Slashdot Mirror

It is linked to in TFA: Link

Actually it is linked in the summary too if you click "in every THX enabled movie theatre"

I think you're probably talking about the Moo Can trailer found on this site - http://www.thx.com/trailers/

Ob-Simpsons

---
This anonymous post was brought to you by the image-protected password: "accuracy"

Submit a complaint to THX, if they get enough they will check the theater and revoke their certification if things are not up to snuff.

http://www.thx.com/mod/cinema/survey.html

THX http://www.thx.com/ was founded in 1983 by George Lucas. I'd assume that it's a reference to his film THX 1138 http://www.thx1138movie.com/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066434/.

THX 1138 is a documentary on the early 21st century.

First off, the method being referred to of increasing loudness is called ultra-maximizing. There are many tools that do this now, including the pioneering software tool Waves L1.

The second thing you refer to is the loudness of trailers. Please do not mistake that with the level of the THX trailer. The THX trailer is a very precisely-engineered bit of audio that allows easy verification of the audio calibration of a surround listening environment. While people used to complain about the amplitude of the THX logo sound, the fact that the theatre vibrates at the end of the sound (at the "The Audience is Listening" portion) means that the theatre's sound system is in alignment.

The third topic you mention is trailer loudness, specifically in relation to the Trailer Loudness Standard. The Trailer Loudness Standard was created by the Trailer Audio Standards Association, which took on the task of standardizing the way trailers are mixed.

First off, the method being referred to of increasing loudness is called ultra-maximizing. There are many tools that do this now, including the pioneering software tool Waves L1.

The second thing you refer to is the loudness of trailers. Please do not mistake that with the level of the THX trailer. The THX trailer is a very precisely-engineered bit of audio that allows easy verification of the audio calibration of a surround listening environment. While people used to complain about the amplitude of the THX logo sound, the fact that the theatre vibrates at the end of the sound (at the "The Audience is Listening" portion) means that the theatre's sound system is in alignment.

The third topic you mention is trailer loudness, specifically in relation to the Trailer Loudness Standard. The Trailer Loudness Standard was created by the Trailer Audio Standards Association, which took on the task of standardizing the way trailers are mixed.

This thread got me searching;

you can find the cow one (and others) here: http://www.thx.com/trailers/

THX is a certification and not a piece or pieces of equipement.

You can go to http://thx.com/mod/products/productFind.html and do a search for amps that are certified.

Also, George Lucas pushed on technologies (THX, DLP, ILM, etc.). Also, he lets fans make their own movies (not for profit obviously; he even watches them to pick the best ones), stories, etc. for contests.

Basically the type of person who puts down a million dollars for all their equipment, and 100k to remodel their theater to be acoustically pleasing. Maybe they will even have the theater THX certified. After all that equipment they are still a 12:00 flasher at heart. I have a feeling there are only a few people with that kind of equipment that actually understand all of the technology involved. Hell, aspect ratios would probably make them have a heart attack.

I haven't played that many Lucas games. Lessee... their SCUMM games that I've played-- Monkey Island, Indiana Jones, and Sam & Max-- have all had great production quality, for the day, but given that some of this was EGA era, there's only so much you can do.

Next was X-Wing. The only other thing that was really comparable at the time was Wing Commander. If you put the two side-by-side, I'd say that the X-Wing rendering technology was marginally better. Sound-wise, it also had things like flowing music (calm music when you were idle, flowing naturally into battle themes when you're approaching enemies), stereo imaging of sound effects along a spectrum (which had been technically possible for years but nobody did it), and possibly the first sound config program that didn't suck.

I had TIE Fighter, but didn't play it enough to form an opinion about its technical merits.

My most recent Lucas purchase was Rogue Leader for the GC. One of the first games I've seen to use Dolby Pro Logic II. The poly handling was terrific. The number of polys in the Imperial Cruiser, for example, was astounding-- to many to render at once-- but the poly count of different parts of the cruiser were reduced depending on how well-viewed it was. Now, this is not an uncommon technique, but I haven't ever seen it applied as well as in this case. I never noticed it when I played; it was only the director's commentary that let me know it was there.

