(if a movie offers a dts audio file, i would select that one. one audio only with movie.)

however, some movies only offer 6ch and 2ch in whatever language. my question is: does selecting ac3 6ch in the dvd2one audio menu mean that you will hear 6 audio channels if you have the correct hardware? i'm assuming that the answer is yes. well, if that's the case, then does selecting ac3 6ch mean you'll hear dolby in 5.1, even though you do not have 6 speakers? ... i have a center, a front left, a front right, a rear left, a rear right, and a sub.... just making sure that i will be taking advantage of them all.

so, as a rule of thumb, if you want superior audio, select dts if you can. if dts is not available, then the next best would be ac3 6 ch, correct?

>> well, if that's the case, then does selecting ac3 6ch mean you'll hear dolby in 5.1, even though you do not have 6 speakers? <<

Yes. You just won't get the information that the extra speaker (centre rear) provides.

>> so, as a rule of thumb, if you want superior audio, select dts if you can. if dts is not available, then the next best would be ac3 6 ch, correct? <<

Well, I really don't know if dts should be first choice over dd. There is a school of arguement out there that thinks that dts sounds better than dd because the maths are cooked. In a nutshell: In dts .. the bass is massaged up a notch or 2.

I guess it's up to your own ears to decide

I thought ac3 6ch WAS 5.1 (5 being the front left & right, centre, left & right rear - .1 being the subwoofer) hence the 6 channels, and that there is no rear centre speaker.

Isn't the rear centre speaker used on 6.1 systems (ie 7 channel)?

Face

>> I thought ac3 6ch WAS 5.1 (5 being the front left & right, centre, left & right rear - .1 being the subwoofer) <<

The *5* in 5.1 designates the 5 major channels that you've detailed as above and the *.1* designates the sub.

>> hence the 6 channels, and that there is no rear centre speaker. <<

Nope, not quite. It's only when that centre-rear speaker's brought into play does it become a full 6 channel system. It also depends on the particular disc that you're playing. You can be set up for ac3 6ch, but if the dvd you're playing isn't encoded for 6 .. you'll just get trad. 5.1.

Confusing, innit?

>> Isn't the rear centre speaker used on 6.1 systems (ie 7 channel)? <<

Yes, but even though there are 7 speakers .. it's still designated ac3 6ch.

I think it's Yamaha who started to confuse things before 6 was brought out by introducing 7 speakers into the traditional 5.1 setup.