It's too bad the sound wasn't encoded so the Sensurround effects switched from the front to the back as it did theatrically, giving a surround effect. And the music/screaming in the Sensurround is missing. The Sensurround rumble also hasn't been DBX expanded, to make it much louder. To compensate, turn off all bass management so the sub gets only the LFE track, then lower the center about 6 db and raise the sub by 10 db. Them raise the overall level so the dialog is at a nice loud level - then the rumble will be really loud!

While the Sensurround rumble generator was used to add the low bottom end, Rolercoaster had many rides recorded
live with a special low frequency microphone. You can feel it when the Revolution passes over the slowing brakes - it suddenly gets a different rumble feeling as the coaster train passes over the brakes.

The big Sensurround"oomph" when it cuts to the can knock down game was put there to startle the audience.

BTW, is the label side of your Rollercoaster DVD a regular CD? Try to play the label side. Mine is a CD of train sounds - it only plays a bit until the labels interfere, but it's the only DVD I've seen that uses a CD as the bonding disc. Blam1's copy is te same.

Several stunt people were badly injured when the Ocean Park coaster was derailed live. The stunt men overshot their landing areas as they flew out of the cars and broke ribs and hips, American Cinematogeapher covered the film extensively, including articles on the mix and the MOD II Sensurround system and why they changed it to achieve greater effects flexibility al from a mono track with no outboard rumble generator needed, like Earthquake required. Plus, they greatly raised the fidelity of an optical print with DBX II encoding. With the change, which started with Midway, the system became known as the Sensurround Special Effects System.

No its just a DVD R1 no CD compact disc here.

Here is waterfall of the centre channel (TP on the cnetre output) starting around chapter 14, time 106m.23s heading down into "the loop".




Here is the LFE.1 (TP on the subwoofer output) starting around the same time. Its easier for you to run the same program and watch what is happening in real-time on your pc.



The lows don't look unique compared to many other films that have similar frequency response but the waterfall is signature to the DVD R1.

One of many LFE.1 moments riding "the rebel yell" chapter 8, 61m.25s then at 61m.39s you'd think the Coaster has derailed. I turned the LFE.1 up to +10.0db on the AVR for this moment.

Flip your Rollercoaster DVD, label side down, and see if it's recognized as a CD. Mine and Blam1's used a CD as the top layer disc instead of a blank for the label side.

If you have a DBX II NR unit, run the LFE through it in "decode" mode - that's how Sensurround Mod II worked, no DBX encoding of the LFE Sensurround effects, so when "decoded" the volume rumble level was dynamically expanded by 2x. The control tones switched the rumble between the front and back horns so that during dialog, the front horns would run so dialog didn't come from the back. The levels of the 25/35 HZ control tones dynamically varied the levels of the horns or turned them off during Nom-Sensurround moments. The soundtrack itself was DBX encoded to give it a greatly increased dynamic range and the academy roll off was removed to allow 16Hz to 16 kHz frequency response. I'm going to post the Sensurround articles - should I do them here or do a seperate topic?

BTW, the Sensurround rumble isn't as deep on the DVD because MCA didn't use the specially equalized mag dubbers that had extended frequency response for the Sensurround rumble track. The Battlestar Galactica DVD - of the feature film, not the series, has not only the rumble but the control tones, as does Midway - the DiscoVision LaserDisc used the mono optical Sensurround print and has the control tones, but requires the outboard rumble generator and control box. Battlestar needs the DBX expanding of the LFE too, as does Midway.

The NTSC Pan and scan digital sound issue of Earthquake has the most faithful adaptation of the Sensurround effect as they used a control box to direct sounds to the surrounds - something no other release has done. Earthquake was one of the first films to start the mono dialog mixing craze, sometching I hate.

Its not a flipper it has title printed on top side.



I'm pretty sure there is sound effect in the film, that was used in The Andromeda Strain, on chapter 8, 66m.44/45s when the guy presses a button on recording panel it has a (clunk ping sound) I can't place the scene in The Andromeda Strain but the sound is familiar also being a Universal picture most like its from library of effects.

Post the article here with link to the new thread topic.

Yes, it has a title on the top, but there are non printed areas at the beginning that, if it's a cd, your player will read. Give it a try. It won't hurt your player.

Universal's sound library was widely reused - especially their dog whimper sound. They issued it on a multi CD set in the 90's on CD for royalty free use. They even included Sensurround rumble track direct from the rumble generator which was programmed to match the waveform of the 72 Sylmar earthquake.

I know what your saying the Laser reads from centre of disc outwards but the if is CD side I tried two players the Pioneer DV-515 and then the Phillips bluray player BDP-7300 no luck at playing the small CD sample it sounds like the Laser is trying to get a lock on what is there but no hope I'm afraid.







Ether your player has better cleaver way of doing it? What's your player model?

