Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Introduction to Dolby Atmos Authoring Tools

1.1

All Dolby

®

Atmos

™

systems include the following primary authoring tools:

• Dolby Atmos Monitor application

• Dolby Atmos Panner plug-in

Use these tools to author sound for digital cinema and to create a print master. You can also use the Monitor application to play back a print master.

The Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit (RMU), the core intelligent component of the

Dolby Atmos audio authoring system, includes preinstalled software for various tasks in a Dolby Atmos authoring workflow. These include generating a room configuration with the Dolby Atmos Designer application, and using Renderer software to listen to a Dolby

Atmos mix, record a print master, or play back a print master. Refer to the Dolby RMU

Setup Manual for more information.

For information on additional authoring tools, see Optional Authoring Tools .

Dolby Atmos Overview

A Dolby Atmos mix consists of three primary elements:

• Bed audio (or bed material): Channel-based premixes or stems (including their multichannel panning)

• Object audio (or objects): Mono or stereo soundtrack content that have dedicated panning (via Dolby Atmos metadata)

• Dolby Atmos metadata: Panner automation for objects, plus additional metadata

Figure 1-1 Simplified Dolby Atmos Block Diagram

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Introduction to Dolby Atmos Authoring Tools

1.2 Dolby Atmos System Overview

In a basic Dolby Atmos system, one or more Avid

® and metadata.

Pro Tools

®

machines define the audio

• Pro Tools multichannel tracks and signal routing define bed and object audio. High-

Definition Multichannel Audio Digital Interface (HD MADI) format interfaces receive audio from Pro Tools and send it to the Dolby RMU.

• Panner plug-ins on audio tracks in Pro Tools that contain object audio, along with their automation playlists, define Dolby Atmos metadata. One or more Pro Tools machines route metadata directly to the Dolby RMU via Ethernet.

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1.3

Figure 1-2 Basic Dolby Atmos System Block Diagram

Dolby Atmos Metadata Flow with Different Setups

The flow of metadata in a Dolby Atmos system is dependent on the type of system setup.

There are four primary Dolby Atmos system setups for sending metadata (and audio) to the RMU:

• One or more Pro Tools machines sending metadata to Dolby RMU

Figure 1-3 Basic Setup with Pro Tools Machine Sending Metadata to Dolby RMU

Authoring for Dolby

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Atmos

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Dolby Atmos Metadata Flow with Different Setups

• Page table control surface (such as an Avid D-Command

RMU

®

or Avid D-Control

™

) added to a system with one or more Pro Tools machines sending metadata to Dolby

Figure 1-4 Page Table Control Surface Added to Basic Setup

• Mixing console (such as an Avid System 5 or AMS Neve DFC Gemini) with supporting software, or other client application (such as an iPad with the Dolby iPad

Panner-Controller) sending metadata to the Dolby RMU (and onward to Pro Tools, which in turn sends all metadata back to the RMU)

Figure 1-5 System 5 and System 5 Panner Application or Other Client Application Added to

Basic Setup

• Console as automation master; mixing console (such as an AMS Neve DFC Gemini), with automation engine sending metadata to the Dolby RMU, and Pro Tools recording the metadata (via Recorder mode in Panner plug-ins)

Figure 1-6 Mixing Console with Automation Engine Added to Basic Setup

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Introduction to Dolby Atmos Authoring Tools

1.4 Dolby Atmos Monitor Application

Use the Dolby Atmos Monitor application for audio and visual monitoring of the Dolby

RMU as it renders audio and Dolby Atmos metadata.

The Monitor application provides controls for the RMU renderer. Use it to:

• Change the rendering mode of the RMU between Dolby Atmos and traditional

7.1 or 5.1 channel-based mixes

• Record a print master

• Play back a print master

• Connect a machine to the RMU and its renderer

The Monitor application includes a bar meter, object signal present indicators, and an object positional display. It also provides the active speaker configuration, which contains signal present indicators and speaker mutes. Controls (such as mute and attenuation) are provided for B-chain control.

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Figure 1-7 Dolby Atmos Monitor Application

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Dolby Atmos Panner Plug-in

1.5 Dolby Atmos Panner Plug-in

Use the Dolby Panner plug-in to position audio objects (such as effects) in a threedimensional audio field. Panner plug-ins are inserted on each Pro Tools mono or stereo track designated for an object. Plug-in panner position and other Dolby Atmos metadata can be written to Pro Tools automation playlists. Pro Tools sends the automation metadata to the RMU (via Ethernet), along with audio from Pro Tools outputs to the

RMU (via MADI), for rendering during monitoring or print-master recording.

Figure 1-8 Panner Plug-in, Mono Version

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Introduction to Dolby Atmos Authoring Tools

1.6

1.7

Optional Authoring Tools

Depending on your Dolby Atmos system and workflow, you may also use any of the following optional authoring tools:

• Dolby ComPanSate plug-in: If you are creating objects from multichannel mix files, use the Dolby ComPanSate plug-in to compensate for the pan-depth bump in level that is created when summing panned sources together.

• System 5 Panner application (for systems with Avid System 5 mixing consoles only):

The System 5 Panner application provides support for mapping x and y axis positioning of a Dolby Atmos object to joysticks on an Avid System 5, as well as mapping the panner controls of each Dolby Atmos object to a dedicated channel strip

(or panner strip). See the System 5 Panner Application for Dolby Atmos Manual.

• Apple

®

iPad

®

Panner-Controller (stand-alone iOS software for systems with an iPad only): Provides control of Dolby Atmos metadata from an iPad. See the iPad Panner-

Controller for Dolby Atmos Manual.

About This Manual

This manual provides information for getting started with Dolby Atmos authoring tools in a Dolby Atmos system, as follows:

•

Introduction to Dolby Authoring Tools

•

Installing the Dolby Atmos Authoring Tools

•

Setting Up Pro Tools Sessions

•

Using the Dolby Atmos Monitor

•

Using the ComPanSate Plug-in to Create Objects

•

Workflows

This manual is for engineers, sound designers, and others who use Dolby Atmos tools for authoring sound for digital cinema and to create a print master.

Dolby Atmos Authoring Manuals

Use the primary Dolby Atmos authoring manuals in the following order:

• Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit Manual: Refer to this manual to install and connect your Dolby RMU hardware interface in a Dolby Atmos authoring system.

• Dolby RMU Setup Manual: Refer to this manual to set up and use RMU software preinstalled on the Dolby RMU.

• Authoring for Dolby Atmos Cinema Sound Manual: Refer to this manual to create and work with Dolby Atmos material by using Dolby Atmos tools and other authoring software.

Authoring for Dolby

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Atmos

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1.8 Terminology

The following table lists abbreviations used throughout this document.

Table 1-1

Dolby Atmos Abbreviations

Abbreviation Definition

LTC

MADI

M&E

RMU

SDDS

®

UI

Linear timecode

Multichannel Audio Digital Interface

Music and Effects

Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit

Sony

®

Dynamic Digital Sound

User interface

The following table lists channel notations used in this document.

Table 1-2

Dolby Atmos Channel Abbreviations

Abbreviation Channel

L

R

C

S

Ls

Rs

Lsr

Rsr

Lss

Rss

Lts

Rts

LFE

Left

Right

Center

Surround

Left Surround

Right Surround

Left Surround Rear

Right Surround Rear

Left Side Surround

Rear Side Surround

Left Top Surround

Right Top Surround

Low-Frequency Effects

Terminology

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