Dolby 5.1 audio and Sky Digital Decoder

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mailmarshall

349 posts

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#16695 23-Oct-2007 21:12

Hi

Can someone tell me if i can get Dolby 5.1 surround sound from a SKY digital decoder or do I have to get a MYSKY box?

How can I get it?

Thanks

sbiddle

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#92135 23-Oct-2007 21:21

Sky do not transmit any 5.1 digital audio. It's all regular stereo and dolby surround with some of their movies.

old3eyes

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#92180 24-Oct-2007 08:35

sbiddle: Sky do not transmit any 5.1 digital audio. It's all regular stereo and dolby surround with some of their movies.

And worse. Sky Movies 2 doesn't even transmit in stereo only mono. Dispite complaints to Sky you always seem to get the runaround " We looked at the complaint logs and can't find any other complaints. Can you give specific dates that this happened?"

My reply. "All the fracking time." Never heard back from them.

Anyone else like to complain to them..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Klathman

301 posts

Ultimate Geek

#92184 24-Oct-2007 09:24

I've totally given up complaining to Sky anymore. All it gets me is stressed out. They seem to be masters at creating reasons why their actions are your fault.

They must surely be up there for the worst customer service of all time.

I was once asked by an installer to pay cash for a change covered by the standard sky move fee. When I complained to Sky they logged the complaint and then closed it without getting back to me. The resolution? It's been looked at. When I pushed it they said it was my fault that they hadn't got back to me. They couldn't explain why it was my fault or what had been looked at just that it was all my fault.

Sheesh!!

cyril7

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#92200 24-Oct-2007 11:57

As the others have said currently Sky is not doing any DD5.1 broadcasting. However currently there are two Sky decoders that handle an spdif output, the MySky and the DS230 (small silver box).

The DS230 has a 3.5mm audio line output socket (there are no analog RCA outputs on the DS230, but 2xSCARTs and the 3.5mm), however this 3.5mm ouput also supports optical spdif using a 3.5mm optical adpator as is common practice with miniDisc players. It should be noted that currently nothing comes out this port as the current standard STB firmware does not support the spdif output.

Cyril

mailmarshall

349 posts

Ultimate Geek

#92223 24-Oct-2007 14:51

Thanks all..

Lets hope someone from Sky reads this forum and adds surround sound to the MYSKY 2 box...

sbiddle

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#92229 24-Oct-2007 15:04

mailmarshall: Thanks all..

Lets hope someone from Sky reads this forum and adds surround sound to the MYSKY 2 box...

They have been talking about it for a long time. I heard for quite a while they would start transmissions once their whole storage facility was moved off tape but the latest I heard was that it would probably occur at the same time as HD transmissions which won't be until mid to late next year.

Rentakill

82 posts

Master Geek

#93538 2-Nov-2007 20:28

Hi Guys.

Like you guys, i also have sent numerous emails to the Sky Team, a couple to John Fallet aswell who apparantly is a Avid Movie Buff.
All attempts come back with the normal, "You should upgrade your connection from RF to Scart.. Blah Blah Blah".. The usual line.
You would think if the CEO was a Avid Movie Buff, then surely he would expect Multi channel Audio when watching any Movies from a service hes in charge of..
At the end of the day, even when Sky do finally go multi Channel , id wouldnt expect it to be flash.
Just look at the Quality of Juice Tv for example.. So flat, Dull and boring, and thats via Spdiff output.

As a Holder of a MySky box, i can confirm only 2 channel PCM Audio is passing via the Spdiff socket.
While this is better than using the analogue outs, its still pretty dull.

In comparison to Foxtell Australia.. Many of there Movies are in 5.1 Dolby Digital, which is pretty clean and impressive.
Even there 2 channel Stereo sources are Clean and crisp and have good balance.

Sky will get there, but as the saying goes.. It wont happen over night, but it will happen !.

Equinox IT

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allstarnz

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#93690 4-Nov-2007 15:30

Agreed, you'd hardly say that Sky are at the forefront of 'emerging technology' (or even just technology for that matter).

Their audio quality is pretty dodgy, as is their picture quality. They are slow at implementing widescreen broadcasts, and any proper interactivity.

Considering the amount of money we pay them each month, you'd think they'd be a bit quicker at reinvesting it in infrastructure instead of lining their shareholders pockets.

sbiddle

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#93697 4-Nov-2007 16:16

allstarnz: Agreed, you'd hardly say that Sky are at the forefront of 'emerging technology' (or even just technology for that matter).

Their audio quality is pretty dodgy, as is their picture quality. They are slow at implementing widescreen broadcasts, and any proper interactivity.

Considering the amount of money we pay them each month, you'd think they'd be a bit quicker at reinvesting it in infrastructure instead of lining their shareholders pockets.

The real problem is that 95% of Sky customers are oblivious to many issues and simply don't care. They don't know that people aren't supposed to be stretched sideways and made to look fat because it's not a proper WS broadcast. There system must be perfect because they have been to store X who sold them a $200 monster cable to hook their Sky box up to their TV.

tstone

381 posts

Ultimate Geek

#93922 6-Nov-2007 12:37

allstarnz: Considering the amount of money we pay them each month, you'd think they'd be a bit quicker at reinvesting it in infrastructure instead of lining their shareholders pockets.

This sounds kind of familiar. Wait a minute......this isn't the Telecom forum is it?

cyril7

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#93923 6-Nov-2007 12:41

There system must be perfect because they have been to store X who sold them a $200 monster cable to hook their Sky box up to their TV

And that was just for the Belinglee PAL to PAL RF connection

Cyril