# What does PPV with DD,LBX mean



## MojaveJoe (Apr 10, 2005)

I guess a need a class in Audio 101, so bear with this old guy's question 

Im trying to figure out why when I ordered RED (AllDay, DD D,LBX) I don't seem to get Dolby 5.1 surround signal to my Yamaha RX-V863 Amp. The Amp input signal indicators show only.... R&L front channels, and PCM. 

So is DISH selling me Dolby Digital 2.0? Is that even a surround signal? How would I know a movie was in 5.1 surround? Is it naive if I expect to see all 5 surround channels coming into my AMP when I order a DD PPV movie?

A simple explanation in layman's terms would be greatly appreciated. 
Thanks


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

http://www.dolby.com/consumer/understand/playback/dolby-digital.html

Dolby Digital (also known as AC3) is 5.1 surround sound. If your amp autoswitched between stereo, Prologic, and Dolby Digital, and your movie did not switch the amp, and it is hooked up correctly i.e. other Dolby Digital stations switch the amp ok...
Then I would say the description for the movie was mislabeled, or someone at the uplink facility had their encoder programmed wrong.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Davenlr said:


> http://www.dolby.com/consumer/understand/playback/dolby-digital.html
> 
> Dolby Digital (also known as AC3) is 5.1 surround sound. If your amp autoswitched between stereo, Prologic, and Dolby Digital, and your movie did not switch the amp, and it is hooked up correctly i.e. other Dolby Digital stations switch the amp ok...
> Then I would say the description for the movie was mislabeled, or someone at the uplink facility had their encoder programmed wrong.


Not exactly correct...

DD can be anywhere from 1 channel to 5.1 channels, there are actually old movies in mono that are encoded in DD 1.0....DD does not have to mean 5.1 channels...most modern pre-amps automatically decode DD2.0 to DPLii or DPLiic..to the OP, if your amp actually says its receiving PCM, something got switched either on your amp or your dish receiver.


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## MojaveJoe (Apr 10, 2005)

CCarncross said:


> Not exactly correct...
> 
> DD can be anywhere from 1 channel to 5.1 channels, there are actually old movies in mono that are encoded in DD 1.0....DD does not have to mean 5.1 channels...most modern pre-amps automatically decode DD2.0 to DPLii or DPLiic..to the OP, if your amp actually says its receiving PCM, something got switched either on your amp or your dish receiver.


Well, I have my AMP and LCD TV hooked up to the tuner with HDMI separately, via a splitter. What possible switching should I look for? Would I be better served using the Optical connection from the DISH tuner to the AMP?


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## n0qcu (Mar 23, 2002)

You would be better off if you used the optical to the amp. The way you have it connected by splitting the hdmi the tv is telling the stb that it cannot use ds so it won't send the ds by the hdmi cable.

Sent from my DROIDX


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## MojaveJoe (Apr 10, 2005)

Thanks for that info. I had an optical cable hooked up once and it worked for a while, then quite. So I went back to HDMI. I'll get a new optical cable tomorrow and try it. And post results here once finished.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

MojaveJoe said:


> Well, I have my AMP and LCD TV hooked up to the tuner with HDMI separately, via a splitter. What possible switching should I look for? Would I be better served using the Optical connection from the DISH tuner to the AMP?


Actually I have Yamaha as well different model but I get DD all the time. I have the HDMI going into the Yamaha and then out to the TV. It does the switching for 4 HDMI inputs & 2 component ones ( it can run 3 component plus several composite and audio only). So I think your mistake is splitting the HDMI instead of running direct into the Yamaha. Also be sure to have the correct output setting on the DVR too: Dolby Digital/ PCM. Now that is your first class in audio.


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## Ddavis (Jan 15, 2004)

Sounds like you have the Dish Receiver set to PCM only. I don't remember where this option is set, but go find it.


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## [email protected] Network (Jan 5, 2011)

Ddavis said:


> Sounds like you have the Dish Receiver set to PCM only. I don't remember where this option is set, but go find it.


It depends on the receiver model. Most of our receivers have it under Menu -> System Setup(6) -> Dolby Digital (7). Some receivers (Mainly 211/211k/222k) have it under Dolby Digital 6. The 722k is under System Setup -> Audio Output(7).

@OP, I agree with checking the sound settings on the receiver itself.


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## MojaveJoe (Apr 10, 2005)

I bought a new optical digital table and installed it between my 722K and my AMP. Disconnected the HDMI from the AMP. I now have my 5.1 SS back.
I must have had a defective Optical cable. I removed it a while back when it quit working and in a rush re-installed my HDMI connection to the AMP. 

So here's what I can offer on the subject. 1) It's a bad idea to hook both the TV and AMP with HDMI through a splitter. The 722 decides via HDMI that the TV only needs 2.0 and blocks the 5.1 output on the HDMI. 2) The 722 can output 5.1 from both the HDMI and Optical ports at the same time (I think). 3) Most non-PPV HD channels on DISH appear to have 5.1 signal. 

FWIW. I use a splitter on the HDMI output to send an HD signal to a future second TV. The HDMI to TV, and Optical to AMP, allows me to watch TV without the AMP (which I prefer for everyday watching... news, weather etc) 

This was such a simple fix it's almost embarrassing. But hope this thread helps someone in the future.

Thanks Guys for all your help. Im a happy DISH customer again. 

P.S. I have my 722K audio output set to DD&PCM . To get to it use
Menu -> System Setup(6) -> Audio Output (7) --> Dolby Digital / PCM.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Many current and recent models of AVR that have HDMI connections have a feature called HDMI pass through, so even if the AVR is turned off, it passes the HDMI audio and video onto the tv when connected thru the AVR...for example my Denon 2809CI doesnt have to be on for me to hear/watch tv as long as the input for the dvr was the last used input when the receiver was turned off. All my HDMI components are connected to my AVR which is then connected to my tv...I do not use HDMI splitters, don't have a need to but also for one of the things you found, if you spit the HDMI output, if one component can only handle PCM or is only capable of stereo, the HDMI connection knows this and will not provide DD5.1 on the other legs of the split.


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## MojaveJoe (Apr 10, 2005)

Unfortunately my RX-V863 doesn't have pass-thru. That's what I get for buying a $600 AMP. But Im satisfied with the way it works with DD SS. Doubt I'll ever replace it at my age  It will be the last receiver I ever own, and Im glad I didn't "really" cheap out on it. 

Thanks for all your advice guys.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

I have relatively old equipment, so neither my TV, nor my A/V receiver have any HDMI connections at all, although my TV does have DVI. So I have been forced to use an HDMI --> DVI converter cable and a 4x1 HDMI switch box from monoprice to hook up my other devices. The switch box is supposed to also be able to extract audio from the HDMI and send it out on an optical cable to my receiver, but for some reason my 622 senses that the TV can't get DD5.1 so won't sent it out. I need to use the optical cable direct to the receiver too. 

I usually don't use the SS for everyday viewing either, so it isn't a big deal, but others might be forewarned.


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