This week on You Requested: Can an outdated film actually be introduced in Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Dolby Atmos? Is built-in TV audio ever going to get higher? What to do with an outdated TV. And do you have to disable image processing earlier than the sign will get to your TV?
Are outdated films actually mastered in Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Atmos?
Mark Nota writes: I’m at present watching the 1980 film Superman II on my Hisense U7G with a Vizio M collection soundbar by means of my Roku Extremely. It says it’s in Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Atmos. Can a Eighties film be in Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Atmos?
Sure, Mark, it could actually. Older movies can have their video and audio remastered and be introduced in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Nevertheless, simply because a remastering course of is finished doesn’t imply it’s essentially good — or that it’s as efficient as more moderen content material that’s been remastered.
From what I perceive, movie negatives permit for a median of about 13 stops of dynamic vary. (That’s, from the darkest elements to the brightest.) SDR TV permits for about six stops of dynamic vary on common, and the movie prints that had been performed in theaters had related limitations.
In the present day, HDR permits for about triple the dynamic vary of SDR. So, there’s loads of alternative to take the unique movie and create a brand new, excessive dynamic vary grasp from it. And for those who selected to make use of Dolby Imaginative and prescient to ship that HDR, then you would be fairly meticulous about how the ultimate HDR grasp of that movie appeared.
After all, one may additionally telephone it in and make one thing that’s solely marginally higher than the unique presentation. It actually will depend on the standard of the work, which normally depends on funds. However, yeah, the unique movie negatives had been extra able to holding a better dynamic vary than both the theater print or the video copy had been capable of present us. Now that we’ve HDR TVs and HDR supply mechanisms, we are able to remaster outdated content material captured on movie and current it in HDR.
It’s an analogous, but barely extra difficult story for Dolby Atmos. You technically can create a Dolby Atmos observe out of nearly any unique audio supply. However how good that Dolby Atmos expertise will probably be relies upon some on the supply materials, and a few on the funds for the manufacturing. The extra audio tracks one has to work with, the extra artistic freedom is enabled. However on this day of computer-based audio processing, some fairly unimaginable stuff might be created utilizing restricted unique audio assets. So, once more, not all Dolby Atmos is equally spectacular and even good. But when somebody takes the time to do it, a Dolby Atmos audio observe might be created and delivered for an older movie.
Will TV producers give attention to enhancing onboard audio?
Zach Harris writes: Do you suppose that there’ll come some extent sooner or later the place TV manufactures begin focusing extra on their audio for his or her TV lineups? It stands to motive that sooner or later TV image high quality will hit diminishing returns and there gained’t be far more to entice prospects to improve. Specializing in premium, enhanced audio methods could be one treatment to assist entice individuals to buy new units, particularly when many individuals simply find yourself utilizing their TV audio system anyway.
You understand, I don’t know if there’s anybody on the market who loves getting out the outdated crystal ball and peering into the long run greater than I. Listed below are my ideas on this.
First, I believe we’re additional away from reaching such show nirvana that there’s little room left for enchancment. I believe the following 10 years no less than are going to see extra thrilling enhancements in image high quality. We’ve bought ongoing work on show know-how like electro-luminescent quantum dots (or so-called QDEL shows, which we spotted at CES 2024) and Phosphorescent OLED (or PHOLED), each of which may symbolize some substantial enhancements in image high quality. I believe processing is simply going to get higher as AI and computing energy advances. And as bandwidth limitations begin lifting, there’s a chance for sooner or later getting uncompressed video supply, and that will probably be a sport changer.
All of that’s to say: I don’t see the premise that image high quality hits such a wall that every one that’s left to entice of us to purchase a brand new TV is enhancements in audio high quality.
Additionally, the TV enterprise will proceed to thrive by nature of the truth that tech simply ultimately dies. Much more of us purchase new TVs as a result of their outdated TV breaks. The variety of TVs bought to true “upgraders” pales compared from what I’m informed.
However I believe the actual impediments to improved sound high quality in TVs are a mix of the legal guidelines of physics and shopper preferences.
Right here’s what I imply by that. Regardless of all of the advances which were made in digital sign processing, digital amplification, and transducer supplies (that’s the stuff that audio system are made out of), it hasn’t been sufficient to beat the truth that sound is simply shifting air, and shifting air sounds greatest when it’s aimed toward our ears. Additionally, to sound their greatest, audio system want bodily area.
