The Video Game Critic

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell]Don't forget to touch upon the "Light Guns" issue, Luke!  I'm totally excited to hear about that one!! [/QUOTE]If a third-party developer within the PS3 or 360 camp really wanted to.. I'm sure they could very easily design something similar to the Wii nunchuck that would enable you to control your player as you use a light gun for shooting.

Why nobody has seemed to have thought of it yet besides me? I haven't a clue.

Maybe in the future though.

[QUOTE=Luke ][QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke]The Wii only has stereo output, not 5.1 surround sound.[/QUOTE] <sigh> Here we go. The Wii's stereo output is encoded with Dolby Pro Logic II, which is the EXACT SAME THING as Dolby Digital. Multichannel discrete audio, separate subwoofer track, etc. Just coming out of an analog out instead of a digital out. You should do a little research before you speak. In fact, don't bother. I've already been doing the research most of my life. You can take my word for it. [/QUOTE]Well you need to do more research then because the Wii does not support Dolby Digital 5.1. And don't even try to argue with me on this audio stuff because I went to school for it, too.
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Please read my entire post so we don't have to go back and forth like this.  I SAID the Wii uses Pro Logic II.  It is the EXACT SAME THING as Dolby Digital.  It uses 5 discrete channels of audio and a discrete channel for lower frequencies.  It uses a phasing technique to put all 5 channels through the analog left and right channels.

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke ][QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke]The Wii only has stereo output, not 5.1 surround sound.[/QUOTE] <sigh>� Here we go.� The Wii's stereo output is encoded with Dolby Pro Logic II, which is the EXACT SAME THING as Dolby Digital.� Multichannel discrete audio, separate subwoofer track, etc.� Just coming out of an analog out instead of a digital out.� You should do a little research before you speak.� In fact, don't bother.� I've already been doing the research most of my life.� You can take my word for it. [/QUOTE]Well you need to do more research then because the Wii does not support Dolby Digital 5.1. And don't even try to argue with me on this audio stuff because I went to school for it, too. [/QUOTE] Please read my entire post so we don't have to go back and forth like this.  I SAID the Wii uses Pro Logic II.  It is the EXACT SAME THING as Dolby Digital.  It uses 5 discrete channels of audio and a discrete channel for lower frequencies.  It uses a phasing technique to put all 5 channels through the analog left and right channels. [/QUOTE]I'm aware of this. But it still doesn't support 5.1, big boy.

It's still a stereo signal no matter how you slice it. And all the phasing techniques in the world aren't going to change that.

[QUOTE=Luke ]Here you go.

http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=58708

The Wii uses Dolby-Pro Logic II which merely simulates surrond sound over two channels.[/QUOTE]

Did you read my post at ALL???

It does not simulate surround over two channels.  It simulates it over 5.1 channels, the same way Dolby Digital simulates it over 5.1.  The only difference is that Dolby Digital goes from a digital bitstream, to 5.1 seperate bitstreams, to 5.1 analog channels, to your speakers.  Pro Logic 2 goes from 5.1 channels integrated into 2 analog channels through a servo or negative feedback process, is seperated into 5.1 analong channels, to your speakers. 

Maybe I am wasting my time writing more than one line because you obviously aren't reading my posts.

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke ]Here you go. http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=58708 The Wii uses Dolby-Pro Logic II which merely simulates surrond sound over two channels.[/QUOTE] Did you read my post at ALL??? It does not simulate surround over two channels.  It simulates it over 5.1 channels, the same way Dolby Digital simulates it over 5.1.  The only difference is that Dolby Digital goes from a digital bitstream, to 5.1 seperate bitstreams, to 5.1 analog channels, to your speakers.  Pro Logic 2 goes from 5.1 channels integrated into 2 analog channels through a servo or negative feedback process, is seperated into 5.1 analong channels, to your speakers.  Maybe I am wasting my time writing more than one line because you obviously aren't reading my posts. [/QUOTE]Ok, now I know that you don't know what you're talking about.

It DOES simulate surround over 2 channels because you've only got TWO channels of audio - stereo left and right! And hooking up a stereo connection to a 5.1 system isn't going to do anything but play stereo sound through all 6 speakers. I don't care what type of phasing techniques are used!

But the bottomline here is that it isn't 5.1, end of story.

[QUOTE=Luke ][QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke ]Here you go. http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=58708 The Wii uses Dolby-Pro Logic II which merely simulates surrond sound over two channels.[/QUOTE] Did you read my post at ALL??? It does not simulate surround over two channels. It simulates it over 5.1 channels, the same way Dolby Digital simulates it over 5.1. The only difference is that Dolby Digital goes from a digital bitstream, to 5.1 seperate bitstreams, to 5.1 analog channels, to your speakers. Pro Logic 2 goes from 5.1 channels integrated into 2 analog channels through a servo or negative feedback process, is seperated into 5.1 analong channels, to your speakers. Maybe I am wasting my time writing more than one line because you obviously aren't reading my posts. [/QUOTE]Ok, now I know that you don't know what you're talking about.

It DOES simulate surround over 2 channels because you've only got TWO channels of audio - stereo left and right! And hooking up a stereo connection to a 5.1 system isn't going to do anything but play stereo sound through all 6 speakers. I don't care what type of phasing techniques are used!

