# What DISH channels DO have 5.1 Dolby Digital sound?



## Slyster

I am thinking of getting some premium channels but want to know *actually* which channels I would get true 5.1 Dolby Digital sound on. I use the 522 and a 5.1 amp with the optical cable.

I currently have the 180 plan and all 180 channels are PCM 2ch sound. I am thinking HBO/Showtime and those sorts of channels might be in DD? Then again.. DISH tech couldn't even tell me for sure . I know HBO/Show/etc do broadcast in DD *but...* does dish pass that on to us or strip it to save bandwidth?

Someone out there must have the 522/5.1amp and premium channels to confirm or deny this?

Tx !


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## Cyclone

www.dishchannelchart.com

Look for the (DD) logo next to the premium channels.


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## datwell

I have an 811 with DD via an optical cable to a Sony receiver and the answer is, "It depends."

In general, most of the newer movies and major events on HBO/Showtime, etc. are in DD; however, a large amount of programming is not. When you get the urge to migrate to HD, you will find a much higher percentage of DD material. The Voom RAVE channel is one of my favorites. Hope this helps!

da Doug


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## Slyster

WOW.. I checked out that chart and I was amazed at *how few* channels are in Dolby Digital.. that really stinks. Thanks for the tips.

Only six? Out of those 1000's of channels? Very sad. :nono2: Even Cinemax is 2 channel?

Can anyone confrim that this is the case? Or could this chart be out of date?

I don't have the option of changing service to VOOM or where ever.. too bad since I do have a HD TV.. but I just bought a 522 a month ago and am under the terms for DISH service for a while yet.... someday.


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## Steve Mehs

The only SD channels in Dolby Digital on Dish are HBO, HBO West, Starz, Starz West, Showtime, Showtime West, and a handful of Pay Per View channels, Tonys list is correct. No Cinemax, no TMC. DirecTV isn't much better, they have the same six channels as Dish, plus 3 or 4 of the extra Showtimes. Most decent digital cable systems will have the DD audio feed of most or all of the premiums.


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## Mike D-CO5

The Voom channels are all in dolby digital . All 10 of them.


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## Slyster

Got it. Am I correct in assuming that the 522 will record (DVR feature) the movie is dolby digital too? (And not only DD when "live")


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## datwell

Slyster: They record what they receive - DD or 2 ch.

da Doug


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## Jon Spackman

Hey, this use to be much worse. On old Motorola cable boxes (the black ones) if you turned on the Dolby digital output, then there was no sound unless the show or movie was Dolby digital. So you had to turn on and off that feature otherwise you had no sound on most shows. When i first got my 510 about 18 months ago i was very surprised and happy to find out that the DD output works for those few shows and has 2 ch sound every time for the majority of shows without having to change the setting back and forth. At least it works right. now we just have to wait for more shows to be filmed with DD 5.1. Its not like dish is receiving the shows in 5.1 and downconverting them to 2 ch. Its not their fault they simply send us what they get. 

If you want more 5.1, write to CBS, FOX, DISC, MTV etc and ask them to film it that way!


Jon


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## Cyclone

Well DD5.1 is a standard for HDTV. So if DD5.1 gets you excited, then HD is the way to get your fill.


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## StevenZ

Cyclone said:


> Well DD5.1 is a standard for HDTV.


I think it would be more accurate to say DD is the standard for HDTV. Most people don't realize that DD can be 2.0, 5.1, and many other combinations, including mono!

Even as I write this, the Today show is on in DD 2.0.


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## Slyster

Welp.. I ordered HBO yesterday.. and it came on instantly.. and sure enough.. TWO channels are in fact DD. (And yes.. I know there's different arrangements of 1, 2, 5 channels) but indeed.. I recorded my first movie and it IS Dolby 3/2.1 sound! Unreal. Love it! *What a difference that makes!*... so sad the other 6 HBO channels are NOT DD.. can't believe this doesn't cause an flood of emails to the networks/DISH

Only channels 300 and 303 are dolby digital. (Plus 4 others if you have Starz and Showtime)

Tx for the help.


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## Slordak

Dish actually does have the option to push for more Dolby Digital feeds if they wanted them. Certainly Cinemax and some of the other premium channels actually *do* have Dolby Digital content available; it's just Dish doesn't carry the Dolby Digital version of the audio for these channels. Whether that's due to technical reasons or financial reasons, I don't know, but they could push harder to get Dolby Digital everywhere for premium channels where it's available at the source (although as noted above, this still would be a pretty small number of channels).


