When I play a Blu-Ray disc, the display says Dolby HD +XS or Dolby HD +EX, or Dolby HD +PLIIx M/C. Is the unit playing the HD audio correctly, and what does the XS/EX/PLIIx mean?
Yes, the unit is decoding and playing a Dolby TrueHD signal when the display reads "Dolby HD +XS", etc. Many of the HD soundtracks available today are recorded in 5.1, not 7.1. However, if you have a 7.1 audio system you likely will want all 7 speakers (and subwoofer) playing when you listen to a Blu-Ray disc. When this is the case, the Rotel processor can apply additional processing to the 5.1 HD signal to matrix out additional channels for the 6th & 7th channels in the system. You have a choice of 3 or 4 distinct methods to do this:
- Dolby Digital EX (Available for Dolby 5.1 modes only)
- Dolby Pro Logic IIx Music
- Dolby Pro Logic IIx Cinema
- Rotel XS (Extended Surround)
Using these additional processing modes does not compromise the original HD content for the 5.1 channels; it simply allows you to add the extra back channels when playing these 5.1 soundtracks.
For more detailed information on these different modes, refer to the owner's manual for your product.