But the bottomline here is that it isn't 5.1, end of story.[/QUOTE]

Oh my gosh, this is so frustrating.  There ARE 5 channels of audio in there, they are worked into two analog channels using the servo technique and then extracted back into 5.1 channels.  I install home theater for a living.  I have owned my own business for a decade.  I have installed entire high end systems where I had to send analog two channel cables from the source stack to the processor stack.  If there are only two channels in there, don't you think I would have noticed by now?  There are 5 channels, they are just sent to the processing unit (your AV receiver using a pair of analog cables.  Just like the 5.1 channels from your DVD player or XBOX are sent via a digital cable.

This is from the Dolby Labs website: "Dolby Pro Logic II also enables video game consoles to encode five-channel surround sound information into a stereo signal with virtually no impact on the console's CPU, which means all this extra audio won't slow your game down"

Did you catch that?  Encode FIVE channels into a stereo signal.  Your AV receiver then DEcodes it back into 5 channels. 

It is also useful in making 2-channel recordings sound more surround-sound-like, like music or other sources that are simply in stereo.  It does a better job decoding old original Pro Logic material that was technically only in 4 channel (front left and right, center and rear mono) so it sounds more seperated and distinct.  But for new stuff like game consoles, it allows full 5.1 channel audio to be condensed into two analog channels, and then extracted back into 5.1 analog channels.  Kindof like zipping and then unzipping a file.

Please, PLEASE read this post and the quote from Dolby labs. 

[QUOTE=Luke ]
It DOES simulate surround over 2 channels because you've only got TWO channels of audio - stereo left and right! And hooking up a stereo connection to a 5.1 system isn't going to do anything but play stereo sound through all 6 speakers. I don't care what type of phasing techniques are used!
[/QUOTE]

This is like saying that Dolby Digital is actually just mono because it is carried through one digital cable.  PLII is the same kind of thing, but it is carried through two cables.  I DO care what phasing techniques are used because that is how it extracts the other 4 channels. 

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke ][QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke ]Here you go. http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=58708 The Wii uses Dolby-Pro Logic II which merely simulates surrond sound over two channels.[/QUOTE] Did you read my post at ALL??? It does not simulate surround over two channels.� It simulates it over 5.1 channels, the same way Dolby Digital simulates it over 5.1.� The only difference is that Dolby Digital goes from a digital bitstream, to 5.1 seperate bitstreams, to 5.1 analog channels, to your speakers.� Pro Logic 2 goes from 5.1 channels integrated into 2 analog channels through a servo or negative feedback process, is seperated into 5.1 analong channels, to your speakers.� Maybe I am wasting my time writing more than one line because you obviously aren't reading my posts. [/QUOTE]Ok, now I know that you don't know what you're talking about. It DOES simulate surround over 2 channels because you've only got TWO channels of audio - stereo left and right! And hooking up a stereo connection to a 5.1 system isn't going to do anything but play stereo sound through all 6 speakers. I don't care what type of phasing techniques are used! But the bottomline here is that it isn't 5.1, end of story.[/QUOTE] Oh my gosh, this is so frustrating.  There ARE 5 channels of audio in there, they are worked into two analog channels using the servo technique and then extracted back into 5.1 channels.  I install home theater for a living.  I have owned my own business for a decade.  I have installed entire high end systems where I had to send analog two channel cables from the source stack to the processor stack.  If there are only two channels in there, don't you think I would have noticed by now?  There are 5 channels, they are just sent to the processing unit (your AV receiver using a pair of analog cables.  Just like the 5.1 channels from your DVD player or XBOX are sent via a digital cable. This is from the Dolby Labs website: "Dolby Pro Logic II also enables video game consoles to encode five-channel surround sound information into a stereo signal with virtually no impact on the console's CPU, which means all this extra audio won't slow your game down" Did you catch that?  Encode FIVE channels into a stereo signal.  Your AV receiver then DEcodes it back into 5 channels.  It is also useful in making 2-channel recordings sound more surround-sound-like, like music or other sources that are simply in stereo.  It does a better job decoding old original Pro Logic material that was technically only in 4 channel (front left and right, center and rear mono) so it sounds more seperated and distinct.  But for new stuff like game consoles, it allows full 5.1 channel audio to be condensed into two analog channels, and then extracted back into 5.1 analog channels.  Kindof like zipping and then unzipping a file. Please, PLEASE read this post and the quote from Dolby labs.  [/QUOTE]There may be five channels of audio being heard, but it's still not true 5.1 digital setup.

Again, the keyword here is "simulated." What Dolby Pro Logic II does is quite similar to true 5.1 although it is not the same thing. It simulates 5.1 without actually being 5.1. But believe it or not there is a big, big difference.

By the way, how the hell can Dolby Pro Logic II and Dolby Digital be THE EXACT SAME THING (as you said) if there are analog connections being used? That's makes no sense to me. You can't go from Digital to Analog and then back to Digital again without degregation of audio. But that could be a WHOLE other debate.

[QUOTE=Paul Campbell][QUOTE=Luke ] It DOES simulate surround over 2 channels because you've only got TWO channels of audio - stereo left and right! And hooking up a stereo connection to a 5.1 system isn't going to do anything but play stereo sound through all 6 speakers. I don't care what type of phasing techniques are used! [/QUOTE] This is like saying that Dolby Digital is actually just mono because it is carried through one digital cable.  PLII is the same kind of thing, but it is carried through two cables.  I DO care what phasing techniques are used because that is how it extracts the other 4 channels.  [/QUOTE]Yes, two analog cables.

You can't compare a digital conduit to an analog conduit. They are not created equal.