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## TNGTony

It's purely a matter of bandwidth. The 110/119 satellites are pretty full and the DD audio channels would take quite a bit of room. On the flip side, how many people do you personally know that actually have a DD system or even know what it is? How many people do you know only use channel 3 to watch their DVDs? Esentially mono sound. When presented with the same sound in stereo or Dolby pro-logic they like it, but it's something they don't care to spend their money on.

That is what we techno-audio nuts have to battle. The masses that are content woth the sound. As an electronic salesperson, I can tell you my eyes were opened to this phenomenon when trying to sell a better sound system to a person looking for a LOUD stereo system. His response to my comments of the quality of sound from a slightly more expensive model was, "I don't care what it sounds like. Do it boom?"

I've lived with that realization since. Most people couldn't care less about the sound quality if it means spending a nickel more.

See ya
Tony


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## Paradox-sj

TNGTony said:


> It's purely a matter of bandwidth. The 110/119 satellites are pretty full and the DD audio channels would take quite a bit of room. On the flip side, how many people do you personally know that actually have a DD system or even know what it is? How many people do you know only use channel 3 to watch their DVDs? Esentially mono sound. When presented with the same sound in stereo or Dolby pro-logic they like it, but it's something they don't care to spend their money on.
> 
> That is what we techno-audio nuts have to battle. The masses that are content woth the sound. As an electronic salesperson, I can tell you my eyes were opened to this phenomenon when trying to sell a better sound system to a person looking for a LOUD stereo system. His response to my comments of the quality of sound from a slightly more expensive model was, "I don't care what it sounds like. Do it boom?"
> 
> I've lived with that realization since. Most people couldn't care less about the sound quality if it means spending a nickel more.
> 
> See ya
> Tony


So what was your respone to their question, "Do IT boom?"


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## TNGTony

A blank stare, a sigh of exsasperation and a disheartened, "Yes". 

See ya
Tony


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## Slyster

I must be in the minority then.. since I really refuse to watch a "movie" (TV show ok...) without DD 5.1 sound. That's why I didn't want premium channels and used Netflix instead.


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## Jordan420

Slyster said:


> I do have a HD TV.. but I just bought a 522 a month ago and am under the terms for DISH service for a while yet.... someday.


Do you have an HDTV tuner at all? If your TV does not have one built in you might want to think about getting an 811, you could get the *E HD pack & depending on your location you might be able to get your locals ota. Check here

www.antennaweb.org


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## Slyster

It doesn't I'd have to to buy one.. too much $$.. and I probably SHOULD have gotten another unit.. but it's too late.. I have a 1 year lease on my new 522 a month old now


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## TheBert

Why does a majority of OTA HDTV broadcast DD 2.0 ? It seems almost everything is 2.0 except the football games are 5.1. We might as well listen to Proligic in Phantom mode.


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## dougmcbride

If your receiver supports DPLII, DPPLIIx, DTS Neo, etc., that will get you multichannel sound out of most 2 channel sources. Not the same as DD5.1, but better than 2 channel.

Doug


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## Slyster

Yep- I do have PLII etc.. but never like the sound of it.. prefer the 2 ch over that.

Hey- someone (another forum) said the ENTIRE suite of showtime has DD now? Can anyone (who has showtime) confirm or deny this? :eek2:


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## Stewart Vernon

TheBert said:


> Why does a majority of OTA HDTV broadcast DD 2.0 ? It seems almost everything is 2.0 except the football games are 5.1. We might as well listen to Proligic in Phantom mode.


Not sure if "majority" qualifies for my area, but I know what you mean... My local CBS station is mostly in 2.0 except for football and the Masters golf. Even the network (and my local station's new and original productions) in HD during primetime is usually 2.0

NBC every once in a while is in 5.1, but not consistently. Some nights Jay Leno is in 5.1, other nights just in 2.0

My ABC station is in 5.1 during movies and sports, but usually in 2.0 for primetime stuff, even in HD.

FOX is in 5.1 during primetime whether it be sports or not (Simpsons in 5.1 for instance)... but when local programming is on, it goes back to 2.0 even during local news which is in HD.

Now it gets strange...

My UPN station is never HD, but always broadcasts in Dolby LtRt, more than 2.0 but less than 5.1

My WB station ALWAYS is in 5.1 whether they are showing HD or not... so local stuff and old 1960s sitcoms are in 5.1 even if the original program is mono.

PBS is usually Dolby LtRt, but the HD stuff is either that or 5.1 depending on the programs.


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## Slyster

I do notice an odd problem though. Stuff I've recorded in DD5.1 plays just find and dandy.. unless either one of the tuners is recording something. If it is... it then plays the movie as DD/2channel only! How odd. I maybe can force it (via setup) to output DD only? That's a pain though.. and not sure if it will work since it WAS coming out DD anyway.. 

Any experience this?


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