E* 322 Audio Questions

[hammerdwn]

I have a 6000 and use optical digital out to a 5.1 receiver. I know that lots of E* channels are DPL-I/II and some premiums, HD, & OTA are 5.1. I get really great audio with this setup.

My dad just got Dish, with a 322 receiver that only has L & R audio out or modulated A/V via coax. Right now it is set up through the modulated A/V to a "stereo" tv, and back out to my old DPL receiver. When I turn on surround sound the audio from the rear channels is very weak.

I think 5.1 is only passed via digital or discreet analog output, not L & R. But, does the 322 produce DPLII out of the R & L audio out and/or the modulated A/V via coax?

If I hook up a real 5.1 receiver to the 322, will the rear channels sound better than my old first gen DPL receiver?

Hammer

[Scooper]

E* receivers generally only pass on what is encoded in the audio stream, meaning the left/right Dolby ProLogic I, not II. But the key here is "what is encoded in the L/R stream" - I don't think DPL II became very popular.

As far as 5.1 - generally, only some of the Premium movie channels and PPV is offered in DD5.1 - which sounds really nice if it's hooked up. If you have a E* receiver that has the TOSLINK output, there is a mode in it for PCM/DD - meaning that if there is DD, it will go that mode, but for non- DD programming, it sends the audio out as Pulse Coded Modulation. In my experiance, this sounds better than the analog outputs (at least with my A/V receiver), and does a better job with the DPL audio than analog. My theory is that my Yamaha has better D/A convertors.

[CCarncross]

There currently are no broadcasts on any sat system that is DPLII. DPLII was really designed to take regular dolby surround and turn it into a pseudo DD to put it simply. Connect the L/R analog outputs from teh 322 to the old DPL receiver, make sure you have the levels set for speaker balance, and that is the best you can get with that setup.

Until you step him up to a DISH recevier with digital ouput, and a digital receiver

[hammerdwn]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure I get some programming in DPLII from my 6000. I know I've seen the indicator on my Onkyo come on, but I don't remember what channel I was watching at the time.

I will report my findings if my dad eventually gets a 5.1 audio receiver and hooks it up to his 322. Does Dish even offer an alternative for the 322 that has digital audio out?

Hammer

[CCarncross]

If you have your Onkyo setup to default to DPLII for DD or DTS then that would explain it. I know with many newer av receivers you can default it to DPLII/DPLIIx for many audio sources....to my knowledge, noone is broadcasting anything in DPLII yet.

[hammerdwn]

According to the manual for my Onkyo it has DTS, DD, DPLII, & Stereo. DPLI is not even an available mode. Stereo & DPLII can come from a Digital or Analog Source. While DD & DTS must come from a Digital Source. AFAIK there is no setting on the Onkyo to "downmix" DD & DTS to DPLII. If there is, it is definitely turned off.

Here is what I found for the Digital Optical:

If I set the 6000 to DD/PCM: Onkyo lights up PCM + DPLII for all SD sat channels, and lights up DD for HD channels.

If I set the 6000 to DD Only: Onkyo lights up DPLII for all SD sat channels (but I get no sound) on SD channels, and lights up DD for HD channels.

If I set the 6000 to PCM Only: Onkyo lights up PCM + DPLII for all SD sat channels, and lights up PCM + DPLII for HD channels.

The Onkyo lights up DPLII regardless of whether I'm using the Analog L&R or the Digital Optical, and they sound identical!

If you say Dish is only giving DPLI then maybe the 6000 is outputing PCM stereo or DPLI and the Onkyo kicks into DPLII? Of course I can manually switch the Onkyo from DPLII to 2ch stereo, if I wanted to. Also, I can manually switch any 2ch stereo source like FM radio, tape deck, CD to DPLII.

Does all this mean that the DPLII mode of the Onkyo is simulated? Sure sounds damn good:)

Hammer

[Scooper]

It's probably an up-convert of DPLI

[ketamine]

I have been wondering the same thing lately. I have a Dish 322 and I just got an Onkyo A/V receiver/decoder that handles DD, DTS, and PL II. There is no PL I ever shown on the Onkyo display. Is PL II backwards compatible with PL I?

Is anyone sure if the signal out of the 322 analog l/r is encoded with the original matrix encoding?

[ketamine]

Another question... Does this apply to E* : http://www.dolby.com/about/news_events/press_releases/pr_pr_1204_TVprogramswithPLII.html

[ketamine]

*UPDATE*

Another source with info on Dolby Pro Logic II broadcasting;

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 11/8/2004

San Francisco— A total of 17 TV series offered by analog TV stations and analog cable operators will be offered in five-channel Dolby Pro Logic II surround during the 2004-2005 season, Dolby announced.

In the current season, only a handful of programs, mainly special events, such as the Academy Awards and the Olympics, were transmitted in DPL II, Dolby said. “This is the first big push for Dolby Pro Logic II [in broadcasts],” a spokesman said.

The 17 series are : American Dreams (NBC); Austin City Limits (PBS); Crossing Jordan (NBC); Desperate Housewives (ABC); ER (NBC); Father of the Pride (NBC); Hawaii (NBC); Joey (NBC); Las Vegas (NBC); Law & Order (NBC); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); Law & Order: SVU (NBC); LAX (NBC); Monday Night Football (ABC); Monk (USA); NFL on Fox (Fox); and Six Feet Under (HBO).


I tested out some shows that are listed to broadcast in Dolby Pro Logic II. It worked!

I have Dish Network and and am using the analog audio from my 322 sat. receiver. That goes to my surround sound Onkyo a/v receiver with RCA cables. It was definitely discrete 5 channel sound. So there is working progress being made with DPL II.