I just posted this question in another thread, but it more properly belongs here, I think. (Sorry for the cross-post, mods.)
So let's say I get my hands on a copy of the VHS--or maybe even the Japanese Laserdisc--of Big Time, transferred to DVD-R or otherwise digitized. (@fizzywiggs41 , did you ever find one?) Like the unofficial DVD-V release, which is rare as hen's teeth, the VHS/Beta and the LD are reputed to have been encoded in Dolby Surround--in fact I think it was you who said so, Fizzy--though I don't know if that's ever been independently confirmed. Anyway, my question is this: how could I tell for sure? If I play back this hypothetical copy with Dolby PLII and it sounds good, that might mean it's encoded--or it might just mean that the PLIIx or PLIIz circuit in my AVR is doing a convincing job of "up-converting" it. Or, in that case, maybe I shouldn't ask questions...
So let's say I get my hands on a copy of the VHS--or maybe even the Japanese Laserdisc--of Big Time, transferred to DVD-R or otherwise digitized. (@fizzywiggs41 , did you ever find one?) Like the unofficial DVD-V release, which is rare as hen's teeth, the VHS/Beta and the LD are reputed to have been encoded in Dolby Surround--in fact I think it was you who said so, Fizzy--though I don't know if that's ever been independently confirmed. Anyway, my question is this: how could I tell for sure? If I play back this hypothetical copy with Dolby PLII and it sounds good, that might mean it's encoded--or it might just mean that the PLIIx or PLIIz circuit in my AVR is doing a convincing job of "up-converting" it. Or, in that case, maybe I shouldn't ask questions...