colossus

Hey-

I've got a digital cable box hooked-up to my receiver Sony DB-930, if it matters) via RCA. The cable box doesn't use optical out.

The DVD player does and it's connected into the receiver that way.

My question- from time to time, HBO will show a film, say, Perfect Storm, in DD. Is this a different standard or does it actually sound the same (or as good...) as the DVD?

stevevt

This:
is incompatible with this:
You can only get Dolby Digital through a digital connection -- coaxial or toslink (aka optical).

I'm not too familiar with the Sony DB-930, but wouldn't it have an indicator light of some kind when it's receiving a DD signal? And wouldn't that not be coming on when you're watching cable?

colossus

In short, the answer is yes to all three (not that the first was a question, but....)

Though I'm using an RCA (maybe this is acting as coax) for the digital output (Adelphia Cable's boxes do not support optical out), sometimes I'll get the indicator that fires the blue bar LED (indicating digital audio) and the display reads 'digital 3/2' meaning 5-channel surround.

I realize that it sounds like I'm talking out of my _ss, but this was the point in asking.

Thanks!!

edclem

in theory, if they're broadcasting the signal in DD, it should be the same (or very close) to DVD quality.

Here in Minneapolis, the so called digital audio signal is rarely better than DPL. The only reason I keep digital cable is b/c it's only $6 more per month, and I get Fox Sports World for soccer coverage.

stevevt

What the audio output on the cable box labelled?

Are you using 1 RCA or a L/R RCA pair? What input are you using on your receiver -- digital or analog?


If you're using 1 RCA, and running it from a digital output to a digital input, then you are getting DD. I'm surprised that the digital indicator isn't on all the time, but again, I'm not too familiar with your receiver. Maybe it only lights up when you have a 5.1 (or at least greater than 2.0) signal?

colossus

The cable box has three audio outs- stereo L/R for analog (I think that's below channel 52, FWIW) and a single 'digital out' for everything else. The receiver is set to auto-decode the signal, so it'll switch itself from analog to digital depending on which input is fired up.

Odd though, it's rare to get a digital signal above 52- every so often I'll get a 1/0 digital from Time-Warner(and never anything 'above' that), but Adelphia sometimes gives 2/0 and 3/2. My guess is that the cable company decides which programs are digital (of any variety) and which are analog. Only some movies are done this way, from what I remember it's Mission to Mars and Perfect Storm.

John Richmond

I've got the same Sony str-db930 receiver and a digital cable box from Time-Warner in San Antonio. TW here broadcasts DD5.1 on HBO, Showtime, and Starz (when available). To me the sound quality is the same as the dvd....excellent!.

jr

Drexl

The bitrate might be a determining factor. If the cable DD signal is broadcast at, say, 384 kbits/s instead of the typical DVD rate of 448 kbits/s, it wouldn't sound quite as good, but it should be close.