Dolby Atmos ??

[aarsoe]

Hi

The obvious question after the announcement of Dolby Atmos in the consumer space is if there are any plans to implement a software update to the SSP-800 to allow for Atmos processing. According to some of the other manufacturers press releases there will be units that will allow for this only by firmware update. Rumor is that license is included in the Dolby license so no added payment - but I could be wrong..
Anybody heard anything?

[Kal Rubinson]

I strongly doubt that ANY current AVRs or processors will be updatable because ATMOS demands substantial DSP resources and commercial products rarely have any more than suits current needs.

[TomScrut]

Yeah the only stuff with firmware updates to enable it are new models which have been designed with it in mind but not there on the initial release, as far as I am aware. The SSP has a lot of DSP power but I suspect it won't be enough.

[aarsoe]

Kal - Seems like the units with programmable DSP's and enough MIPS can do it. Thinking of Trinnov.
Pioneer will also unlock it via firmware but unsure if are not just using pre-configured DSP's that cannot freely be programmed so the firmware only acts like a switch.

[TomScrut]

Does it have enough MIPS? I don't know how much they require for Atmos but the SSP is getting on a bit in the AV world isn't it? It doesn't even have an automatic eq system, which atmos requires something similar to calibrate against the room AFAIK. The Sigma SSP might have it when it comes out

[Kal Rubinson]

Kal - Seems like the units with programmable DSP's and enough MIPS can do it. Thinking of Trinnov.

Trinnov on what? Only the >20K processors like the Theta have enough MIPS as shipped.

[aarsoe]

Price and processor performance in the audio world is not related. Sorry.

[TomScrut]

Price and processor performance in the audio world is not related. Sorry.

It kind of is, why put more processing power on there than is needed? I did hear the SSP had a lot of processing power on board but it's maybe still nowhere near what atmos requires.

I aren't sure what you want us to say, yes it has enough power and there will be an update? If you are so certain it has enough power why don't you back it up with evidence? As I have already said I aren't sure but can't see it having enough, but how do you know it has enough and that Kal is not speaking the truth?

[aarsoe]

Most companies buy a turn-key solution with everything programmed and only the interaction is different. A DSP is anyway only as good as it's programming.

Tom: I was not looking for you to say anything, but rather someone with connections to Classe to make a comment..

If you want to compare DSP's and mips performance then go back to this old thread:

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?34247-High-end-processors-VS-low-end-processors-receivers-hardware-differences

[TomScrut]

Most companies buy a turn-key solution with everything programmed and only the interaction is different. A DSP is anyway only as good as it's programming.

Tom: I was not looking for you to say anything, but rather someone with connections to Classe to make a comment..

If you want to compare DSP's and mips performance then go back to this old thread:
http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthr...re-differences

Why don't you email them then rather than ask on a forum?

[TomScrut]

Also a thread from 2009 is hardly relevant to the developments since then.

[mjb]

I can't help with whether or not its enough grunt for Atmos, but an SSP-800 has "two DSPs, each rated at 2800 MIPS (Million Instructions per Second)". Which is about 10% of current PC's per core!

[aarsoe]

MJB - which CPU are you referring to? Just for fun

[mjb]

I am NOT an SME (subject master expert), and happy to be proven wrong because a) processor performance is a complicated thing and b) probably not even comparable with DSP performance... However, an Intel Core i7 3770k (quad core) achieves 106,924 Dhrystone MIPS at 3.9 GHz = 26,731 MIPs per core. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second

[aarsoe]

Instead of creating a long thread just remember that there are more than one "kind" of MIPS and what is being compared is apples and oranges. In fact almost no-one in the industry still uses MIPS as a reference. Also the chart is not very precise.
And before someone start screaming all I can say is that after almost a decade at Intel working with this I should know..
Guess the conclusion is that we will not get Atmos. Only question for me know is if the new long overdue processor from Classe (forgive me for not remembering the name/number) will have Atmos.
Can't wait to see the really extreme people trying to install B&W 802's in their ceilings in order for all speakers to sound the same... :-)

[Alaric]

Can't wait to see the really extreme people trying to install B&W 802's in their ceilings in order for all speakers to sound the same... :-)

:rf +1

[crytklmass]

Time to upgrade your receiver. Im sure Classe will offer an SSP900 with Atmos.. lol As you know, every few years they release new technology and its time to upgrade. That's why AVR's and receiver's lose so much value after a coupe years. My MX-136 was $12,000 new. 3 years later it's value was $3,000 on A-Gon. I stopped spending my money on Hi-End receivers for that reason. Now my limit is $3,000. It doen't hurt so much when its time to upgrade.