Test for 5.1? MP3 track etc?

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battletank1000

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#55676 8-Jan-2010 00:23

Hi, is there an MP3 track or something that you can load up in your various components to test if your home theatre is outputing 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound?

Cheers.

allstarnz

1720 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 24

Trusted

#288104 8-Jan-2010 12:55

MP3 is only two channel usually (it might only be two channel, but i'm not certain), so it's probably best to use an ac3 track.

Google brought up this site: http://www.lynnemusic.com/surround.html

There's bound to be plenty out there.

minimoke

750 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 132

#288127 8-Jan-2010 14:14

You could get hold of either Cars, The Incredibles, Toy Story or other Pixar DVD's to use the THX Optimiser that comes with the DVD's. I think Star Wars DVD's also come with one. Alternatively your amp should have a manual setup which will send a sound signal to each speaker - this works well if you can get your hands on an SPL Sound Meter (from Dick Smith for not too much). Or you could get something like DVD Essentials or AVIA setup DVD's. If you can get hold of a SACD player try the Dark Side of eth Moon (Pink Floyd) SACD to give hte set up a decent burst.

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 159

#288284 8-Jan-2010 20:58

What devices have you got plugged into your receiver, and what type of cable used? Does your receiver decode Dolby Digital?

viperguy

25 posts

Geek

#291343 19-Jan-2010 23:52

you could also download some movie trailers from apple, a lot of them have surround sound, thats if a PC is hooked up to the system that is, if not a DVD player would do the job?

kevsterg

11 posts

Geek

Trusted

#291841 21-Jan-2010 12:24

I would suggest that the "dolby" clip found at the beginning of most DVD movies would be as good a resource as any. These clips are designed to overemphasize and show off the N.1 surround sound. If you can't tell that one of these clips is in N.1 surround then there is something wrong with your setup, as there is usually a sound that bounces around each speaker channel (eg. synth bells is a common one).