Broadcast in Dolby where available

[Deleted User] · 21/11/04 - 21:27

Some programs such as the Simpsons and Malcolm in the Middle state something along the lines of "Broadcast in Dolby Surround where available".

Does Sky One broadcast these or any other programs in surround or Dolby Pro Logic etc? I have a Sky+ box connected to my amp with the opical cable so I guess I should get this if its available???

[Deleted User] · 21/11/04 - 21:36

Broadcast in Dolby where available

Only Sky movie channels 1, 2 & 3 plus Disney channel broadcast in Dolby digital (either Pro Logic or 5.1), all others in non-digital stereo.

System · 21/11/04 - 21:41

Dolby Pro-Logic is processing of any two channel source into a 5 channel output. You could watch any stereo program using this.

Movies encoded in Dolby Digital are sometimes broadcast in full 5.1 mode on movies 1, 2 and 3. These are denoted by DD in the synopsis in the EPG.

Your amp should allow selection of DPL or two channel output. It should also automatically revert to DD 5.1 where a soundtrack is provided by the Sky+.

[Deleted User] · 21/11/04 - 21:52

thanks for your help, thought as I was writing it that pro logic was the 2-> 5 channel format. So many formats its hard to keep up

So is it just in the US and on DVDs that the Simpsons would be in surround format then??

Mark A · 21/11/04 - 22:35

> So is it just in the US and on DVDs that the Simpsons
> would be in surround format then??

No, if the programme has a Pro-Logic sound track then that will come through quite happily over a stereo satellite transmission, and if fed to a Pro-Logic decoding amp then you will get the Pro-Logic surround sound.

It will be nowhere near as good as a true Dolby Digital transmission, but that's the nature of the beast and nothing to do with Sky.

Regards

Mark

phelings · 21/11/04 - 23:56

Movies 1,2 and 3 and the Disney Channel broadcast full time in Dolby Digital,although most stuff is not 5.1,only Pro-Logic(Dolby Surround).
Virtually everything else on all channels that is no more than 10 years old will be in surround.UK programming older may only be stereo.A modern amp with PL2 can give a much improved 5.1 style sound to anything in standard surround.PL2's very good 5/6 channel stereo mode will also gove a very good surround sound feel to stereo or even mono soundtracks,albeit without centre speaker dialogue.

bayards · 19/12/04 - 17:10

Just listening (and watching) Finding Nemo on Disney Channel (Sun 19 Dec) and it's fab in DD 5.1 - even listed as such on the Search and Scan Banner.

I wonder when Film4 will introduce 5.1 - they keep saying "watch movies as the director intended" - sure it's widescreen but real 5.1 sound would be a bonus rather than Pro-Logic!

H

tellytart1 · 19/12/04 - 17:17

Hear hear - roll on the BBC and ITV starting to broadcast their films in DD5.1 too. (Even major dramas could be done in true 5.1!)

phelings · 19/12/04 - 22:14

Most US drama is already made in 5.1.
I would have thought it little benefit to Film Four as blockbuster up to date movies are not really their forte.
You can bet that some BBC material is also being made in 5.1 but we won't know about it.Many BBC shows were made in stereo years before full time Nicam transmissions started.

daniel99 · 20/12/04 - 14:38

i like DD 5.1

[Deleted User] · 20/12/04 - 16:44

Can I say "me too"?

bayards · 20/12/04 - 19:20

it was said:

You can bet that some BBC material is also being made in 5.1 but we won't know about it.Many BBC shows were made in stereo years before full time Nicam transmissions started.

Yes I had a contact at the time in the Beeb who sent out the photocopied "Stereo Radio Times" (which I still have). Several A4 sheets of upcoming programmes for people within the organisation to monitor. I had one of the 1st JVC S-VHS videos with NICAM in the year or so before public launch - was nice to listen in on those tests. Still have the odd tape of some of them!

H

phelings · 20/12/04 - 21:52

Likewise.
When the BBC suddenly delayed Nicam by 2 years,all the vcr makers had already produced machines with Nicam decoders in,which was nice for those of us with the non Nicam stereo tv's of the time.
However,although Anglia was doing regular tests ,it seems only BBC London was regularly showing stuff in stereo so BBC stuff was unavailable for me.
I wonder when the BBC will sneakily start DD testing?

tellytart1 · 21/12/04 - 03:31

Umm, we are doing sneaky DD tests at the moment - apparently it's being tested on DTT (Freeview), using the Parliament Channel. (Presumably so they can insert a DD1 data stream with minimal increase in bandwidth, for testing, and slowly increase it to full DD5.1)

I don't know if we're testing on DSAT at the same time or not.

phelings · 22/12/04 - 00:20

Well,there's more space on satellite so surely it would be easier.But I suspect as many people would notice this quite quickly the BBC will not do it.Most Freeview boxes don't have digital outputs so it won't be picked up so quickly.

tellytart1 · 22/12/04 - 01:35

True - the only freeview box I know that is capable of outputting DD is the Pace Twin PVR.

[Deleted User] · 22/12/04 - 14:08

the sony vtx 800u has optical out and has dolby digital decoder

[Deleted User] · 22/12/04 - 18:12

The Humax PVR8000T/80 has an optical digital audio output.

phelings · 22/12/04 - 23:24

The Fusion has no digital audio output-it seems every other one does

[Deleted User] · 23/12/04 - 16:53

Yes the Humax PVR is a Birthday present for my dad (86 on Christmas Day, awww!) He's a life-long radio enthusiast and likes recording R3 broadcasts onto minidisc from DAB.

However, when extra playing time or timed recording are required, he resorts to Freeview radio onto VHS Hi Fi. The PVR should provide a better solution, with digital backing-up to minidisc.

Apart from the digital output, the Humax seemed a better bet than the Fusion, as that seemed, from reading elsewhwere on DS, to have too many issues and bugs for an OAP to cope with! The fact that the Humax only has one tuner isn't a problem.

phelings · 23/12/04 - 21:46

It may well be when he discovers that while recording a digital channel he cannot even watch another -less functionality than a VCR.
Humax have released a new improved version.The original one was the first Freeview PVR-and it shows

bayards · 26/12/04 - 21:22

tellytart (and I like that handle BTW) said:

Umm, we are doing sneaky DD tests at the moment - apparently it's being tested on DTT (Freeview), using the Parliament Channel. (Presumably so they can insert a DD1 data stream with minimal increase in bandwidth, for testing, and slowly increase it to full DD5.1)

Good news! I regularly trawl through Sky channels keeping an eye out for DD 5.1 lamp to glow on my amp. I also do the same on other sat stations - the German speakers have about 5 stations now (including ORF1 and 1 - Austrian).

If you hear anything about DSAT tests in advance - please let us know. Perhaps a new edition of the "Stereo Radio Times" called "Quad Radio Times"???

H

phelings · 26/12/04 - 22:56

Dolby Digital has been available on German tv for years(well before Sky used it).Pro 7 were the first,and the subscription movie channels(at least the PPV ones) are usually 5.1.
One of the Scandinavian satellites(5E or 1W) have a DTS test and radio station.
Apart from Movies 1-3,and Disney Channel-are there any other SD ones with DD sound?

[Deleted User] · 27/12/04 - 00:10

Wouldn't mind the movie channels in DTS sound!

[Deleted User] · 27/12/04 - 00:28

I second that suggestion. DTS should be no bother for the HD system

[Deleted User] · 27/12/04 - 00:32

I agree - the downstairs Panny home cinema does DTS and by god does it sound good! It'll always have the advantage over Dolby Digital.

Hey there!

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