# Sound mystery on CBS-HD



## brmann (Apr 22, 2002)

This is no biggie but I've now noticed the same thing on CBS-HD college football broadcasts three weeks in a row. The picture originates in HD format with Dolby Digital 2.0, and then at or around 6:20 pm it suddenly changes to Dolby Digital 3.0

Can anyone explain why?


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## brmann (Apr 22, 2002)

I meant to say it suddenly changes to Dolby Digital 3.2


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## dpd146 (Oct 1, 2005)

I haven't noticed it. Could be the local feed.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Same thing happens on the Sunday NFL broadcasts too... Sometimes they start in 2.0 and switch to 5.1 after a commercial break or as the game starts. Other times it also starts in SD, then switches to HD similarly after the game is on.

I always figured somebody was snoozing at the switch and forgets to flip the HD on properly at the start of the game, since usually pre-game and studio stuff is in SD only... but I suppose there could also be a technical limitation somewhere that I'm not aware of as well.


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## brmann (Apr 22, 2002)

This is the the East Coast feed (I do not get any locals). I really only notice it because my Sony receiver displays a blue light whenever in 5.1 (actually says 3/2). This has happened at the (approx) same time three weeks in a row.

Also confusing (to me) is why the Dish HD Demo channel only (afaik) broadcasts in 2.0


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

brmann said:


> This is the the East Coast feed (I do not get any locals). I really only notice it because my Sony receiver displays a blue light whenever in 5.1 (actually says 3/2). This has happened at the (approx) same time three weeks in a row.


I'm watching OTA, but it is the CBS feed that is not properly switched. Like I said, I've seen it on Saturday for college games and on Sunday for NFL games. One week almost half of the first quarter of an NFL game was played before they switched to HD... and another week it took them almost as long to switch from 2.0 to 5.1 (3/2.1 on your Sony)

FYI, I forget the model, but I have a Sony receiver as well.



brmann said:


> Also confusing (to me) is why the Dish HD Demo channel only (afaik) broadcasts in 2.0


Nothing in the HD standard or digital for that matter, says you have to broadcase full surround sound in all the channels. The Dish Demo channel and ESPN both display always as 2.0 Dolby for me, but the Pro Logic II option on your Sony should make good surround out of that. Dish Demo is probably just 2.0... but ESPN is using something called Circle Surround, which is different than Dolby Surround... but the Pro Logic circuitry can find and make decent surround out of it.

Some of my locals are the same way... might be digital or HD, but not in 5.1... If you have any of the pay channels (HBO, SHO, etc) there are a few of those in SD that are in 5.1 for some movies if you check... but not all the time.


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## dpd146 (Oct 1, 2005)

brmann said:


> This is the the East Coast feed (I do not get any locals). I really only notice it because my Sony receiver displays a blue light whenever in 5.1 (actually says 3/2). This has happened at the (approx) same time three weeks in a row.
> 
> Also confusing (to me) is why the Dish HD Demo channel only (afaik) broadcasts in 2.0


This is a dumb question. But where is the Dish HD Demo channel?


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## brmann (Apr 22, 2002)

dpd146 said:


> This is a dumb question. But where is the Dish HD Demo channel?


Well, on my 921 it is on channel 9443


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

The Dish HD Demo channel comes from 61.5° which requires a separate dish.


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## dpd146 (Oct 1, 2005)

BobaBird said:


> The Dish HD Demo channel comes from 61.5° which requires a separate dish.


That would explain it.


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