Gaming Wii audio question: 5.1 ?

[Costello]

Hey,

we just got our hands on a splendid 5.1 speaker system!

the inputs are:
- coaxial
- optical
- stereo (2xRCA :'( )

the XBOX 360 gives results that exceed our expectations;
now the question is: will the Wii work with this speaker system ?
In particular, will Zelda work on 5.1 speakers?

thanks for your answers

 

[legendofphil]

The Wii only outputs 2.0 via stereo phono (RCA).
The audio can also be output in Pro-Logic II (and future variants) which is a matrixed surround sound, its not 5.1 but its more encompassing that 2.0.
Its basically a 2.0 signal that is expanded into to fill the centre and rear speakers as well to give the illusion of surround sound.

 

[Costello]

well that's not too bad already.

just wouldn't want to have sound on only one of my 6 speakers :'(

 

[Bowser128]

Sound should come out of all your speakers even with a mono source, the built in amplifier in your speakers should mix the audio appropriately for you. Obviously a mono source mixed up to 5.1 won't sound as good as a 5.1 source output as 5.1, but the audio would still come out of all the speakers, but I'm not sure if your system would do that, I know most do

 

[Helmut]

It actually still sounds very good but you need a compatible amplifier (they should all do it by now).

I suggest you not to play a 360 game and just after a wii game ^^.

 

[legendofphil]

The wii doesn't do mono (1.0), it does stereo (2.0).
Not all games do Pro-Logic(II) but you should be able to set your amp to do stereo or Pro-Logic(II).
Its best to not set Pro-Logic unless you have a compatible game because it can ruin the audio.

 

[Costello]

when I connect the RCA cables (red & white) from my media center to my speaker system, I only get sound on the front speakers and bass (so that's like 2.1)
I hope I dont have the same problem with the Wii!

 

[legendofphil]

Thats what you will get with the Wii, unless you have Pro-Logic.

 

[Bowser128]

The wii doesn't do mono (1.0), it does stereo (2.0).

I know

I was using an extreme example

 

[lookout]

Wii will use Dolby Pro Logic, which is strictly 2.0/2.1

+ Wiimote has a speaker

 

[Mystic-Homer]

Wii will use Dolby Pro Logic, which is strictly 2.0/2.1

+ Wiimote has a speakerÂ

Hm... "will use"? It already can use it...

*looks at lookout's sig*

Oh, that's right... You guys haven't gotten it yet!

lololol I tease 'cause it's funneh

 

[jhoff80]

Wii will use Dolby Pro Logic, which is strictly 2.0/2.1

+ Wiimote has a speakerÂ

Thats just wrong. The sound is encoded into Dolby ProLogic II. While DPLII can also be used to create a 5.1 sound from a plain stereo sound, movies and games that use DPLII are still multichannel. However, instead of being discrete channels, all of the data is matrixed into two channels. The 5.1 data still is there, just the receiver has to decode it. Of course, because of the nature of a matrixed signal, the channel separation isn't as good as Dolby Digital, a discrete 5.1 soundtrack, but it still is multichannel audio.

 

[stop_loading]

you can have a 5.1 if the speaker encode dolby pro-logic II

the signal is pro logic II, but the speaker will translates it into a 5.1 and therefore you have a 5.1 sound

i dont know about zelda, but if you want to test it, use eternal darkness, it has distinct 5.1 sound

EDIT: this is one of the speakers that can do it

http://reviews.cnet.com/Logitech_Z_680/450...7-20720043.html

notice:
"# Built-in Decoders
# DTS decoder, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II "

if your speaker doesnt have that, then you need to buy a separate decoders

 

[falcon64z8]

Well since we are on the topic of speakers, does anyone know of any cheap speakers that supports dolby pro logic II?

 

[alucard77]

My Reciever does Pro Logic and Pro Logic 2. I can set it PL or to 4 other matrixed sounds (Neo4, etc.).

My reciever usually recognizes DTS and DTS ES-EX and switches to the 5.1 input. For the Wii, I just have my dedicated channel set to Pro Logic 2.

The question I have is this. Is my reciever just taking the Pro Logic 2 data from the Wii and doing a direct feed, or is my reciever converting the data from the Wii to Pro Logic 2.

I am just curious because I wonder if it actually changes the way the sound is being delivered. In theory the PL2 matrix should be identical and all sounds should come in properly.

I have to say, this is the only place that I see Nintendo dropping the ball. Even $30 DVD players offer Optical inputs now. It is not like the cost will jack up the price of the Wii since the reciever will handle the sound.

I couldn't care less about HD graphics, but DTS-ES or EX would be extremely sweet. PL2 is nowhere close in emulating the appropriate sound fields in comparison.

 

[legendofphil]

The question I have is this. Is my reciever just taking the Pro Logic 2 data from the Wii and doing a direct feed, or is my reciever converting the data from the Wii to Pro Logic 2.

I am just curious because I wonder if it actually changes the way the sound is being delivered. In theory the PL2 matrix should be identical and all sounds should come in properly.

The game will encode the stereo signal with the pro logic information (usually you select surround from a game options menu) and the reciever will decode that and output it through the speakers.

In theory the sound should be the same on all Pro-Logic II systems because Pro-Logic II is a standard, it says how the signal shall be put together and split to make the surround channels.

It might cost next to nothing to add an optical output onto a system, but it costs alot to license Dolby Digital or DTS for games. If Nintendo gave you optical (or even coaxial) output on the Wii but didn't include digital you would still be complaining. The PS2 has an optical out and supports both DD and DTS in games, but not many used DTS in the 4.0 it is capable of in games and not that many used 5.1 DD outside of cutscenes.

 

[5uck3rpunch]

YEah. I was going to say that I'm using the RCA to my 5.1 surround receiver & I'm getting it in (true?) surround. You can especially tell in Wii Sports & Zelda when somone/thing is behind you. In bowling on Wii sports it REAL noticable. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[alucard77]

Well if DD and DTS cost a lot to license, wouldn't that put the cost on the game designer and not on Nintendo?

In this way, companies that can afford it, can make games with DTS, and companies that can't, can just make games with the PL.

I wouldn't see that as a problem. It is not like your forcing someone to use DTS in their games. In addition, there is no real excuse for game companies not to use DTS. Most games now a days have movie budgets but charge 5X as much as going to a movie. If a movie house can afford DTS then so could a videogame company.

 

[legendofphil]

Its not just the cost to license it for the software, but the hardware too. The audio chip needs to be able to process the information and encode to DD or DTS.
DVD players don't encode DTS or DD, its just a pass through. They do decode DD but thats to output it via RCA.

 

[alucard77]

Gotcha, I thought the games could just do pass through. Makes sense what you said before about why cutscenes can use DTS but in game does not.

Learn something new everyday. But I would still be curious to know what additional cost would be added for the DTS on a per system basis. I am a big fan of 5.1/6.1 and I could see a lot of games like Zelda, Metroid, Call of Duty and so on getting effected by the lack of 5.1/6.1. Sports games don't really matter since PL does a more then adequate job in emulating applause and so on.

I think with motion activated, it makes you feel like your more in the game. The 5.1/6.1 will just emerge you further. Especially hearing a bomb blast behind you and so on.