Maybe I just got the good stuff. Is LucasArts's other stuff crappy quality?

PS: THX has nothing to do with LucasArts. LucasArts is a division of LucasFilm, and THX used to be held by LucasFilm, but are now a privately held company, with LucasFilm as a major investor.

I recently went to opening weekend of a movie and purposily picked out a theater that is THX "certified." The theater had the sound turned up so high that there was distortion in the mid-range. Not only does THX fail to enforce any quality in the sound, but for a couple hours after the movie my ears where ringing! If even THX can't keep the theaters playing at an acceptable decibel level to not do damage to my hearing, then I have enough incentive to find "alternative" to see the movie where I get to control the volume level. The MPAA can complain all they want about the cost due to stealing movies but it doesn't come close to the price I put on them stealing my hearing. If the movie industry goes out of business and there is only nature to listen to, I prefer to be able to continue to listen to nature than not have any hearing at all. If THX took reports of these problems more seriously, I might be more sympathetic.

He actually was given money to try and cluster three X-Boxes together and find out the results. Hmm... time to bug WPI for some funds... Yes, I need an X-Box, PS2, and a GameCube and will try to - uh - "cluster" them. Maybe around an LCD projector, depending on the grant...

Don't forget that THX Ultra certified, Krell powered, 7.1 surround sound system.

Kent

First about the costs. "As the cost of going to the movies has escalated to $20 or so for a ticket, parking and popcorn,..."
I pay $5.70 for one ticket using one of the savers program (buy 10 coupons for $57 and use the tickets within 1 year -- fine by me). Popcorn isn't really to my taste or diet, and I just smuggle a can of coke in my jacket.

How about release dates: "the movie will be out on DVD in just four or five months".
Right, sometimes, if you're lucky. Often it is one or two years, though. And by then all of your friends will have seen the movie, and you'll feel like a dork.

And it goes on: "a purchase price of $12-$15".
Over here you get the movies from 1970 at that price, perhaps something newer but second hand. Let's be realistic and put a $30 price tag to new releases.

Overall, what do we get ? Superb movies experience for 20% of the price of the DVD, in a truely beautiful theatre with a screen so big you can just about see the edges and feel like inside the picture, and excellent sound. At home all I have is a stereo TV set, and neighbours on 4 sides. Obviously it's not quite the same.....

Don't get me wrong.. I love DVDs and own many, but going to the cinema is an alltogether different experience, at least for me. I am likely to go see a movie I really like several times in a row.

Well, shoot. If it's not THX-Certified or doesn't carry the SDDS trademark for a superior listening experience, it's just not the Jacuzzi Enterntaiment Center I'm looking for :P

THX is going to load this puppy onto hard drives in a QuBit before they get to the projection stage, so it could only be shown where the two lists overlap.

THX has nothing to do with Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS.

THX is a set of technical standards established by (duh) THX for your Hi-Fi equipment. It works just as well with DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1.

Check it out

Looks like they do to me...

Hmm, gee your probably right, sound is probably only 1 dimensional, and only comes form the left and right, we'll just ignore that sound coming from the front or rear will sound different, and we wont even thing about 3D space and how that affects sound, because we want to listen to something from the 1970's that says quadraphonics is a waste of time, hell we might as well get rid of all these computers too because in 1970 I belive they said there was no way everyone would have a computer in their home. Maybe you should head over to Dolby Labs Technical Information, and have a look at some of the information there. You may also want to head over to WWW.THX.COM as there is some very good information there about 3D sound and THX in general. There are tons of other places you can find if you look, but those 2 are the ones that came to mind straight off the top of my head. I personaly plan to build a 7.1 surround home theater for myself. I wont go into room size/shape and acoustics as Im just now learning all about it and couldnt provide you with accurate information, but I do know it does affect how you hear sounds. Unfortunatly there are no Linux programs yet that allow you to edit 3D sound in either 5.1 or 7.1 surround, that I am aware of. If there are and you know of tehm please inform me as I would love to check them out.

Listen, it's all around you!