 | Left and Right, the left and right front speakers, DUH |
 | Center, the center speaker used for dialog and effects
 | Normal: Removes the low bass (frequencies below 100 Hz) from the center channel
and redistributes them to the left and right front speakers. This permits a smaller
center speaker requiring less power than the two front speakers. |
 | Phantom: For those systems without an actual center speaker. This mode
redistributes all center channel information to the two front speakers. Only those viewers
seated in the center of the sound field will be able to fully appreciate the center
channel. |
 | Wide: This is the best of the lot. Used when you have a center speaker about
equal to the characteristics of the two main front speakers. This center speaker must be
able to reproduce the full range of sound and should have the same power output of the
front speakers. |
|
 | Surround: The rear speakers. In all formats but true six channel audio like
Dolby 5.1 (AC-3) or DTS this is actually a monophonic arrangement. Since no room is truly
symmetrical there will be differences heard by the viewer. The combined output needs to be
only about half of the front speakers. For six channel set ups each of the two rear
speakers will receive its own independent signal. |
 | Sub Woofer this is a special speaker that reproduces only the very low
frequencies. For full 5.1 setups the signal comes from the special .1 track directly to
the sub woofer. For all other modes the information that goes to the sub is controlled by
the cross over frequency. This setting determines which frequencies goes to the sub
woofer. Sub woofers come in two varieties, passive and powered. The passive sub is like
the rest of your speakers, it is driven by your amplifier or receiver. The powered sub
woofer has its own independent amplifier. This type will also required a separate power
cord as well as the wires to the receiver. |
 | Rear Center: With the new 6.1 formats this works much like the front center but
provides a greater feel of a full surround field in the rear. Since only a few receivers
have this option and only a handful of DVDs are encoded in it, don't worry about it yet. |