Absolutely-fledged encompass sound methods are nice for offering film nights with immersive audio, however additionally they are likely to take over residing areas, what with all of the audio system and cables concerned. When you cannot do something concerning the audio system – that you must get sound in some way – you are able to do one thing concerning the wires.
Two rival applied sciences need to provide help to lower the cords. Dolby has simply launched Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, whereas DTS has not too long ago up to date its established Play-Fi streaming multi-room platform with a function known as Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater.
So how do the 2 competing applied sciences evaluate? What do they provide, how do they work, and how are you going to expertise them? Let’s discover out…
Atmos FlexConnect vs Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater: what do they provide?
The promise is a tantalising one: height-inclusive encompass sound transmission with out the wires.
The promise of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is similar Dolby Atmos encompass sound expertise regardless of the place you place your audio system. That offers you immense flexibility (therefore the phrase ‘flex’ within the title), the concept being you could place your audio system within the corners of a room, behind the couch or on a bookshelf – wherever you’ve gotten area – with out it detrimentally affecting the encompass sound expertise. That manner, you possibly can organize the audio system across the room as an alternative of the opposite manner round.
DTS Play-Fi’s providing is a bit more sophisticated. The platform allows you to wirelessly join (suitable) units from totally different producers. DTS Play-Fi was not too long ago up to date with DTS Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater, which is a little bit of a mouthful. This helps 12 audio channels in system configurations as much as 7.2.4 (that is seven principal encompass channels, two subwoofers, and 4 peak channels). That may embody the wi-fi passthrough of Dolby Atmos, so you possibly can take pleasure in Atmos (and even Atmos FlexConnect) over Play-Fi as long as your TV and audio system are Play-Fi-compatible. It may well additionally cross by way of DTS:X and IMAX Enhanced applied sciences.
The same idea was launched in 2021 with assist for five.1 encompass sound, however this newest replace goes that a lot additional to assist right now’s extra immersive sound codecs.
The important thing distinction between the 2 applied sciences is that Dolby Atmos FlexConnect requires you to make use of your TV’s audio system because the centre channel in your encompass sound setup. With DTS Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater, you need to use a soundbar as an alternative if you want (and we’d, provided that even the perfect TVs’ audio performances usually pale compared to a soundbar’s). The centre channel is an important part of any encompass sound setup, because it handles the dialogue. With doubtlessly the weakest a part of your setup enjoying such a giant function (particularly in talk-heavy dramas like Succession), that may be a reasonably giant chink in Atmos FlexConnect’s armour.
Atmos FlexConnect vs Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater: how do they work?
Atmos FlexConnect appears fairly easy to arrange. Your encompass sound audio system fireplace out a collection of check tones to let the TV know the place they’re positioned and supply info on the room’s acoustics. This solely takes a couple of seconds and also you solely should do it as soon as… except you progress your audio system or TV.
The TV then exhibits on-screen the place the audio system are positioned so as to verify if the method has found them appropriately.
Begin watching one thing and the TV and audio system discuss to one another wirelessly to regulate the audio to compensate for the audio system’ association. The audio expertise ought to be the identical no matter the place they’re positioned. Very intelligent.
Presently, some methods contain Atmos being transmitted wirelessly to audio system, however these all require one thing to be wired on to the TV. With Sonos, the Beam (Gen 2) or Arc soundbars can ship Atmos alerts to Period 300 wi-fi audio system, however the soundbar must be wired to the TV first. Sony’s HT-A9 speaker system has wi-fi Atmos audio system, however a transmitter field sending them the related encompass alerts must be straight related to a TV. WiSA know-how can now deal with Atmos too, for instance within the not too long ago introduced Platin Milan 5.1.4 system, however once more that requires a small transmitter to be bodily related to the TV.
DTS Play-Fi is simply as easy to arrange (you possibly can see an illustration video under). All you do is open the DTS Play-Fi app in your TV and choose the DTS Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater choice. You then choose which speaker is wherein place – so for ‘entrance audio system’ you possibly can choose ‘this TV’, for example. For those who aren’t certain which speaker is which, you possibly can decide to play a chime by way of it that will help you.
Verify your setup and the software program will optimise the sound accordingly. This may take only a few seconds. And that is it, you are prepared to begin watching.
Atmos FlexConnect vs Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater: which units assist them?
As each applied sciences are new, {hardware} assist could be very a lot in its infancy.
Dolby Atmos FlexConnect will launch on choose 2024 TCL TVs. At current no fashions have been introduced, however we’re anticipating to see them unveiled at CES 2024 in January.
DTS Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theater comes constructed into choose Philips 2023 TVs – these embody fashions in The One PUS8508, The Xtra PML9008 (miniLED), OLED708, OLED808 and OLED908 TV strains.
Nevertheless, as a result of the Philips TVs offered within the US are licensed and constructed by a distinct producer, they will not get DTS Play-Fi Immersive Residence Theatre.
Whereas it could be a while earlier than wi-fi encompass sound is in loads of merchandise and residing rooms, each applied sciences look to be laying the foundations for a future residence cinema that’s way more handy, to not point out forgiving of residing areas. We sit up for seeing how the {hardware} adoption performs out subsequent 12 months.
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