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[Oblivion]

Didn't a search, didn't find anything, so don't ding me.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21, 2006 - Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) announced today that the Wii™ gaming console from Nintendo Co., Ltd. will use Dolby® Pro Logic II technology to offer gamers an immersive surround sound experience.

“The Wii™ console will break down the walls that separate gamers from everyone else” said Koji Kondo, Manager, Sound Group, Entertainment Analysis and Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd. “Sound is a key part of this equation and because Wii supports Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound technology, we think everyone can have a great audio experience.”

“Dolby Pro Logic II technology ensures that the Wii console can offer rich, immersive surround sound, which is essential to a great gaming experience,” said John Griffin, Marketing Director, Games, Dolby Laboratories. “We’re looking forward to hearing how great Nintendo’s games sound at launch.”

Availability
Nintendo has announced that the Wii console will be available in North America on November 19, in Japan on December 2, 2006 and in Europe on December 8, 2006.

I'm sure there were a few of us latching on to that tiny thread of hope that it would be DD 5.1 but alas. :/

 

[Tabris]

Optical or Stereo out ? I haven't read up on the Wii's audio.

 

[EviLore]

“The Wii™ console will break down the walls that separate gamers from everyone else” said Koji Kondo, Manager, Sound Group, Entertainment Analysis and Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd. “Sound is a key part of this equation and because Wii supports Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound technology, we think everyone can have a great audio experience.”

I believe this spin belongs in the "DS trails PSP" thread ;b

 

[Wario64]

Pro Logic 2 is soo last gen

 

[Crazymoogle]

RCA stereo out as usual, hence DPL2

Guessing that may or may not include DPL2x?

 

[alr1ght]

i think sony and nintendo are actually trying not to make me buy their consoles.

 

[SuperPac]

I thought this was officially official a long time ago.

 

[Oblivion]

I thought this was officially official a long time ago.

Well, Matt said that they might upgrade it later if we asked nicely

 

[Amir0x]

Heh, why even release a press release about this? Isn't this something to be embarrassed by? :lol

 

[suaveric]

Not even PL2x? I wonder if that's more up to the programers than the hardware..

 

[KINGMOKU]

Cool. Same setup for me.

 

[Y2Kev]

Heh, why even release a press release about this? Isn't this something to be embarrassed by? :lol

Gameplay > sound

 

[TheGreatDave]

I'm totally not an audio guy, so enlighten me: If you can get surround sound this way, why does it matter if it's not "true" surround? What's the major difference between this and any other way of doing it?

 

[SuperPac]

Well, Matt said that they might upgrade it later if we asked nicely

Since when does that mean anything? Nintendo had no intention of doing that. C'mon.

 

[Mononofu]

Good god nintendo just upgrade to dolby digital 5.1 already, how much is it going to cost you?
oh well......*sigh*

 

[wsippel]

I'm totally not an audio guy, so enlighten me: If you can get surround sound this way, why does it matter if it's not "true" surround? What's the major difference between this and any other way of doing it?

Some people really believe they can tell the difference in quality. Problem is, most surround systems are way to shitty to even tell the difference between Mozart and deathmetal. A really good DPLII system sounds better than most DD5.1 systems...

 

[KINGMOKU]

Some people really believe they can tell the difference in quality. Problem is, most surround systems are way to shitty to even tell the difference between Mozart and deathmetal. A really good DPLII system sounds better than most DD5.1 systems...

Mine sounds great. The only problem I had when I first got my system, was finding one.

Sounds good to me.

 

[bill0527]

Some people really believe they can tell the difference in quality. Problem is, most surround systems are way to shitty to even tell the difference between Mozart and deathmetal. A really good DPLII system sounds better than most DD5.1 systems...

Nice. Well played

 

[border]

I'm totally not an audio guy, so enlighten me: If you can get surround sound this way, why does it matter if it's not "true" surround? What's the major difference between this and any other way of doing it?

Difference is quality -- 5 discrete channels all at a high bitrate, versus a stereo signal with a lower bitrate split up into many parts ad-hoc.

 

[Y2Kev]

Some people really believe they can tell the difference in quality. Problem is, most surround systems are way to shitty to even tell the difference between Mozart and deathmetal. A really good DPLII system sounds better than most DD5.1 systems...

