Dolby Digital 2/0?

[Scotty]

I'm confused about the sound coming out the digital port on my voom receiver. I just bought a new Sony A/V receiver that has up to 7.1 channel sound. It has many of the newest decoders.

While watching the voom receiver, every time I change channels, it scrolls the sound format across the receivers face. It also displays a map of the speakers. On all the voom exclusives, it displays Dolby Digital 3/2 1. But on almost all of the other channels, including most of the movie channels (even the HD ones), it displays Dobly Digital 2/0. It then only shows the speaker map with the 2 front stereo speakers, and the subwoofer. I read the manual and it says the subwoofer channel is generated in some 2 channel broadcasts. In 3/2 1, it shows all 5 speakers and the sub.

Anyone know what's going on here? I can't find anything in the manual that describes the text that scrolls on the face.

I am definitely not getting center or surrounds when this happens.

 

[garveyj]

How do you have it coming into your reciever. If you are using the red and white RCA connectors it will only do Stereo 2.0 sound. however if you are using the Fiber Optic or Coaxial connection it should do Dolby Digital 5.1.

Also how do you have your reciever set up. My receiver allows me to automatically have the reciever choose the correct setting (which it chooses digital by default), or I can manually set it to always use digital or stereo.

 

[n0qcu]

The majority of the HD movie channels broadcast in dolby 2.0 with just a few of the programs actually in DD 5.1

 

[Scotty]

How do you have it coming into your reciever. If you are using the red and white RCA connectors it will only do Stereo 2.0 sound. however if you are using the Fiber Optic or Coaxial connection it should do Dolby Digital 5.1.

Also how do you have your reciever set up. My receiver allows me to automatically have the reciever choose the correct setting (which it chooses digital by default), or I can manually set it to always use digital or stereo.

Sorry, I forgot to mention. I have the optical digital cable from voom to the receiver. If I had just the composite (rca red white) the receiver would only show dolby pro logic II. But it is displaying Dolby Digital 2/0. I didn't think there was such a thing. I thought Dolby Digital on came in 5.1 and up, and that it would display pro logic or stereo, if the signal were only coming in on two channels. Maybe Sony screwed up and that's what's happening.

:shocked

 

[Scotty]

The majority of the HD movie channels broadcast in dolby 2.0 with just a few of the programs actually in DD 5.1

That sucks. I thought DD 5.1 was a mandate with HD, by the FCC, FGS.



And I didn't know that DD 2.0 existed. My old receiver would say Dolby Pro when a 2 channel source with steering logic would come in, or Stereo, when a simple 2 channel source would come in. That's what I get for buying a cheap Sony receiver in the interim. Time to start saving for that Denon AVR 5803.

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/Denon-AVR5803p1.html

 

[Sean Mota]

Actually all Voom Exclusives channels are DD 5.1

 

[K R Kimmel]

The Dolby Digital (or AC-3) audio standard allows for a number of full range audio channels (up to 5) and a LFE channel (subwoofer). The following configurations are possible.

1.0 Monaural without LFE
1.1 Monaural with LFE
2.0 Stereo without LFE
2.1 Stereo with LFE
3.0 Front L and R plus center or monaural surround without LFE
3.1 Front L and R plus center or monaural surround with LFE
4.0 Front L and R plus center and monaural surround or surround L and R without LFE
4.1 Front L and R plus center and monaural surround or surround L and R with LFE
5.0 Front L and R plus center and surround L and R without LFE
5.1 Front L and R plus center and surround L and R with LFE

Additionally the 2.0/2.1 format may be encoded for Dolby Pro Logic/Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound and the 5.0/5.1 format may be encoded with Dolby Digital Surround EX for a center surround channel.

The ATSC standard for digital television broadcast (which includes HDTV) mandates the use of Dolby Digital for the audio portions of the signal. While it does allow 5.1 audio any of the other audio formats are permissible.

 

[K R Kimmel]

The system your Sony receiver most likely follows this format.
A/B C
Where A=number of front channels B=number of surround channels and C=number of LFE channels (not displayed when C=0)

So for the possible Dolby Digital formats your receiver would show the following.

DD 1.0 1/0
DD 1.0 1/0 1
DD 2.0 2/0
DD 2.1 2/0 1
DD 3.0 3/0 or 2/1
DD 3.1 3/0 1 or 2/1 1
DD 4.0 3/1 or 2/2
DD 4.1 3/1 1 or 2/2 1
DD 5.0 3/2
DD 5.1 3/2 1
DD Surround EX 3/3 or 3/3 1