Dolby Pro Logic IIz Header

Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz adds front height channels to surround sound, creating a 7.1 or 9.1 playback system for video games, home music, and movies; this brings enhanced spatial effects and an enveloping, overall airiness to the listening experience.

Introduces a new dimension in surround sound listening

Includes the proven quality of Dolby Pro Logic IIx, with an added dimension

Delivers a compelling new listening experience with a more lifelike soundstage

Enables increased flexibility for expanding a 5.1 playback system to a 7.1, or a 7.1 system to a 9.1

Provides a significant competitive differentiator for home entertainment and gaming products

By adding front height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz creates a 7.1 or 9.1 playback system that enhances the spaciousness of music, movies, and video games, bringing a new dimension to surround sound listening.

An additional pair of speakers located above the front left and right speakers enables Dolby Pro Logic IIz to introduce a vertical component to the horizontal soundfield of a conventional 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system.

Because it processes only nondirectional sounds for the height channels, Dolby Pro Logic IIz maintains the integrity of the source mix, so the effects are always appropriate to the material. This added dimension complements the sound from the rear surround speakers, increasing spaciousness while staying true to the original intent of the content creator.

As is the case in existing Pro Logic IIx technology, the height extensions don’t require new kinds of program content to drive the height channel outputs. Instead, the extensions are designed to effectively add depth and dimension to existing program material.

Dolby Pro Logic IIz also incorporates an encoding aspect that enables content providers and game developers to maximize the added dimension by creating entertainment with height elements of near-discrete quality.

Dolby Pro Logic IIz has an added sound dimension that will blow gamers away and set your products apart by bringing a new level of intensity, immersion, and realism to the gaming experience.


Why Dolby

Dolby Pro Logic IIz gives game developers a powerful new tool for adding true three-dimensional audio effects. Basic effects require no special encoding or separate mixing by the content producer.

Includes the capability to encode specific height information in the z-axis for increased realism

Identifies and decodes spatial cues that occur naturally in all content

Processes low-level, uncorrelated information, such as ambient sound and some amorphous effects, and directs it to the height speakers, creating a more enveloping experience

Extensive sound and listening research established that adding a height dimension to a surround sound system brought a greater sense of realism than the addition of surround speakers in the horizontal plane. People are also far more sensitive to directional cues from sounds that occur in front than from those that occur from behind. The conclusion is that front speaker placement is ideal.

Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz incorporates all of the features and capabilities of Dolby Pro Logic IIx. The following information summarizes existing Dolby Pro Logic IIx implementations and what’s added for Dolby Pro Logic IIz.

Ability to generate up to 7.1 channels from stereo and 5.1 sources 

Supported decoding: 

Pro Logic mode  

Virtual Compatible mode  

Music mode  

Movie mode  

Matrix mode  

Dolby Digital EX mode  

 

Supported upmixed output configurations based on stereo sources: 

2 to 3 [L, R to L, C, and R] 

2 to 4 [L, R to L, R, Ls, and Rs] 

2 to 5.1 [L, R to L, C, R, Ls, and Rs] 

2 to 6.1 [L, R to L, C, R, Ls, Rs, and Cs] 

2 to 7.1 [L, R to L, C, R, Ls, Rs, Lrs, and Rrs] 

 

Supported upmixed output configurations based on 5.1 sources with independent Ls and Rs channels: 

5.1 to 6.1 [Ls, Rs to Ls, Rs, and Cs] 

5.1 to 7.1 [Ls, Rs to Ls, Rs, Lrs, and Rrs] 

 

The features listed above allow Dolby Pro Logic IIx to provide a true surround sound experience from a variety of sources. However, all the outputs derived by existing Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoders are located in a horizontal plane. The Dolby Pro Logic IIz extensions to Dolby Pro Logic IIx allow it to derive height channel outputs that significantly enhance the spatial experience.

In addition to the features already described, the height extensions offer the following new features and configurations:

Ability to generate audio of up to 9.1 channels that include height channel outputs from stereo, 5.1, and 7.1 Back sources. 

Supported upmixed output configurations based on stereo sources: 

2 to 7.1 Height [L, R to L, C, R, Ls, Rs, Lvh, and Rvh] 

2 to 9.1 [L, R to L, C, R, Ls, Rs, Lrs, Rrs, Lvh, and Rvh] 

 

Supported upmixed output configurations based on 5.1 sources with independent Ls and Rs channels: 

5.1 to 7.1 Height [Ls, Rs to Ls, Rs, Lvh, and Rvh] 

5.1 to 9.1 [Ls, Rs to Ls, Rs, Lrs, Rrs, Lvh, and Rvh] 

 

Note: For 5.1-channel sources, Dolby Pro Logic IIz height extensions operate only on the Ls and Rs channels; L, C, R, and LFE channels are bypassed.

Because new formats (such as Blu-ray Disc™) allow content to contain up to 7.1 discrete channels from Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD audio programs, the height extensions support 7.1 Back sources and offer the following upmixed output configurations:

7.1 Back to 7.1 Height [Ls, Rs, Lrs, and Rrs to Ls, Rs, Lvh, and Rvh] 

7.1 Back to 9.1 [Ls, Rs to Ls, Rs, Lrs, Rrs, Lvh, and Rvh]

Note: For 7.1-channel sources, Dolby Pro Logic IIz height extensions may operate only on the Ls, Rs, Lrs, and Rrs channels; L, C, R, and LFE are bypassed.



 
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