Is there a diagram for 5.1 surround sound...

newmediarules wrote on 1/24/2006, 1:55 PM

speaker set-up (i.e., the physical placement for each speaker)? I'm doing something wrong - I think. Even though I'm in 5.1 SS mode in Vegas, I hear virtually nothing in the rear.

Are the rear speakers supposed to sound weaker/softer than the front?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 1/24/2006, 1:59 PM

have you calibrated your surround setup yet?
There are lots of on-line resources, plus some Hollywood DVDs like Pirates of the Carribean carry an extra feature for calibration, additionally, there is Instant Surround by Jeffrey P Fisher that has a lot of info on getting set up, started, and flying with surround.

busterkeaton wrote on 1/24/2006, 1:59 PM

What kind of sound card are you using?

Do you have 5.1 sound working normally? My sound card has a control where I can configure and test my speakers.

If your speakers are set up correctly, have you set up the surrond panner in Vegas and directed any sound to the rear?

Jay Gladwell wrote on 1/24/2006, 2:07 PM

Here is some information on surround... and it's FREE!

riredale wrote on 1/24/2006, 4:35 PM

Let me understand...

You have a surround speaker setup with a surround card, and you've told Vegas you're doing a surround job, and you have the little icons on the rear channels with the dots in the corners--right?

I found out last year that in Vegas4 the surround speakers wouldn't work unless I went into Options/Prefs/Audio Device and switched from "Microsoft Sound Mapper" to "Direct Sound." Then the sound would come out of the rear speakers properly, but there was a new issue: the sound lost sync with the video.

I never got the issue resolved, and instead I've just added a few more steps into my workflow. After Cutting a project and getting the front audio correct, I then work on the rear channels (after changing the setting described above), matching them to the front audio for level and such. At this stage I don't care about audio/video sync since I know it's in sync anyway.

Of course, when everything gets rendered out it all behaves properly. I'm assuming that when I evolve to a newer version of Vegas the sync issue will go away.

filmy wrote on 1/24/2006, 5:01 PM

The obvious question here is:

Now do yo umean *after* you mix and render out the audio is lower or do you mean all the time you "hear virtually nothing in the rear"?

First minor step is to take a look at your mixer program and see what the outputs are set at - this is done outside of Vegas. You should just be able to open up the default "Volume control" and click at it - if you don't see all the outputs click on options > properties > adjust volume for > Playback that look down at "Show the following volume controls:" and go from there.

Now if you mean overal mixing - go to the source, so to speak - Dolby.

Some links of intrest:

Room Layout

Interviews with mixers/sound designers and the like.

Dolby Surround Mixing Manual PDF.

Audio Source Tracks for DVD: Notes for Producers PDF.

What is the LFE Channel? PDF.

Are Movies Too Loud? PDF. Excellent hard copy of a keynote speech given at the SMPTE Conference in 1997.

AC-3 STandards PDF from the ATSC.

Now if you mean mixing wise - surround is what you want it to be but keep in mind the rear channels don't have to be all that loud to be effective.

riredale wrote on 1/24/2006, 5:06 PM

Jay:

I loved that last reference on surround recording--this is the same Wendy Carlos that began life as Walter Carlos and did a great LP called "Switched-on Bach" back in the late '60's. Man, I played that record until the inner tracks lost their highs.