Venom

is the entire game in dolby digital or just at certain times or does it depend on the game?

when i first hooked up the ps2 to my reciever i wasn't getting any decoding on games or dvds. after changing then menu to digital output, it didn't work so i got a optical cable which did the trick. so good for dvds, however i wanted to check out a game that had 5.1, the only one i owe with it is metal gear solid 2, so when the game very first starts, i get 5.1 decoding when he's walking on the bridge and all. but once it gets into the game it goes back to just left and right speakers. is something going wrong or is that the way it is?

it seems kinda silly to bother with DD if it's only in use for 5 minutes or less. although i haven't gone far in the game to see if it comes back during certain scenes. (last place i was at had me sneaking past the marines during the speech.)

so what's the deal? i thought if it had the DD logo the entire game would be in 5.1.

Flay

On the PS2, you can only get DD during the cutscenes. Game makers haven't figured out how to give realtime DD sound on the PS2 all the time.

But you will find a few games that support realtime surround sound. EA has figured out how to provide realtime DTS in SSX Tricky and NHL2002 on the PS2.

The only console that supports Dolby Digital fully and makes it easy to do is the XBox. Every XBox game has realtime DD, with the exception of the craptacular Arctic Thunder.

The Gamecube is able to provide Pro Logic II.

HN

As far as DD5.1 goes in MGS2, only the opening sequence and very very end are in DD5.1 (and that very very end DD5.1 sequence ). Though I enjoyed the ending, the DD5.1 itself was a let down for me. So for MGS2, it's just those cut scenes that are DD5.1, no in-game (which means they still have to slap on the DD symbol on the back).

However, there are games that utilize DTS 5.1 in-game. The 2 i know of for sure (from researching, not from first hand playing) are SSX Tricky and NHL Hockey 2002, both EA games.

I'm hoping more games will come with in-game surround in the future.

--HN

Venom

thanks Flay and HN. a tad dissapointing but good to know that nothing is wrong.

AgtFox

I can talk first-hand about SSX Tricky and the DTS sound. It actually isn't 5.1 DTS, but 4.1 DTS. The center speaker is not used at all, but the sound is much better and fuller than the regular Dobly Surround Sound on the game.

I am not sure with NHL 2002...I have not tried that game yet. It may also be 4.1 technically.