Did you hear that? HBO now in 5.1 on DTV!

[Frank_M]

Turned on HBO today and saw the Perfect Storm on .. and before I could quickly switch to something GOOD I noticed it was being broadcast in 5.1! I saw the same thing for HBOW (I forget what was on) but it didn't seem the case for any of the other HBOs.

This is great news though! I had heard it was supposed to take another year before we'd get HBO in 5.1. Did anyone else know this was coming?

[Alfer]

Yeah...they started the 5.1 a little over a week ago or so. I use Directv and did not receive the 5.1 on my RCA 5451 Dolby Digital DSS receiver.

What system were you using?

Alfer
http://www.TheEnormodome.com

[El Kabong]

Why do you think this just happened? I've had DirecTv since last July and it's always had 5.1 for some stations. Not all shows are in 5.1, mostly just the newer movies. But HBO, HBO's HD station, and Starz have all been showing movies in 5.1 for at least a year now. Also some of the PPV movies, the HD demo loop station, and some of the free music specials (Hanson in concert was 5.1). Even CBS & ABC's HD stations are 5.1 (although CBS has never had any rear sound that I've noticed). You'd need the DirecTv receiver that has digital-outs to connect to your receiver. Mine's built in to my HDTV and the HDTV has a fiberoptic-out for digital sound.

[Xytraguptorh]

On Dish Network, 2 of the Showtime channels and one of the Starz are in 5.1 on occasion. I've never noticed any of the HBO channels being in 5.1. Anyone with Dish notice that?

[steak]

Originally posted by El Kabong
Why do you think this just happened? I've had DirecTv since last July and it's always had 5.1 for some stations. Not all shows are in 5.1, mostly just the newer movies. But HBO, HBO's HD station, and Starz have all been showing movies in 5.1 for at least a year now. Also some of the PPV movies, the HD demo loop station, and some of the free music specials (Hanson in concert was 5.1). Even CBS & ABC's HD stations are 5.1 (although CBS has never had any rear sound that I've noticed). You'd need the DirecTv receiver that has digital-outs to connect to your receiver. Mine's built in to my HDTV and the HDTV has a fiberoptic-out for digital sound.

So the locals on DTV are broadcasting in 5.1 if they are broadcasting in HDTV? I don't have the HDTV receiver. Do I have to have it to get the 5.1? I currently don't have the 5.1 receiver but am thinking about getting one.

[Frank_M]

Well, it just happened for me!

I've always had Starz in 5.1, and PPV, and some of the free music specials, but not HBO.

Someone said it happened a week ago, and that's possible. I may just not have noticed it since I didn't happen to turn on at times when it was broadcasting in 5.1.

Still for me, its just HBO and HBOW (plus the other preexisting transmissions). None of the other HBOs are doing so.

[mward]

Hi Xytraguptorh,
I have Dish Network and have not noticed any 5.1 broadcasts from HBO. How exactly do you determine if it is in 5.1? Can you just tell the difference or does your A/V receiver indicate a 5.1 broadcast? I have the old POS echostar 4000.

What DishNetwork receiver do you use and does it have optical outs?

I want my 5.1!

[Xytraguptorh]

Originally posted by mward
Hi Xytraguptorh,
I have Dish Network and have not noticed any 5.1 broadcasts from HBO. How exactly do you determine if it is in 5.1? Can you just tell the difference or does your A/V receiver indicate a 5.1 broadcast? I have the old POS echostar 4000.

What DishNetwork receiver do you use and does it have optical outs?

I want my 5.1!

I have the Dishplayer receiver and it does have an optical output which I've hooked through my HT receiver. So...when a movie on Dish is in 5.1 my receiver reads "Dolby D" (usually it just reads "pro logic"). It seems like Showtime shows a lot more 5.1 movies than Starz does...and there are 2 Showtime channels that do it, Starz just has one.

[Frank_M]

El Kabong ---

I knew I wasn't crazy! HBO has NOT been broadcasting in 5.1 for a year.. but I was right. It just began this weekend.

http://www.dolby.com/press/pa.pr.0107.hbo.html

OK, wait.. let me retract that. I may indeed be crazy... but not because of this. :-)

Reading the release, looks like no go on HBO signature, etc. Too bad.

[rubberman2k]

To get DD5.1, do you have to have a oval dish or just a DD5.1 dss reciever? Anyways how much does a DD5.1 reciever cost?

[Frank_M]

Its the receiver.

I got a Hughes Platinum (5.1) for $49... but it took two solid months of sweet talking my installation company. I actually ended up paying $99 for one Hughes Silver, and then got the Platinum for $49.

What happened was, when I was signing up, I asked if I could get a DD receiver. I was told that if they have them, they put them on the truck and just ask my installer. I did, and he said they didn't have any.. but he called his supervisor. The supervisor was really nice and said 'don't worry, I'll take care of you.' And wouldn't you know it, eventually he did!

Sorry for the longwinded answer to your short question.. but I figure we have so many stories about BAD customer service these days, it wouldn't kill anyone to read a good one.

[mward]

Looks like I'm off to the local Dish Network store to upgrade my 4000 to the 4900 series.

[El Kabong]

DirecTv HAS been in 5.1 for at least a year. Wild, Wild West was the first HD movie I watched on HBO HD, and it was 5.1. And more recently, I know Chicken Run, Replacements, and Any Given Sunday were all 5.1. I think the article you read was talking about 5.1 for cable. If you read further down it says "Other networks currently broadcasting in Dolby Digital 5.1 include ABC, DirecTV, Dish Network, HBO HDTV, PBS, Showtime, and STARZ!". Notice is says DirecTv is already "currently" broadcasting in 5.1. So while you may have just noticed it, it's been 5.1 for a while, or maybe I just have the best damn receiver there is!

[Frank_M]

Its just that you have the HDTV feed.. which has been in 5.1 for awhile. This is the regular HBO and HBOW for non-HDTV people

[mward]

I did it, I bought the new Dish Network 501 receiver last night. I thought I was going to get the 4922 (on close out), but for the same price I bought the newer 501 and this one has the Tivo/Replay style hardrive recorder that can pause live television. rewind/skip commercials etc. Very fun! 35 hours of recordable space, no tapes, no fuss, no muss. If you are thinking about upgrading your DN receiver, I highly recommend this. It has solved almost all of my Dish Network problems. Even the onscreen guides are finally updated with an attractive modern look. The recording functions are so simple I didn't have to read the manual. The price is very cheap, some of you are spending more for speaker cable (you know who you are). I couldn't be happier.

I also switched from HBO to Starz. They're showing lots of movies in the Dolby Digital 5.1. High Fidelity was on when I hooked it up. Very good sound.

-

[El Kabong]

It wasn't just the HBO HD station that was 5.1. So were Starz, PPV, and HBO. The article even said that all those stations have been broadcasting in 5.1. I first noticed on Starz for Bats & Heavy Metal 2001.