True Surround Sound 5.1 Question

[WdStock45]

Has anyone run into a problem getting true SS 5.1 through their audio system? I have had service techs. out twice so far and another service call scheduled for this Fri. to try to get 5.1 SS. All I get is PCM 48 which is not true SS. I know that everything is hooked up right because when I play a DVD recorded in 5.1 SS everthing is working just fine.
Thanks for your thoughts and comments.

[Joe K]

Interesting question. How do you even know what kind of sound you are receiving?

[Bobby]

What cable box are you using, and exactly how do you have it hooked up to your receiver?

[WdStock45]

On my audio receiver I have a digital display that shows what type of audio signal that is being received.
The cable box is a Scientific Atlanta, it was installed using a HDMI cable to the #1 port on the tv set. They, installers, have tried to hook it up using the 2nd HDMI port on the tv and still a no go. They even tried to use one of my fiber optic cables to see if that would work, still a no go.
I did receive a call from someone from Comcast last night saying that maybe there was a problem with either the cable box itself or an inline filter from the pole to the house connection that may be bad.
I guess I'll find out tomorrow when they show up.

[Bobby]

Are you going HDMI from the SA to the TV and then HDMI back to the receiver? If so, that might not work. Not all TVs can pass the correct signal out to the receiver. My Comcast system uses Motorola (and they don't intermix) so I can't help a great deal on that part. You say they used one of your fiber optic cables and it didn't work. Was that directly out of the SA to the receiver?

I seriously doubt if an inline filter would affect the audio only portion of your service. I suppose it could be the box.

[WdStock45]

Yes it was from the SA to the receiver.
I have my DVD player hooked up directly to the tv then into the receiver & that part works just fine.
It's probally the SA box that is bad. It's the second one they brought out ,but not for the SS problem. Both boxes they have brought were used before I got them installed.
You would think that if you were given a used box the least they could have done was erase the recorded programs that someone else had recorded from a year and a half ago.