Digital EX

[rgriffin25]

I have noticed that whenever I play a Dolby Digital DVD, my receiver will play the movie back in Digital EX. I have a full 7.1 set-up so making use of the surround back speakers is great (even if it is Matrixed).

My question is... Why doesn't my receiver matrix the rear channels into Digital EX when I am watching a DD encoded movie on my HD/Digital Cable box?


Thanks for you response!

 

[audioman00]

Various types of digital transfer methods:

First of all, Does your cable box have a Fiber Optical output?
If so this should carry the signal to the receiver. If this still doesn't work, try to find the menu option in the cable box menu that describes what kind of output the digital output is, I think you need it to output PCM. Maybe also, your cable box is not capable of such new dolby digital output. I hope this helps. take care. -Brandon

 

[rgriffin25]

The cable box is connected via an optical cable. With my experience the setting must be set to Dolby Digital not PCM. (For the sake of your suggestion I tried both. DD did not work with the box set to PCM.) The cable box is a Motorola DCT5100 which was brand new when I had HD installed.

Thanks for your response.
Here is a link to my box.

This cable box

 

[zipper]

When your watching these DD encoded movies on your cable box, does your receiver show that it's receiving a DD signal? or does it indicate PCM? I'm assuming you have a digital link between the box & the receiver. A friend of mine has digital cable but wasn't given a box with a digital coax or FO output. They charge more for that(go figure). Anyway,I have a dish with a FO output & I find that very few programs are broadcast in DD even though I know they were recorded that way. I don't have any premium channels(used to get them all but discovered that many nights there still ain't a damn thing worth watching) but still get some like TCM & AMC plus locals that show DD shows but they only come through in stereo(pcm).
My point is there's probably nothing wrong with your receiver.

 

[rgriffin25]

Dolby Digital 5.1 works fine. I guess what I am trying to determine is how is the digital audio coming from the dvd player any different than the cable box. Being that they are both from a 5.1 source. With my cable box any channel that is broadcast in DD 5.1 my receiver picks it up and it sounds great. Even if I am watching a weekly movie on ABC-HD.

Any DVD with 5.1 DD = Digital EX

Any Digital/HD cable with 5.1 DD = Dolby 5.1

Thanks for your response.

 

[rgriffin25]

To be a bit more clear on what I am asking I will add this:

Dolby Digital works fine from the cable box. As far as I can tell everything is connected correctly.

What I want to know is the Digital information coming from the cable box any different than the Digital information coming from the dvd player?