Are you serious?

5 discrete channels vs. not. That's the difference.

 

[Saoh]

im getting a good 5.1 system soon... so i might as well plug the Wii there too.

 

[Beezy]

Difference is quality -- 5 discrete channels all at a high bitrate, versus a stereo signal with a lower bitrate split up into many parts ad-hoc.

Lol, someone please explain to a non-techie guy like me exactly wtf all of this means.

 

[wsippel]

Difference is quality -- 5 discrete channels all at a high bitrate, versus a stereo signal with a lower bitrate split up into many parts ad-hoc.

An analog signal has no bitrate. And, like I said, some people might be able to tell the difference, but most people can't. And, as long as most people use cheap, shitty surround systems, everything sounds like crap - doesn't matter if it's DPLII or DD.

 

[Sanjuro]

You guys are idiots. How would I be able to play a PS3 on a Delorean trip to 1987....Nintendo actually is thinking about these things.

 

[davepoobond]

Lol someone please explain to a non-techie guy lke me exactly wtf all of this means.

5.1 - 5 speaker and one subwoofer set-up, basically.

the type of codec or whatever it supports dictates how good the quality is. think of it as the difference between a 96k-encoded MP3 to a 192k+ encoded MP3 which is being supported by PS3/360

i think that's what it is...

 

[SuperPac]

You know what, something I read recently said that 1/3rd of the consumers in the US who've got HDTVs don't even use them to watch HD content. (Link) And they don't even know/care--they're happy as clams anyway. Having DD5.1 sound and HD 720p would have been nice for those that own it or a nice bullet-point on a specs list, but I wonder if this would even be a consideration for people considering the mass market Nintendo is looking for.

Most people are going to see the word Dolby and not care about anything else.

 

[BorkBork]

An analog signal has no bitrate. And, like I said, some people might be able to tell the difference, but most people can't. And, as long as most people use cheap, shitty surround systems, everything sounds like crap - doesn't matter if it's DPLII or DD.

Geez, even I know this is damage control. Most people not knowing better doesn't mean Nintendo's not super cheap for not implementing 5.1.

 

[TheGreatDave]

HD adoption doesn't = high HD demand. People are ****ing retarded. More HDTVs have been sold in the UK than there are people with HDTV subscriptions.

 

[Beezy]

5.1 - 5 speaker and one subwoofer set-up, basically.

the type of codec or whatever it supports dictates how good the quality is. think of it as the difference between a 96k-encoded MP3 to a 192k+ encoded MP3 which is being supported by PS3/360

i think that's what it is...

Oh okay. So what's Pro Logic II?

 

[wsippel]

Oh okay. So what's Pro Logic II?

It's also 5.1 surround (up to 7.1, DPLIIx). But it works in a different way, the system is analog and the channels are not discrete (all surround channels are transferred using only two analog channels):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Pro_Logic

Contrary to the difference between HDTV and EDTV resolution, which is easily visible on an appropriate display, the difference between DD and DPLII is usually hard to tell.

 

[Black Deatha]

Oh okay. So what's Pro Logic II?

It's been explained like 3 times in the thread, I am not a major audiophile myself, there's people here who can explain it much better than I, but Pro Logic II just doesnt have the same level of quality as DD5.1. Plus, isnt the GCN already DPLII? God, I am getting a Wii, but man, this thing really IS a re-packaged GameCube.

 

[pitt_norton]

Meh. It sounds just fine.

Resident Evil 4 on GCN was awesome. Absolutely best use of Prologic II. I could hear enemies coming left or right from behind. When I turned around they were there. Very immersive.

Pikmin 2 though... poorly done. I never understood why Olimar's ship was blasting from behind me when the ship never went overhead. It wasn't subtle. It just felt like the rear speakers just turned on from out of nowhere and blasted into my ears.

 

[Oblivion]

So does this mean if you have a 5.1 system, and you play on a Wii, there will be a few unused speakers or something?

 

[Drensch]

No. Just put in a dvd and switch it to dpl2. It will sound something like that. Most people probably can't tell the difference.

