Transformers Audio Question

[earthquake]

Hey, Whoever reviewed the version can you tell me if there is SFX (explosion) for the Blackout shockwave during the outpost attack.

Digitalbits is reporting the LFE was fixed. I'm trying to figure out based on the HD DVD whether or not there IS a blast. Last time I watched it it just seems like there's a SFX missing. Was this a problem with a batch of discs or is that how it's supposed to be.

I never could find clarification on this when it came out. Thought someone who has seen the Blu version could shed some light.

[Josh Z]

There's plenty of bass during that scene on the HD DVD. Toshiba players have a bug where the bass management doesn't work properly unless you go into the setup menu and turn the SPDIF setting to "PCM" rather than "Bitstream" (This is assuming you're using either HDMI or multi-channel analog for audio).

This is a bug in the Toshiba HD DVD player, not a problem with the Transformers HD DVD or the movie's sound mix.

[earthquake]

Well, I'm unable to run HDMI at the moment but even in the downconverted the sound rocks the house EXCEPT that scene where you see the big blastwave. The Chopper coming in right before it rattles the room but not when he's firing at the tanks and such.

[bases1616]

Originally Posted by Josh Z

There's plenty of bass during that scene on the HD DVD. Toshiba players have a bug where the bass management doesn't work properly unless you go into the setup menu and turn the SPDIF setting to "PCM" rather than "Bitstream" (This is assuming you're using either HDMI or multi-channel analog for audio).

This is a bug in the Toshiba HD DVD player, not a problem with the Transformers HD DVD or the movie's sound mix.

Josh Z, I copied this from the article that was posted on HDD. "Thanks to the thorough testing of AVSForum members MauneyM and others, it has been discovered that changing the "Digital Out SPDIF" setting in the player from Bitstream to PCM re-enables bass and speaker management over the analog audio connections." It does not say anything about HDMI and I have the XA2. There is no difference on the bass for me with the SPDIF set to PCM or bitstream and I am running HDMI bitstream to my Denon 3808. I think the later FW updates corrected that problem. I agree there was good bass during that Blackout shockwave during the outpost attack scene, but not great. I think we are just hoping that the BD with DTHD and 24-bit sound will make it sound more fuller with a little more intense bass.

[ToddS]

Originally Posted by bases1616

Josh Z, I copied this from the article that was posted on HDD. "Thanks to the thorough testing of AVSForum members MauneyM and others, it has been discovered that changing the "Digital Out SPDIF" setting in the player from Bitstream to PCM re-enables bass and speaker management over the analog audio connections." It does not say anything about HDMI and I have the XA2. There is no difference on the bass for me with the SPDIF set to PCM or bitstream and I am running HDMI bitstream to my Denon 3808. I think the later FW updates corrected that problem. I agree there was good bass during that Blackout shockwave during the outpost attack scene, but not great. I think we are just hoping that the BD with DTHD and 24-bit sound will make it sound more fuller with a little more intense bass.

I have my A35 set to bitstream for SPDIF and I am using HDMI for audio bitstreaming to an 885 Onkyo for decode and the LFE is insanely powerfull. No issues. I would agree that this should not apply (and does not for me) when using HDMI for audio and bitstreaming.

[cheez avenger]

Sounds great on my newer A3 running through my Onkyo 705. Josh had told me that earlier A3 models had "small" "large" theater settings that had to be tweaked.


It certainly kicks on my setup.

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by bases1616

Josh Z, I copied this from the article that was posted on HDD.

You might want to take a look at who wrote that article.

It does not say anything about HDMI and I have the XA2. There is no difference on the bass for me with the SPDIF set to PCM or bitstream and I am running HDMI bitstream to my Denon 3808.

I should clarify. The bug affects HDMI when you're using the player's internal decoding and outputting everything as PCM. It does not affect the Bitstream function. How could it? When you use the Bitstream function, the player sends the raw data of the disc without touching it.

[ToddS]

Originally Posted by Josh Z

You might want to take a look at who wrote that article.



I should clarify. The bug affects HDMI when you're using the player's internal decoding and outputting everything as PCM. It does not affect the Bitstream function. How could it? When you use the Bitstream function, the player sends the raw data of the disc without touching it.

Thanks for clarifying, but you cant assume ANYTHING with the Toshiba players IMHO. Lots of little setup tweaks/bugs through the history of these players.

[bases1616]

Originally Posted by ToddS

Thanks for clarifying, but you cant assume ANYTHING with the Toshiba players IMHO. Lots of little setup tweaks/bugs through the history of these players.

I also tried using the XA2 last night to decode the audio internally and sent it out PCM and still no difference. I have received my answers from this forum and others. The DTHD audio on the BD is better than the DD+ on the HD DVD. I will be able to test this on my equipment next week and look forward to it.

[Josh Z]

Originally Posted by bases1616

I also tried using the XA2 last night to decode the audio internally and sent it out PCM and still no difference.

Are you not hearing anything at all during the blast, or are you just not satisfied that it's bassy enough?

The o/p was claiming that there's no sound effect at all during the blast, which is not correct. There's a sound effect there, but if the HD DVD player is set up incorrectly it may not output it.

[cheez avenger]

In addition, I hope you're not looking for an "explosion" type sound from that shockwave. It's a "rolling" sound if anything, that comes towards the viewer, with the glass shattering in the end of the shot.

[earthquake]

I just recall not getting hit with the blast of sound that you would expect from the explosion especially since the incoming chopper scene preceding it shook the whole house and forced the air out of my lungs.

Now again I'm using an A2 and I can only hear the downconverted DD+ as DTS 1.5 but other scenes like the Ironhide flip sequence made my neighbor jump next door.

I also did notice a huge difference when I switched to my A35 and it read as DD 640. The sound became immensely weaker particularly the LFE.

I was wondering if this scene's sound is different in the lesser codecs. Maybe there's a problem in the downconversion for that specific scene.

I'm waiting for my new receiver to show up and want to give it a test run with this film again with the DD+.

[earthquake]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

In addition, I hope you're not looking for an "explosion" type sound from that shockwave. It's a "rolling" sound if anything, that comes towards the viewer, with the glass shattering in the end of the shot.

See, that's what I'm talking about. I don't recall that wave at all. It was more like silence and then the glass shattering with nothing in between.

[Icy Red]

I distinctly remember the rolling wave and feeling the blast in the theater... even with Josh's advice, I have not been able to recreate it with my XA2.

I hope to rent or borrow the BD to see if the results are any different.

[cheez avenger]

See, there was really never an "explosion" per se. The only things blowing up were the things in the shock waves path. The actual energy blast has no sound, just bass and a roll.


Here's the trailer for it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnwmUZuF5OY


@ 1:07, it's bass and roll.