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User16446564988507227492 (N/A) asked a question.

August 3, 2023 at 2:46 PM
Dolby Atmos Computer setup
Dolby Atmos Computer setup
Hi All. Hope you are all doing alright.

I am currently in the process of moving back to Pro Tools coming from DaVinci Resolve. The reason for this is that I find myself doing more music based stuff as opposed to post-production recently. I have Pro Tools Studio and have purchased the Dolby Atmos Renderer V5.

I would like to know your guys opinion on how to setup my Dolby Atmos configuration. I am currently running a 7.1.4 system with DaVinci Resolve on Windows PC that is using the internal renderer ( I am in the process of upgrading to RTX3090 with 12th gen processor as I also do Color grading). Pro Tools needs to connect to the Dolby Atmos renderer which the audio bridge is not on Windows.

I can do one of two things.

OPTION 1: Get a Mac studio M1 Max with 64gb ram (second hand/refurbished) as that is in my budget, and run Pro Tools and renderer off of that as well as DaVinci Resolve, though the color grading will take a hit.
OPTION 2: Upgrade windows PC (for Pro Tools and DaVinci Resolve) and buy a 16gb mac mini to run the Dolby Atmos renderer. Then run DANTE virtual Sound card on the Windows machine and Mac Mini for 64 channels (10 for 7.1.2 bed, 1 for LTC and 53 for objects if I'm not mistaken) of 48kHz audio between the two machines (in the budget, no extra sound cards are possible at the moment) and run the renderer as an external renderer across the network. Mac mini would then run my speaker system and I can run other audio through Dante or Line inputs. This does mean I wont be able to use all 128 channels of audio to the renderer like with the Dolby audio bridge, but I can do with 64 channels just fine.

My question really is, will option 2 work well, as I would like to get the windows machine running for Color Grading, and I know pro tools works well on windows (as I am already running it there)?

Any other ideas will be great for those who have them. let know.

Thanks for the help!
  • 7 answers

  • AdamP (Dolby Labs)

    Hi,

    Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Either will work. As long as you are sure that 64 channel total will work and don't expect external projects that may use up to 128 to come into your facility, then a PC should be fine.

    Best,
    Adam
    Selected as Best

  • AdamP (Dolby Labs)

    Hi,

    Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Either will work. As long as you are sure that 64 channel total will work and don't expect external projects that may use up to 128 to come into your facility, then a PC should be fine.

    Best,
    Adam
    Selected as Best

  • User16784620401018363133 (Bourget Music)

    I'm sorry to say, but on the PC, the answer is to go to Nuendo and its internal renderer. If Pro Tools had an internal renderer, I would have stayed with Avid. But that, and the complications of a second computer and the Dante connection, forced me to go the Steinberg route (I knew Cubase well) and I'm very happy with it in the end. Nuendo's functions are generous and very efficient. Except for the clip gain, the directory view in the Mix console and the ability to move tracks within it. But many other functions make up for this.

  • AdamP (Dolby Labs)

    Why sorry to say? Sound like a great solution. You could just stay within Resolve Studio as well but if you are already well versed in Steinberg DAWs, Nuendo seem the logical way to go.

    Best,
    Adam

    • User16784620401018363133 (Bourget Music)

      Because changing DAWs is hard on the workflow (and the patience, and the wallet), and it should be the last applicable solution. But I find that the Atmos complications with Pro Tools on PC, hardware and software, are a strong obstacle. So, we're into painful choices. If Pro Tools were to arrive this year with an internal Renderer, it would change everything. But who sees that on the horizon? It may not even be asked for on Duc.

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