I'm a new 950/7100 owner - great so far, but still learning.

I have a Motorola DCT2000 that I'm using for Shaw Digital (Canada). I know that only some channels/material are broadcast in Dolby Digital (DD). I have my Aux1 set up to use COAX1 and switch to that for DD programming.

My problem is that when I try to get DD programming it displays as PCM/48K and I can only select the stereo derivitives (DPLII-M/C) & DPL when I try to manually select DD.

My understanding is that this should appear as DD/3/2.1 not PCM/48K. Does anyone have an explanation? According to Shaw it is being broadcast in DD 5.1. What exactly does the PCM/48K denote? It'll help me have a more useful discussion with Shaw.

Thanks for any help.

Bob

I am afraid that if Shaw is like Time Warner around here, you are receiving inaccurate information from them.

Most digital cable channels include a digital audio signal. As you are apparently already aware, many of the channels below 100 carry only an analog signal, with the digital audio output being effectively mute -- some boxes, such as the Pace Micro that I have, will convert the analog to a 32KHz PCM signal in those cases; your AUX1 workaround is also very effective. The digital audio signal that is provided by your cable provider (at least mine is this way) is typically not Dolby Digital encoded, it is a PCM signal. A 48KHz PCM signal is basically the same format used to store audio on a CD, and it is limited to stereo signal. When it is Dolby Digital, it may still only be Dolby 2.0.

------------------
gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Bob,

Check the set-up menu on your cable box. Some offer a choice of digital output: DD (which may be labeled as 'bitstream') or PCM (for compatibility with older, non-DD gear). If you select DD as your output, you should get a Dolby Digital stream; sometimes 2-channel, sometimes 5.1-channel. At least this is how it works with the digital cable from my provider.

Good Luck,
Sanjay

Thanks gonk,Sanjay.

I have the DD output option turned on and remember getting a DD2.0 signal a week or so ago (just playing around so didn't pay that much attention at the time, so my memory may be flawed).

Certain shows (Sopranos, Two Towers) on certain channels are purported to be broadcast in DD5.1, but all I get now that I'm trying this a little more methodically is PCM/48K. I spoke to someone at Shaw last night & they assured me that they are doing DD 5.1, unfortunately the one person on that really understood was on another call (wife had gone to bed so I didn't take them up on their offer of a call back).

I'm planning on chasing this down some more with Shaw and wanted to go into it armed with as much info as possible (they aren't always the brightest bulbs and need coaching). I figure if they continue to tell me they do DD 5.1 they should be able to prove it to me.....

Bob,

There are probably similarities between Shaw, Rogers, Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice - to name the most "popular" providers in Canada - especially since the first and last ones mentionned are owned by the same parent company.

I'm with Star Choice and I can tell you that the availability of true 5.1 DD is a totally hit and miss affair. There is no apparent guarantee that they will pass along the 5.1 signal - if it is available to them. This extends to their supposed "HD" channels channels as well. (Heck, they've been selling upconverted 480p Fox stations as "HD" ever since they started carrying them!)

The truly unfortunate thing is that, with no over-the-air HD broadcasts in Canada, we're relegated to having to use one of these less-than-stellar providers. (For what it's worth, a survey of friends, relatives, and co-workers has me concluding that Bell offers the best selection of HD / 5.1 material.)

Then again, our "national" broadcast network has still not even converted many of its TV and radio stations to "stereo" - let alone some form of surround sound.

Regards.

Jeff Mackwood

Found it!!!

I came across a reference to having to enable the channel for DD as well. Turns out you have to do 2 things to a DCT2000 to get Dolby Digital out (besides the obvious digital coax connection).

1) In the setup for the box you have to have Dolby set to "On"

2) when you are viewing a digital channel go into "Info" and make sure DD is checked as on. It turns out this is a universal setting that will actually enable DD on all of the digital channels.

Now, if only they'd actually broadcast more stuff in 5.1....

In any case thanks everyone for your responses. I hope the above helps someone else.

Cheers. . . . Bob

[This message has been edited by beard (edited March 15, 2004).]