Question on DD 5.1 on DishNet (1 Viewer)

[Eram Syed]

How can you tell if a show is being transmitted in DD 5.1? Is there some light that comes on? I have the Dish PVR501 connected to a Marantz receiver via Optical digital cable.
Thanks
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Eram
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TV=Sony 53HS10, DVD=Sony DVP-550D, CD=Sony CDP-C335, DSS=Dish PVR 501, Receiver=Marantz S5000, Speakers=JBL M28, JBL PSW-D110, VCR=Panasonic PV-V4620

 

[CRyan]

Your receiver should tell you this if your particular receiver has an indicator light for 5.1. I am sure it does (Will light up just like a 5.1 DVD). The Dish PVR will not indicate this I do not beleive. The only 5.1 programming you will get right now on Dish is a few SD Showtime offerings, HD HBO and HD Showtime. SD HBO is not in 5.1 on Dish for some reason.
C. Ryan

 

[Jon_T]

Starz East and about half of the PPV channels are also DD.

 

[George Carlisle]

I suggest monitoring this site:
http://www.dolby.com/tvaudio/#guides
I've also noticed that some movies, even though they show "DD" in the program guide, only transmit in 2.0, so you can't use that as a guide.

 

[Ken Stuart]

If you look through the PPV channels (500-530), you will see see some marked quote: (All Day, DD) [/quote] including Traffic and Almost Famous.
During the first few minutes of a PPV Movie, you can tune to that channel without paying - just keeping answering "no" when asked if you want to order the movie.
This is the "free preview period".
You can use this to test Dolby Digital.
PS It might also say "LBX" which means Letterboxed.
[Edited last by Ken Stuart on July 26, 2001 at 10:27 PM]

 

[CRyan]

Oops. Forgot all about the PPV channels.
C. Ryan

 

[Rob Roth]

I'm disappointed in the paucity of 5.1 offerings on DTV. One of the main reasons I left cable for satellite was for better sound and integration with the rest of my system. Well the sound is better than cable- but not as good as I expected.
I've been fooled a couple times by the 'DD' symbol- only to find it meant 2.0. When I complained to DTV they waffled and said improvements were coming (but there is a bandwidth problem), and in the meantime I could watch PPV. However, I have yet to find PPV movies that aren't also available for DVD rental. The rental is about the same price, provides better picture and sound, and can be paused when I want. So why is PPV a good thing? Maybe for you late night porn addicts....