Customers have voted in opposition to elaborate onboard TV audio methods over and over. Bear in mind when Sony bookended a few of its TVs with flat-panel audio system? This design was … not warmly obtained, which is why Sony give up doing it. Likewise, super-bulky TVs don’t appear to promote in addition to skinny and lightweight TVs. The underside line is that the overwhelming majority of shoppers are simply effective with “ok” relating to sound. And if they need wonderful sound, they’re keen to leap by means of some hoops and make some sacrifices to get it.
What ought to I do with my outdated TV?
Jolyon Watts writes: What ought to I do with an outdated TV?
Nicely, whether it is an older CRT TV, I’d look into promoting it. You’d be shocked how a lot cash outdated CRT TVs are going for nowadays, largely due to a rabid retro gaming fan base.
If it’s an older LCD TV? Nicely, once more, you would attempt promoting it for a couple of dollars. You by no means know who could be keen to take it off your arms and put it of their storage or toss it of their RV. You possibly can additionally attempt giving it away whether it is first rate sufficient to make use of, however you’ll be able to’t get any cash out of it. Generally underfunded faculties and different establishments could make good use of an older TV that also has some life in it.
Or if no person appears to need it, you’ll be able to rent somebody to choose it up and recycle it, or you’ll be able to haul it all the way down to your native waste administration or recycling firm and get rid of it there. Something that stops it from going right into a landfill.
LG OLED vs. Hisense U8N?
Kim Strom writes in, saying that they’re able to improve from their Hisense U9G and are contemplating an improve to a Hisense U8N, however they’re additionally enticed by OLED and are contemplating the LG G4 or G3. They watch a variety of sports activities — hockey particularly — and are additionally fascinated about upgrading in measurement, from 65 inches to both 77 or 85.
The very first thing that jumps out to me right here is that you’re taking a look at upgrading to a 77- or 85-inch TV. And with OLED, the larger you go, the extra you must pay. The improve price for bigger OLEDs is significantly increased than the improve to bigger LCD-based TVs.
If price had been no object, I’d say get the largest LG G3 or G4 you’ll be able to. However price is — and must be — a consideration for most folk.
I’d say when you have your coronary heart set on OLED, think about getting a 77- or 83-inch LG C3 or C4 OLED. That may get you the OLED image high quality in a bigger display and assist hold the price down. Additionally, the processing within the C3 and C4 is fairly excellent and that higher processing will assist hold your broadcast TV sign wanting nearly as good as it could actually at these bigger display sizes.
For bang to your buck, although, there’s simply no denying the Hisense U8N will provide you with some wonderful image high quality — it’s a giant improve out of your U9G, for positive. And also you’ll be capable to get to that 85-inch display measurement with out taking out a second mortgage on the home. It can even be brighter than the OLEDs for those who want that and also you don’t need to be involved about carrying the OLEDs down for those who watch hours and hours of hockey daily.
How do I arrange my LG TV with Apple TV and a Blu-ray participant?
Joseph Inexperienced writes: Assist! I’m in image mode jail. I’ve an LG QNED 85, an Apple TV, and, a Panasonic Disc participant. I wish to alter the image mode settings in order that I can get the perfect, most correct image. The issue is all of them have their very own separate image settings. The Apple TV has Dolby Imaginative and prescient. The LG has every kind of image modes, and so does the Panasonic. Do they mix while you use them, or does one override the opposite relying on what you utilize? How do I set it and neglect it?
The perfect factor you are able to do with the Apple TV, in my view, is to not let the Apple TV drive Dolby Imaginative and prescient in your TV. Some individuals just like the look, however not everyone seems to be a fan of the way it makes non-Dolby Imaginative and prescient native content material look. I flip that off, after which I set the Apple TV to match the body price and dynamic vary of the content material supply.
I wouldn’t use any of the “image modes” in your Panasonic, except you discover they appear higher than utilizing your LG’s image modes alone.
And this brings up message for everybody to listen to: Your TV goes to use processing to the sign your supply sends, be it an Apple TV, disc participant, Nvidia Protect, or no matter — whether or not that sign has had processing utilized already or not. It doesn’t know the distinction. Generally, when you have a TV that isn’t all that superior, letting your supply system do some processing would possibly assist. However as a rule, the image processor in your TV goes to be considerably higher than no matter is in that supply system. And since most TVs can’t undo processing that’s already been achieved, meaning it’ll apply processing to processing, and that doesn’t all the time make for the perfect outcome.
And in your LG: In case you really need essentially the most correct image, then FilmMaker Mode is the best way to go.
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