Why only Stereo from Yamaha1300 and Digital Cable (1 Viewer)

[JeanB]

I have just finished installing a home theatre 6.1 system using a Yamaha 1300 receiver. I have Bright House digital cable coming to their Scientific Atlanta 800 PVR/cable box.
The PVR/cable box has coaxial digital audio output which Scientific America web site says to connect to a Doby Digital receiver. I have used a coaxial cable to connect to one of the coaxial in plugs of the receiver.
I have set the speaker delays and adjusted the speaker volumes to be approximately equal using the test tones in the receiver. That seemed to work O.K. However, when I listen to something thru my PVR/cable box I do not receive any significant output from the surrounds and rear speaker. I can get sound from either the 2 fronts plus sub or from the center speaker. If I walk over to the surround and rear speakers I can faintly hear the sound. I have tried several different movies and several different music channels all with the same result.
My interest is in listening primarily to what I receive on digital TV cable not in renting a bunch of DVDs. Have I just blown $2000 on a system that will produce only stereo sound? I had planned on buying the Digital Video Essentials disk and the Radio Shack meter but now I am wondering if I am just pouring money down a rat hole. If you have any remedies or suggestion please, please share them with me. At this point I am awfully tired and disillusioned.

 

[Kevin_a]

I had the same problem with a yahama reciever and a digital cable box. After I was able to get the digital cable working, what I found out is not all the channels are digital. Only the channels in the 100 and up range are digital. I have HBO, Starz and Encore and they only broadcast some movies in 5.1. Even if the movie is origanlly shot in 5.1, there is no guarantee that the movie will be broadcast in that format. Some of my HBO channels never broadcast in 5.1 but the primary ones, HBO1 east and west seem to always do. Beyond that it depends on the movie and it seems the luck of the draw. It kind of sucks to flip on a movie that you know is 5.1 and have be in stereo.

Kevin

 

[FeisalK]

Have you tried some of the Yamaha's DSP modes or DPLII processing? if the source (as kevin says) is mostly in stereo

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

After I was able to get the digital cable working, what I found out is not all the channels are digital. Only the channels in the 100 and up range are digital. I have HBO, Starz and Encore and they only broadcast some movies in 5.1.

It appears there is a little confusion here.

“Digital” as it refers to cable and small-dish satellite is merely the method of delivering the programming. “Digital” cable does not automatically mean 5.1. 5.1 is the Dolby Digital-encoded audio you get with DVDs. The programming on “Digital” cable can be 5.1, it can be two-channel-derived surround sound (ala Dolby Pro-Logic), it can be two-channel-derived stereo, and it can be single-channel mono. As Kevin mentioned, typically only premium movie channels deliver 5.1 Dolby Digital audio – but not all of them.

Jean, I hate to break it to you, but if you’re “wasting” your money anywhere, it’s depending on digital cable to get the most out of your home theater equipment. You will get the best and most consistent in 5.1 sound from DVDs, followed perhaps by a mini-dish satellite.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[JeanB]

Thanks guys for the information although I find it most discouraging. I find it incomprehensible that if a movie or a recording is made in Doby Digital 5.1 or 6.1 and the cable company is sending it to you over a digital channel that they would not go ahead and send it in Doby Digital. What am I missing here? I would vote to have this information on the FAQ page so that others will not make the same mistake as myself.

 

[Scott Kriefall]

Which channel(s) are you referring to? The lack of 5.1 digital audio is often due to the channel(s) only providing 2.0 audio to the cable and satellite providers.

 

[JeanB]

I am refering to channels 100 to 140(Digital Channels), Channels 200 to 264(Digital premium services), Channels 400 to 440 (Digital Music)

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Thanks guys for the information although I find it most discouraging.
I would vote to have this information on the FAQ page so that others will not make the same mistake as myself.

No need to be quite so bleak, Jean! Although it’s not quite the ultimate experience, surround sound derived from 2.0 programming is very enjoyable nonetheless. It certainly beats listening to movies and other TV programs through the cheezy speakers built into the television set. I use my system for just about everything I watch. Even with mono programming, I can still enjoy hi-fi sound quality with nice hi frequency response and pleasing bass.

Give it a chance, I doubt you’ll ever go back to those dreadful little TV speakers!

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt