V+ : V+ 5.1 Surround Sound

[smallclone]

Alright,

I currently have V+ connected via HDMI to a Sony 5.1 home cinema system (Sony BDV-E380). The sound is pretty good, but for most SD channels I get the feeling it's not true surround sound. I have it on the DTS NEO6 mode.

So, would changing the HDMI connection to a SPDIF optical connection make a positive difference?

Thanks

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by smallclone

Alright,

I currently have V+ connected via HDMI to a Sony 5.1 home cinema system (Sony BDV-E380). The sound is pretty good, but for most SD channels I get the feeling it's not true surround sound. I have it on the DTS NEO6 mode.

So, would changing the HDMI connection to a SPDIF optical connection make a positive difference?

Thanks

On VM, no SD channels have 'proper' 5.1 sound. So, you have to put up with a Matrixed solution such as Neo 6 or PL11.

Try a HD channel that is showing a show that has Dolby 5.1 and see how that sounds.


Just thought; there is a setting thst you have to change on the V+ to get 5.1 sound, something to do with 'override' or something (Don't have a V+ now). Make sure that is correctly set. It still won't give you proper 5.1 on SD channels though.

[smallclone]

Thanks pb. HDMI sounds better on ESPN HD and Nat Geo HD. I just wondered if going optical would improve it across the board.

[Stephen]

Only HD channels broadcast with 5.1 sound.

[smallclone]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Only HD channels broadcast with 5.1 sound.

So there's no difference in audio quality (on SD Channels) with an optical cable as opposed to a HDMI Cable?

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by smallclone

Thanks pb. HDMI sounds better on ESPN HD and Nat Geo HD. I just wondered if going optical would improve it across the board.

My Lounge AV amp is connected by HDMI for Audio and Video, But my Bedroom AV amp uses optical for sound, due to lack of HDMI inputs on the bedroom AV amp, and there is no difference in audio quality.

BTW SD movie cchannels on Sky are Broadcast in 5.1 dolby digital. Telewest did the same for a brief period of time, but it dissapeared for some reason.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by smallclone

So there's no difference in audio quality (on SD Channels) with an optical cable as opposed to a HDMI Cable?

No,

many amps will output DD5.1 via HDMI anyway if its being broadcast with the channel. Most SD channels use Dolby Stereo or dolby surround.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Not all HD channels on VM broadcast with 5.1 sound, and even those that do, will at times not have 5.1 depending on how the original programme was recorded.

ITV1 HD has no 5.1. BBC generally is 5.1 as is Channel 4 and 5. Sky Movies HD are usually 5.1 as is FX.

I use optical to connect my ageing Yamaha amp to the TiVo box (before that it was optical to the V+), as my amp didn't have HDMI inputs / throughputs. HDMI goes direct to the TV so I just have the speakers off on the TV to get the best effect. I did have to adjust the delay settings on my amp to reflect the processing delays on the TV picture. I know if it's decoding 5.1 as the amp displays "Dolby Digital".

[Stephen]

My amp shows a lot of the BBC HD stuff as Dolby Digital 2.0, once or twice I've had DD on STV HD.

Oddly much of the MTV HD concert stuff is also only DD 2.0

[LenMackin]

ITV HD shamefully does not output any sound in 5.1. BBC1 and BBC HD output some programmes but not all in 5.1. Chanel 4 ouput most films in 5.1 as do Film 4 and Channel 5 are the same however, even though dolby digital might be lit up on the amp the film/programme could be stereo only.

As stated above, there is no 5.1 sound with SD broadcasts due to the nature of the technology. It will be stereo (dolby surround) usually in pcm format.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by LenMackin

however, even though dolby digital might be lit up on the amp the film/programme could be stereo only.

It will depend on your amp. If my amp is recieving a stereo signal, it will automatically apply a matrix of my choice and the amp displays 'PL11 Movie'. If it's recieving a 5.1 signal, it displays 'Dolby Digital'.

Originally Posted by LenMackin

As stated above, there is no 5.1 sound with SD broadcasts due to the nature of the technology. It will be stereo (dolby surround) usually in pcm format

You can add 5.1 audio to an SD channel; Sky do it on movie channels and for a while, Telewest did it on movie channels. It's a limitation imposed by VM, not the SD part.

[smallclone]

Any idea what Sky Sports broadcast on their SD channels? (via Virgin obviously)

[LenMackin]

You can add 5.1 audio to an SD channel; Sky do it on movie channels and for a while, Telewest did it on movie channels. It's a limitation imposed by VM, not the SD part.

hmmm? Not at all sure about that. I think what you are hearing is Dolby pro logic surround not 5 discreet sound channels that you will hear with true Dolby 5.1

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by LenMackin

hmmm? Not at all sure about that. I think what you are hearing is Dolby pro logic surround not 5 discreet sound channels that you will hear with true Dolby 5.1

I had Sky movies for a while when it was telewest, and I know for a fact that it was Dolby 5.1. It was just being introduced across the movie channels at the time. I stopped the movie channels shortly after that. It was a good while after that I subscrbed to movies again, when it was then VM and found that 5.1 audio had gone.

True 5.1 sound is important to people with home cinema set ups, so you don't forget or mistake things like that.

[DaMac]

Sky Sports is Dolby "Surround" on SD which is basically pro-logic, as is said ITV HD doesn't broadcast in 5.1 alot of BBC does. As for concerts Sky Arts will broadcast surround sound if the original recording or source has been remastered with surround sound and this is the key, if the original recording only has stereo it will only be broadcast in stereo. P.S. Sky and BBC broadcast their 5.1 sound at 384kbps, a good quality optical cable is MORE than capable of reproducing this bitrate every bit as good as an HDMI connection can.