Dolby Prologic, not
Dolby Digital, so this way it doesn't take up any more bandwidth, and any
existing Sirius radio can be used just by hooking up the aux out to a
prologic receiver. Beside the cost of aquiring prologic content, it won't
cost any more money for anyone so I could care less if they do or don't.

[Truth]

> There are some high end car stereos that actually support 5.1, but nothing I
> could afford, or even if I could would I consider putting in my car as it
> would probably get stolen. I don't understand why people buy car stereos
> that cost more than their car does with pop out DVD screens the size of my
> hand.

And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?

[Bonehenge]

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 22:30:51 GMT, Truth <yenc@sucks.com> wrote:


>
>And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?


I would guess people who live with their parents, as they spent too
much on electronics to pay a mortgage or rent. <G>

Barry

[John A. Weeks III]

In article <419A7FC7.884D0BE0@sucks.com>, Truth <yenc@sucks.com> wrote:

> > There are some high end car stereos that actually support 5.1, but nothing I
> > could afford, or even if I could would I consider putting in my car as it
> > would probably get stolen. I don't understand why people buy car stereos
> > that cost more than their car does with pop out DVD screens the size of my
> > hand.
>
> And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?

Have you ever driven across Nebraska?

-john-

--
====================================================================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
====================================================================

[Truth]

> >And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?
>
> I would guess people who live with their parents, as they spent too
> much on electronics to pay a mortgage or rent. <G>

Still, they could have bought a portable DVD player for cheaper and
still watched it in their room while lying in their bed rather than
siting in a car.

[Truth]

> > > There are some high end car stereos that actually support 5.1, but nothing I
> > > could afford, or even if I could would I consider putting in my car as it
> > > would probably get stolen. I don't understand why people buy car stereos
> > > that cost more than their car does with pop out DVD screens the size of my
> > > hand.
> >
> > And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?
>
> Have you ever driven across Nebraska?

Are you suggesting people watch TV while they are driving?

Why wouldn't that surprise me?

[John A. Weeks III]

In article <419AB63C.CAD32D23@sucks.com>, Truth <yenc@sucks.com> wrote:

> > > > There are some high end car stereos that actually support 5.1, but
> > > > nothing I
> > > > could afford, or even if I could would I consider putting in my car as
> > > > it
> > > > would probably get stolen. I don't understand why people buy car
> > > > stereos
> > > > that cost more than their car does with pop out DVD screens the size of
> > > > my
> > > > hand.
> > >
> > > And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?
> >
> > Have you ever driven across Nebraska?
>
> Are you suggesting people watch TV while they are driving?

???? Haven't you ever heard of "passengers"? Are you not aware
that modern cars & SUV's can hold more than one person? Get real.

> Why wouldn't that surprise me?

Because you are out of touch with reality?

-john-

--
====================================================================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
====================================================================

[Truth]

> > > > And who goes and sits in their car for two hours to watch a movie?
> > >
> > > Have you ever driven across Nebraska?
> >
> > Are you suggesting people watch TV while they are driving?
>
> ???? Haven't you ever heard of "passengers"?

We were, before you popped in, discussing the screens that pop out of the stereo in
the front of a car, not the ones in the headrests so spoiled kids can watch sponge
bob.

At one time, it was illegal to have a TV screen that could be viewed by the driver,
but if it can stimulate the economy, anything is ok now. The type of people
that put these in their cars, have sports cars or trucks in which there are no room
for passengers. No back seats. And if the person in the front seat is watching
and not communicating with the driver, then the driver has no one to talk to, gets
interesting in the audio, then when something exciting happens, can not resist to
view the screen to see what is happening, then crash, both are dead. Or worse,
the people they hit head on.