# 942 and Dish Audio



## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

I'm new to this forum and I'm considering switching from comcast to Dish and getting a 942. But I've heard so many differing opinions on what kind of Audio is available from the Dish. On Comcast, I am able to get discrete L&R rear channel audio through ProLogic 2 decoding on my Denon 2800 on most SD programs.
My friend who has DirectTivo (DirectTv) can get DD5.1 ONLY with special channels like HBO and he has to switch it manually to get it.
So what is the story with Dish? I know it offers 5.1 on the premium HD channels but what about the regular SD channels? 
Also, I have Vonage VOIP service plus an extra vonage fax line. Can I use the fax line instead of a land-based line to overcome the 4.99 a month line charge?
Thanks


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## Mike Johnson (Jan 16, 2005)

Kaiser - Welcome to the forum!

I'll try to answer your questions. The 942 has an optical audio out that will supply either Dolby Digital or PCM audio to your surround sound system. You can leave the 942 switched to Dolby, and if the program has Dolby audio, it will pass it. If the program does not have Dolby audio, the 942 will supply PCM. You don't have to manually switch. I don't know of any 'regular' channels that have Dolby 5.1. Many of the HD channels do, and so do many of the SD Premium Movie channels and PayPerView events. Everything else has 2 channel PCM audio that does pass ProLogic.

Dish does not support any VOIP service, although some have reported that it works fine, others say it doesn't. You can use it if it works, but if it doesn't, Dish will charge you the $4.99 fee.


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## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

Thanks. So the 942 will deliver ProLogic 11 discrete L&R rear channels. That's very good news. And you say that it will do that through the optical which will auto-adjust and pass through PCM from which the 2 channel processing will occur. I've been trying to decide between PQ and the best audio and now it seems like Dish offers the best compromise. I've had a mits65 with integrated OTA tuner and have heard what 5.1 can sound like and now I can start fully using it's features with Sat HD programming.


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## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

After reviewing your post again, I realize that your comment was that it could pass thru Pro Logic, which does not have discrete R&L rear channels. Did you mean to include Pro Logic 2, which does have this feature?
Thanks again.


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## Mike Johnson (Jan 16, 2005)

I don't have ProLogic 2 on my receiver so I can't say for sure. ProLogic 2 is just enhanced ProLogic, so the 942 should pass it if it is being broadcast. The discreet L & R rear channels are a function of your decoder and not the 942. The 942 only needs to pass two channel audio for ProLogic to work. Go here if you want to read up on how ProLogic works. It will work on the 942 analog audio outputs, too.

Anyway, simply stated, any flavor of ProLogic should be passed fine since they all are encoded in 2-channel audio.


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## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

Thanks again.


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## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

Ooops. Once again, I've stumbled onto more info. This implies that 2 channel source is not always encoded with prologic 2 surround sound. So simply having 2 channel output is not necessarily sufficient.So my question is still...does Dish provide the ProLogic embedded in its signal?

Like other Dolby Digital program material, the audio format of DTV broadcasts varies from mono to full 5.1-channel surround sound. Because most TV facilities have to gear up for multichannel audio production and distribution, many DTV programs are being broadcast initially in two-channel Dolby Digital (some-times Dolby Surround-encoded for four-channel playback with Dolby Surround Pro Logic decoding). Movies prepared with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital soundtracks for theatrical release are the primary source of multichannel Dolby Digital DTV programming initially.


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## StevenZ (Aug 15, 2003)

Not to worry. PL II is a decode-only process, meaning that if you have two channels, PL II will derive L, C, R, and separate L & R surrounds. It's most convincing when the two channels are matrix encoded, but it will work for anything (just try a regular stereo CD to see for yourself).

PL is not actually embedded in a signal. Rather, 2-channel, matrix-encoded audio can be delivered as analog, PCM, or 2-ch Dolby Digital and then decoded by PL I, PL II, Bose Videostage 5, Circle Surround, etc., to create a 5- or 5.1-channel playback. Even if the audio is not matrix encoded, these processors will all try to steer the audio where they think it belongs. That's why the band's lead singer or the TV newsanchor comes out of the center speaker.

I've heard convincing left-right pans and surround effects from my Dishplayer 7200, with 2-channel PCM feeds of Rugrats on Nickelodeon! And no, drugs and alcohol were not involved...


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## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

So it sounds like very little DISH programming is carrying matrix encoded material and that I should expect to get the weaker type of seperation on most SD programs. Thanks.


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## StevenZ (Aug 15, 2003)

kaiser said:


> So it sounds like very little DISH programming is carrying matrix encoded material...


That wasn't my point. I've found lots of matrix-encoded 2-channel content from Dish that's waiting for PL or another decoder to steer it around the room. And a bit that's Dolby Digital 5.1 (premiums, and PPV, mostly).


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## mikec73 (May 5, 2005)

Just to clear things up on the directivo, it too will automatically deliver Dolby digital or PCM audio whichever is available. There is a setting for auto DD in the menus. D* does have some DD content outside of premiums and PPV. Their audio will also be mostly matrix encoded.


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## kaiser (May 6, 2005)

From my own experience, I have not heard distinct seperation of rear L&R channels on my friend's DIRECTV on regular SD programming (Aside from Premium and PPV which offer 5.1 DD). He sets his to AUTO but only gets mono rear surround.
On Comcast Cable, I get stereo seperation on L&R rear channels on practially ALL SD programming. It's being decoded with Pro Logic 2 on my Denon receiver. I'm trying to understand if this is available on DISH also.


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