Here's rapidshare links to PDF's of various articles about SENSURROUND for Earthquake and Rollercoaster - MIDWAY is also mentioned. The first is the article that details the modifications they made to SENSURROUND after Earthquake:
https://rapidshare.com/files/3023581793/Sensurround%20Mod-II%20engineering%20for%20Rollercoaster.pdf

Here's one about the recording and mixing of Rollercoaster in SENSURROUND.
https://rapidshare.com/files/96672362/Recording%20Rollercoaster.pdf

Here's one on the initial development of SENSURROUND for Earthquake - this one has pictures of the SENSURROUND installation at the Chinese Theater where it premiered - there's good pics of the M-Horns with Mouth Extenders and the W-Horn in the back of the theater:
https://rapidshare.com/files/2809941058/Audio%20Magazine%20Article%20about%20Sensurround%20Development.pdf

Here's one about mixing Earthquake in SENSURROUND:
https://rapidshare.com/files/3132014928/Recording%20Earthquake%20In%20SENSURROUND.pdf

Here's one that's an article and interview with Waldon O. Watson, inventor of SENSURROUND:
https://rapidshare.com/files/2451040292/Earthquake%20Sensurround%20Publicity%20and%20Interview.pdf

Here's one that details the full development and installation problems they had with various theaters and equipment, plus the MOD-II changes:
https://rapidshare.com/files/293919807/Sensurround%20Earthquake%20Development.pdf

Here's the letter included in the film cans for EARTHQUAKE and also sent to theaters before the system was installed:
https://rapidshare.com/files/1399579751/SENSURROUND%20LETTER%20INCLUDED%20IN%20CAN.pdf

There are a few typo's in the above because I had to OCR them from the original articles. I have an original SENSURROUND installation manual for Earthquake's European 70mm/35mm stereo/35mm mono optical prints, but it's so large it would take forever to scan. I also have a copy of original the blueprints for the Earthquake control box and rumble generator.

SENSURROUND was truly unique - NOTHING has been experienced in theaters like it since - it truly was an "event" - when NBC premiered Earthquake as the first "Big Event" many FM radio stations broadcast the Sensurround in simulcast so home viewers could get the surround and rumble - just not as bone rattling. I just wish Universal would read my letters to them on how to mix the films for DVD and Blu-ray for a good re-creation of it in the home - a non SENSURROUND version could easily be included as the 'default' audio for those with systems that couldn't handle it.

thanks disclord its mouthwatering reading.

so is this for some of the DVDs?
i'm going to check what i have etc.

I've only seen a CD used as the top layer label disc of a DVD on the Rollercoaster release - mine has train recordings - well, the parts that play do. I don't know if all copies used it or if only a few did.

Aren't the pictures of the M-Horns with mouth extenders set up in front of the Chinese theater screen incredible? And the gigantic W-Horns that were placed above the seats in the back? For those who never experienced Sensurround (and the modern revivals don't come close to reproducing it accurately) it was a true "experience" and one that's never been duplicated.

When I saw Battlestar Galactica we were in line outside the theater for the next showing and you could feel the ground shaking. The Sensurround horns moved so much air that it wasn't just a loud rumble like modern films, but an actual sensation you could feel and it really felt like the ground and everything around you was shaking. When the Colonial Vipers launched, you didn't hear any rumble, just a huge infrasonic shock wave that moved from the front to the back of the theater, pushing you into your seats like you were part of the ships launch.

I've seen it also in Sensurround but don't recall being pushed back into the seat, not unless some the cinema had it turned down? It was felt but not how you described it. ground shaking outside. Only saw the film once at ABC Bournemouth screen 1.

The queuing for Battlestar was, walk straight in pay and see the film, hardly any crowds at all. The day I saw it the cinema was not even half full for a 634 seats.

When the Vipers took off I head a sense of movement as if the sound appeared to travel along the walls, when ship raced down the tunnel. I was sat centre of the cinema in the luxury seating row. Thing is you could hear screen 1 in screen 2 which is directly below only as muffled lows no middle range or highs just lows.

I came across this CIC into that I recall seeing at the start of Earthquake. The intro works fine on the Dolby CP65 in surround.

Cinema International Corporation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMYyjWKWAZY

Watching some Rollercoaster at the moment, with random switching forwards/backwards of the chapters as I've seen the film over 20 times or more this year.

http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee18 ... NYSDDS.mp4

Just chiming in to say this thread has made for superb reading. Disclord that's a wealth of information you've included and it's been fascinating. The point of my laserdisc collecting is to pick up (among the films of interest to me) the versions that replicate the original soundtrack as close as possible and it's the blockbuster films of the '70s and '80s that were being (re)mixed in new surround sound formats that are high on the list. Warner Bros Megasound? Never even heard of that!

Would you be able to repost the Sensurround article scans as the links seem to have expired? Either that or I can pm you my email address?

Oh and Rollercoaster - great movie. I was first aware of it from a copy of Film Review in 1978 that had the second part of a two-part serialisation of the plot. Didn't see the film until showings on tv. Still got an off-air vhs from a BBC1 broadcast in the '90s, which would have been a nicam stereo broadcast of a mono source (I wonder what if any bass information is encoded in that).

I saw Battlestar Galactica at the ABC Kidderminster but unfortunately have no recollection of the quality of the sound.

ROLLERCOASTER R1 DVD case.

^ Thanks for that laserbite - looks like an Eco case to me.

Well at least its not an emo case it might slice, you.

I find the cases slim and flimsy.

True - this would be an emo case... (The Long Riders blu ray)

Total junk. Apparently they're more expensive to produce and worse for the environment than regular cases. I know for a fact there's a damn sight more potential for damaged sleeves...

I have a few of those dodgy cases the case is DVD bluray accident waiting to happen look at it! It might as well be made of paper! Its got holes on both sides.