I know I am going to get skinned for this but.........How many people actually have 7.1 setups? Out of the 30 HT's I personally visit only two that are 7.1 so from my view 9.x support is waaay down on the list of features.
My theater is set up for 7.1, but I don't plan to go beyond that. Looking at my other friends with home theaters, none are beyond 5.1 and a couple aren't even using that many speakers. I think it's safe to say that 7.1 systems are not standard, and systems moving up to 9.1 or 11.1 are extremely rare.
Maybe someone can school me on this but I thought the amount of 7.1 content was limited, let alone 9.x?
Native 7.1 content is rare, and at present no native 9.1 or 11.1 content exists on consumer formats. The only way to engage all those speakers is to use matrix processing modes. Those of us with 7.1 speaker setups have been using such modes for years to expand stereo and 5.1 sources to 7.1 - modes such as Pro Logic IIx, DTS Neo:6, Dolby Digital EX, THX Surround EX, and proprietary modes such as Cirrus Extra Surround (on the Model 950) or Logic 7 (on Lexicon and some Harmon Kardon gear). What's happening now is the arrival of new modes that move beyond 7.1 - Pro Logic IIz offers support for height speakers (a theoretical 9.1 if also using back surrounds) and Audyssey DSX offers support for height and/or wide speakers (a theoretical 9.1 or 11.1 if also using back surrounds).
Previous Topic
Index
