I'm a novice when it comes to types of audio input. I have a DirecTV/Tivo receiver. When watching a channel, such as HBO that is broadcasting a DD 5.1, I get the appropriate display on the Outlaw. Sometimes when the program is shown to be in Surround Sound, I get BOTH the DD 5.1 and ProLogic display. Other times when a surround sound program is on, I get the ProLogic display only after I have manually changed to the Surround mode. Assuming I haven't confused you all, can anyone explain why I am getting both the 5.1/ProLogic display on some programs.

I'll take a shot at this one.

Some surround programs aren't in true 5.1 surround. They are broadcast in what is sometimes called "simulated surround sound." This process supposedly expands the image of the program sound to better "surround" the viewer with sound.

Now, when you select "Surround" on your 1050, the receiver searches for the input. If it sees a Dolby Digital stream, or a DTS stream for that matter, it processes that information and provides you with true 5.1 surround sound. If it sees just a two-channel input, it fakes the surround. The 1050 does this by using Prologic technology.

So here's my conclusion. Unless the program specifically says it's in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, it's being broadcast to you only in stereo. Thus, the ProLogic symbol shows up on your 1050 since it is in "Surround" mode and it needs to fake the surround sound for you. Watch the receiver when you go into a DVD menu for another instance of when this happens.

Thanks Jason - but what I am getting is a bit of both that you mention. If a program is shown to be in DD 5.1, the Doly Digital displays comes up on the Outlaw. But in some cases where the program is shown to be in Dolby SurroundSound, BOTH the 5.1 AND the ProLogic comes up. In all other cases when a program is shown to be in surround sound, the ProLogic is displayed after I change the mode using the remote. In fact as long as the mode remains in surround sound the Pro Logic is displayed even if the program is not in surround sound.

Hope this makes some sense!

Bruce

What it sounds like is that the 1050 is recognizing a dolby digital data stream (hence the "DD" indicator) that is only Dolby 2.0, and since you are in surround mode it uses Pro Logic for surround processing. If you switch to stereo instead of surround, you will likely find the "DD" indicator still lit, but the Pro Logic indicator off. The "DD" indicator purely indicates that the signal is encoded in Dolby Digital, and it could be Dolby 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, 5.1, or whatever. Also, if the 1050 is in surround mode and it has a stereo input (analog stereo, stereo PCM from a CD, or Dolby 2.0), it will apply Pro Logic because that's the only method it has for surround processing at that point -- and if it's something other than Dolby Digital, the DD indicator will not be on. The signal may not be encoded specifically for Pro Logic, but the 1050 will still do its best.

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I think I mentioned this above, but "Dolby Surround Sound" does not guarantee 6 (5 speakers plus .1 LFE) discrete channels going to your 1050. The Dolby standard, if I'm remembering correctly, says "up to 5" regular channels of information plus the LFE channel. There is a mode called "Dolby Stereo."

It comes down to the signal going to your 1050. If you're in "Surround Mode", no matter how you get there, if the information is a stereo stream, then ProLogic is going to turn on. There's also a ProLogic stereo mode. Check the Dolby website for more information on this process.


This means that it's being broadcast to you in some form of stereo and your 1050, using ProLogic, is making it into 5.1 surround sound.

Have fun!

Thanks to you both for excellent, and easy to understand information. This forum certainly lives up to the high standards of Outlaw!

Bruce