Pro Logic History

[lotones]

What year were the last, supposedly improved PLII devices made? I think the receiver I have was made circa 2012 or thereabouts.

Actually I think it's older than that. Still works good though.

My Rotel pre/pro was manufactured from 2015-2020. But Rotel was/is notoriously late to adopt and adapt to new tech and formats.

 

[Owen Smith]

But Rotel was/is notoriously late to adopt and adapt to new tech and formats.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, it means they don't participate in all the teething problems when it is bleeding edge.

 

[lotones]

That's not necessarily a bad thing, it means they don't participate in all the teething problems when it is bleeding edge.

You would think...

 

[MidiMagic]

If what I’ve read is correct, a/v manufacturers can license both the Atmos/Doldy Surround package and the older package with PLII, but understandably none have. Dolby should have made PL II part of the Atmos package for legacy customers.

No, they can't. The patents have expired, so there is no licensing PLII. They can just use it. It's in the public domain.

However, Dolby does not want them to use it.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

No, they can't. The patents have expired, so there is no licensing PLII. They can just use it. It's in the public domain.

However, Dolby does not want them to use it.

When the Sansui patents expired they were revitalized by Involve Audio. No one wants to revitalize D PL II.

 

[par4ken]

Could use this method (it's ~$15.60 now ):
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...decode-tech-articles.37002/page-2#post-829621


Kirk Bayne

I was almost going to suggest that but expected Kirk to mention it! Easy and costs nothing! I might also suggest double stereo.

 

[Owen Smith]

No, they can't. The patents have expired, so there is no licensing PLII. They can just use it. It's in the public domain.

The patents have expired but that does not mean the source code for the firmware to decode it is in the public domain. I doubt very much Dolby would just give that away, and they could choose to licence it still.

 

[Lt1z323]

I still have a receiver with PLII. I use it to run my height speakers. (in direct mode, not PLII)
Would be interesting to try it again, but moving equipment and re routing cables doesn't appeal to me, only to change it back.
Still I may try the PLII again at some point.
A PLII VST could be nice to have, if such an animal exists, since I mainly listen from the pc anyway.

I agree with @Owen Smith the Dolby Surround on my main AVR doesn't appeal at all, at least to me. I think the DTS Neural upmixing sounds better than the Dolby.

A PLII VST did exist however it's no longer for sale.

I'm working on a few video's to compare upmixers using the same content. Will be fun to hear each approach.

 

[Lt1z323]

I liked PLII Music but unfortunately new AV amps and processors have Dolby Surround Upmix instead. It's a completely new decoder despite the name, and while it works very well (to my ears) for films and TV it is awful for stereo music. It puts far too much in the centre and probably rears.

I've heard DSU and didn't think it sounded that bad for stereo music. I think DSU's had a few algorithm updates so it's not clear how to tell which each of us has heard. Try adding 2ms of delay to your center channel and give DSU another listen. PLII automatically adds this delay, sounds really funny when rendered in binaural but sounds fantastic over speakers. Could make DSU a bit more appealing.

 

[Owen Smith]

Try adding 2ms of delay to your center channel and give DSU another listen.

But then my settings would be wrong for watching TV or films and I don't want to fiddle with them every time I watch something.

PLII automatically adds this delay,

Only in PLII Music mode is my understanding.

 

[par4ken]

Dolby PLII still uses a delay? I would have thought that went out with original Dolby Stereo (Surround). Midi claims that adding a delay eliminates what he calls "cogging". I consider "cogging" to be a non issue. To me it is just an artificial effect not worthy of inclusion in any system considered to be Hifi!

 

[Owen Smith]

Dolby PLII still uses a delay?

Only in PL II Music mode is my understanding, a delay for the centre channel. Seems an odd thing to do to me.

 

[kamranv]

I still have a receiver with PLII. I use it to run my height speakers. (in direct mode, not PLII)
Would be interesting to try it again, but moving equipment and re routing cables doesn't appeal to me, only to change it back.
Still I may try the PLII again at some point.
A PLII VST could be nice to have, if such an animal exists, since I mainly listen from the pc anyway.

I agree with @Owen Smith the Dolby Surround on my main AVR doesn't appeal at all, at least to me. I think the DTS Neural upmixing sounds better than the Dolby.

@mandrix and @Lt1z323 you may want to try the free QUARK plugin.

 

[Mark Anderson]

@mandrix and @Lt1z323 you may want to try the free QUARK plugin.

I would love to but am waiting for a windows version.

 

[kamranv]

I would love to but am waiting for a windows version.

Understood. If there are any Quadraphonic Quad folks out there who are windows developers, we've open sourced this and I'd be happy to help move it along with them

 

[mandrix]

I would love to but am waiting for a windows version.

Ah. I was about to check it out. But if no Windows then no can do. Never owned an Apple anything.

 

[kfbkfb]

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...software-demodulator.24900/page-3#post-392162

^^^
There's a way to run an Apple OS emulator/virtual machine under Windows, it works with the Pspatial Audio software.


Kirk Bayne