 

[karasu]

Gameplay > sound

It's a good thing the two aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[Stinkles]

Gameplay > sound

Gameplay > Graphics

but

5.1 enhances gameplay

and it's like, annoying to not have it. Seriously. 480p I can live with but freebie shit sound codecs from the 1800s I cannot abide.

Worse still, and this is important: The Wii is best utilized by moving the controller around in the 5.1 sweet spot. So you can't tell me 5.1 couldn't have been brilliantly used in that environment.

 

[Beer Monkey]

The Gamecube at least output 16-bit 48khz audio via the digital A/V port...and then never made a cable that could cap it.

So once again not only do we get DPLII but we are also still limited to a needless digital->analog->digital conversion?

 

[loosus]

Well, Nintendo is just full of shit if it thinks true 5.1 installed base is anything like HD. I know people with super-shat televisions who have great sound systems.

 

[Y2Kev]

Gameplay > Graphics

but

5.1 enhances gameplay

and it's like, annoying to not have it. Seriously. 480p I can live with but freebie shit sound codecs from the 1800s I cannot abide.

Worse still, and this is important: The Wii is best utilized by moving the controller around in the 5.1 sweet spot. So you can't tell me 5.1 couldn't have been brilliantly used in that environment.

Jesus, Stinkles, I was being sarcastic. :lol

 

[Version 3.0]

Nintendo is using the best technology. It's very simple:

DD = 1 cable

PLII = 2 cables

2>1

Duh.

 

[NotWii]

You guys are idiots. How would I be able to play a PS3 on a Delorean trip to 1987....Nintendo actually is thinking about these things.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[VultureDude]

Pro Logic 2 is soo last gen

All I have is Pro Logic II

it does the job... sometimes.

 

[HisBrother]

Right...most of the world are just using the speakers built in with the TV. Nintendo is doing a logical thing by choosing this..I mean..how am I supposed to tell the difference when im using the speakers already built into my tv? (no im not being sarcastic)

 

[Kittonwy]

Heh, why even release a press release about this? Isn't this something to be embarrassed by? :lol

Hey come on, that means it's not mono, we should all celebrate.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

What reasoning is there to only support Pro Logic II when most modern receivers that support Pro Logic II have Dolby Digital 5.1 already in the first place?

 

[loosus]

Right...most of the world are just using the speakers built in with the TV. Nintendo is doing a logical thing by choosing this..I mean..how am I supposed to tell the difference when im using the speakers already built into my tv? (no im not being sarcastic)

Maybe you live in an extremely poor or uneducated area, but that is most certainly not how it is anywhere I've ever lived. Nintendo has a point with HDTV, because at least that hasn't hit extreme mainstream penetration yet, but true 5.1 sound systems have and did so long ago.

 

[Crazymoogle]

What reasoning is there to only support Pro Logic II when most modern receivers that support Pro Logic II have Dolby Digital 5.1 already in the first place?

DD5.1 requires significant processing power for real time encoding (Xbox had to use specialized hardware to make it happen) as well as optical out. DPL2 does not have such requirements.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Just to think that the 5 year old XBox has DD 5.1 and the Wii doesn't. Stop being cheap Nintendo and just add it already. You skimped on the graphics big time, at least go all out with the sound.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Next time, don't put "RE: Wii" in a thread title and NOT have it relate to Resident Evil. Almost had a heart attack here.

 

[japtor]

Pikmin 2 though... poorly done. I never understood why Olimar's ship was blasting from behind me when the ship never went overhead. It wasn't subtle. It just felt like the rear speakers just turned on from out of nowhere and blasted into my ears.

did pikmin have surround (i dont remember)? if not it couldve just been the prologic decoder interpreting olimars ship sound as a rear channel. ive had crap like this happen randomly with some tv stuff with my receiver set to prologic.

The Gamecube at least output 16-bit 48khz audio via the digital A/V port...and then never made a cable that could cap it.

So once again not only do we get DPLII but we are also still limited to a needless digital->analog->digital conversion?

probably! i havent seen any port on the component cable, and for all we know the port might not even be digital (which would negate the need for the d-a chip used in the cube component cable), so it might not be possible this time around.