Suggestions for Dolby Digital through Cable

[StlNewfish]

I am not receiving Dolby Digital Sound through my HD Channels from Charter Communications. I have the sound hooked up to the Dolby Digital capable receiver with an optical cable running from it to the HD-TV. I have Dolby Digital checked on my Moxi Audio Settings option. I am able to receive the Dolby Digital sound through the receiver using the optical chord when I get over-the-air HD signal, so it must be something with my box or with Charter's broadcast? It used to work, but I recently noticed that it isn't working any longer (although I recently updated my TV to a Samsung LCD and a newer Sony receiver). Trying to figure out if this is a Charter signal problem, Moxi box problem, bad connection, or what?

 

[MDS]

So you have an antenna hooked up to the TV for over-the-air broadcasts and an optical cable from the TV's digital out to the receiver and that works fine, right?

But how is the cable box connected - to the TV or the receiver?

The normal way to connect it would be to send the audio out from the cable box using the optical cable to the receiver and the video out from the cable box to the receiver as well. You would then have video from the receiver to a video input on the TV.

 

[StlNewfish]

MDS...

Correct. Antenna is hooked up in that manner.

The cable box has video and audio component cable running from it to the TV. Then the TV has the optical cable running from it to the receiver. Is that where I am going wrong? I am not home now, but will try out your method this evening.

To avoid purchasing extra video cables, can I run the video cable directly from the cable to the TV, and skip sending it through the receiver? But still send the audio from the cable box to the receiver?

 

[MDS]

The cable box has video and audio component cable running from it to the TV. Then the TV has the optical cable running from it to the receiver. Is that where I am going wrong? I am not home now, but will try out your method this evening.

Yes, that is likely the problem. I've never seen a tv with a digital *input* so you must be using the regular red/white analog audio cables from the cable box to the TV. So the cable box is decoding the DD and converting it to analog. The TV will not convert the analog input back to digital and send it out the digital output. [Even if it did, it is too late - the 5.1 DD has been turned into 2 channel analog by the cable box. If the tv could do a/d on it, you'd get 2 channel PCM out from the TV].

To avoid purchasing extra video cables, can I run the video cable directly from the cable to the TV, and skip sending it through the receiver? But still send the audio from the cable box to the receiver?

Sure you can and some people prefer sending video straight to the TV. If you have more than one video source (like say a dvd player in addition to your cable box) running the video thru the receiver is more convenient because the receiver will automatically switch between the sources and you won't have to change the input on the TV. But, you don't *have to* do it that way.

 

[StlNewfish]

MDS...Thanks for the insight. I'm still trying to get a handle on all the in's and out's of setting up a home theater. I go through this every few years or so when I decide to upgrade something.
I figured that the audio cables that are attached to the component cables that Charter provided me were a step-up form regular audio cables. Looks like I was wrong.
One more quick question...when connecting between the cable box and TV...Am I better off using the DVI to HDMI cable with the optical audio or using the component cables with optical audio? TV is only broadcast at best 1080i, so the ability of the HDMI to carry 1080P seems useless at this point (except for High Def DVD). Am I missing something?

 

[MDS]

The only advantage to using the dvi->hdmi from the cable box to the TV is going to be one cable instead of 3. Component video cables can carry 1080p just fine. Optical cable from cable box to receiver is going to be a requirement to get DD to the receiver.

If the content providers get their way and in the future HD video can only be sent over HDMI, then I would worry about HDMI. For now, it offers no advantage.