A tech
fan revels in new audio technology that will even make the superstar go, “How
is it?”
AD: Hi, so how did you celebrate yesterday?
BC: If you’re referring to the 12-12-12 date…
AD: No, Chennai had a lot to cheer about yesterday.
It became the first Indian city to play host to the Dolby Atmos technology, the
latest in cinema sound…
BC: Who would have thought that there would
be something superior to surround sound?
AD: Imagine sitting in a theatre with 128
audio tracks filling the theatre, with voices and music coming at you from 64
speakers located at various positions... And the audio you hear is based on the
position of the images on screen…
BC: So the sound moves along with the
visual…
AD: yes, an object’s location on screen is mapped
by the technology – and the sound pertaining to that specific location is
played. It’s known as object oriented sound.
BC: How does this play out in a theatre?
AD: There will be two rows of speakers
above the audience as well, in addition to the other speakers that are
strategically placed in the theatre. These help sound travel across the theatre
hall to give a 360 degree feel and make the audio a lot more realistic…
BC: I can imagine the entire horror movie
factory licking its lips in anticipation of scaring the audiences more than
ever. But what about theatres that have invested in 5.1 and 7.1 surround?
AD: Atmos can help create audio tracks to
suit various formats…
BC: Sound has travelled a long way,
literally and figuratively. Not too long ago, I recall theatres advertising
stereophonic sound, when speakers were played in full blast for impact - and
shattered our ear drums...
AD: Then came 5.1 surround, with five main
channels and a low frequency channel…
BC: 7.1 surround came after that, right? So
all the movies and the theatres they’re releasing in will adopt this
technology?
AD: To start with, around 50 theatres across
the country will be equipped with the Atmos technology. As for movies, only a few
have tried it out, Disney-Pixar’s ‘Brave’ being the first to do so.
Incidentally, the Life of Pi had also used this technology, but…
BC: …since Atmos has just come to India, we
ended up seeing it our regular Dolby Digital surround.
AD: Right! Dolby and Pixar are becoming a
winning combination when it comes to technology. It was Pixar’s Toy Story 3 that saw the
introduction of the Dolby Surround 7.1 system. A couple of years later…
BC: …Atmos was featured for the first time
in Pixar’s Brave.
AD: But 2013 holds much promise, with
Warner Bros bringing out the next edition of the Star Trek series using this
audio format.
BC: 5.1 and 7.1 are now available for home
entertainment too. What about Atmos?
AD: Right now, it’s restricted to theatres,
but let’s hope…
BC: You said Chennai’s got a lot to cheer
about. What else…
AD: Well, you must have seen the Tamil movie
Sivaji, around 4-5 years ago. It’s back in 3D and incorporates the Atmos
technology – the first Indian film to do so.
BC: I can understand remastering the film
in 3D, but how did they change the audio to the Atmos format?
AD: Chennai’s not only got India’s first
theatre that supports Atmos, but also the country’s first studio with the
knowhow for handling the technology.
BC: It is said that a technological
revolution is always announced from the rooftops. In this case, with all those
speakers in the ceiling, they’re literally doing it.
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