Any Dolby Digital content other than HD?

[WalksInDarkness]

Does D* actually send any Dolby Digital content other than the HD channels? Just wondering if anyone is recieving Dolby Digital from a non-HD reciever? I was sort of excited when I bought my R10, because I noticed it had a 5.1 compatible optical output. So I grabbed a nice AR cable. But so far I am not seeing my Onkyo theater reciver recognizing the signal as Dolby Digital. And I did properly set the R10 to output Dolby Digital via optical. I was very surprised as I got a PPV movie last night, and was hoping it would be Dolby. Don't get me wrong, the sound is still great (but it doesn't have the same wow-factor as true "5.1".
Anyone have any kind of experience in this area?

TIA

 

[riggscm]

a couple of things...
typically you will have to set your D* receiver to process Dolby.

are you only using the optical for you audio or do you have multiple audio connections from the receiver to the receiver ?

also I know that HBO does push out Dolby on some features, not sure of others.

 

[charper1]

Some of the non-HD premium movies are in DD.

HBO, SHO, Starz, Encore and TMC I think; not 100% sure.

 

[fkostyn]

That is correct, normally the DD movies will say DD after them (not sure how its displayed on a TIVO)

But, Charper1 is correct, mainly the premium stations, and some of the PPV, and most of the HD stations. Aside from that, none of the standard stations (TLC, HGTV, etc) are using DD 5.1

 

[nollchr]

A few of the PPV movies also have Dolby Digital 5.1 on them. HBO and HBOW seem to always have digital audio feeds (coming through the optical output), but not all the shows are 5.1.

I have to admit this was one disappointing feature to D*. I expected all the audio to come through the optical but that is not the case. The majority of the programming on D* is analog audio. When I had digital cable, not all of the programming was 5.1 but all the audio was always available digitally via the optical connection, not that I can hear a difference

 

[charper1]

IF your audio system handles both PCM and digital audio the optical works all the time. DirecTV is not at fault when the channels do not uplink to DirecTV in DD. I do question how one determines that. Just because you may see the 5.1 or DD logo on the show, doesn't mean they are sending all that info; it may, but in that lies the issue.