Main Soundtrack to HI - VI

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Niall
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2026 9:15 pm

Main Soundtrack to HI - VI

Post by Niall »

Hi,

I have a DCP file that has been created with several sort films. The content is only left and right soundtrack audio this has been routed to L&R outputs.

I also have separate tracks for AD which has been routed to VI . Some of these tracks having the main film sound track embedded.

As standard should I route all audio (L+R & AD) to the VI output as well?
Also should I do the same of HI Output? (Only L+R)

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks
Carsten
Posts: 3056
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Main Soundtrack to HI - VI

Post by Carsten »

VI should not carry additional L+R, as it makes the AD difficult to understand. The idea is to listen to the AD through headphones, and still get some of the main soundtrack coming from the auditorium speakers. Some VI/AD solutions offer only a single earbud for the AD, the other ear is free.

You may route L+R to HI, but usually one should try to create a dedicated track which emphasises dialogue. One would probably also do some EQ that helps with understanding dialogue, maybe add some dynamic compression. To my knowledge, there are no formal rules for HI.

I'm wondering wether one could use the Mid/Side-Decoder to create the HI track in a preliminary step. I assume that L+R contains dialogue?
Niall
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2026 9:15 pm

Re: Main Soundtrack to HI - VI

Post by Niall »

Thanks for this.

Left + Right has all the dialogue.