Dish Network and Dolby Digital

[road_rascal]

Hope someone can help me figure this out. I have a Yamaha HTR5750 and a Dish Network DVR522 sat receiver. I have been unable to get any Dolby Digital decoding at all out of the sat receiver, only the PCM and 2 channel indicators light up on the Yamaha panel. I do get true 5.1 decoding from the DVD player and Xbox, so I know the Yamaha is working. I made sure the input mode for the sat receiver is set to digital and all the connections are correct. Dish Network replaced the sat receiver once already (2 in less than a month). Any ideas?

[woodman]

Hope someone can help me figure this out. I have a Yamaha HTR5750 and a Dish Network DVR522 sat receiver. I have been unable to get any Dolby Digital decoding at all out of the sat receiver, only the PCM and 2 channel indicators light up on the Yamaha panel. I do get true 5.1 decoding from the DVD player and Xbox, so I know the Yamaha is working. I made sure the input mode for the sat receiver is set to digital and all the connections are correct. Dish Network replaced the sat receiver once already (2 in less than a month). Any ideas?

Sounds like your Yamaha receiver might not have been "told" that you're inputting Dolby Digital into the satellite input. Check your Yamaha manual for instructions on how this needs to be done.

One other thing you might try - try inputting the digital interconnect from the Dish Network receiver into the input jack where the DVD player is presently connected (to determine if you have a problem with the input circuit that the sat is being fed into).

Hope this helps you

[Slosh]

The Dish receiver also has to be set for Dolby Digital/PCM (default is PCM only). Keep in mind most channels are PCM only. With my subscription package only HBO East and HBO West and certain PPV channels are DD.

[road_rascal]

Woodman- I have double checked that the optical input is set for digital signals and not analog (DTV/SAT port) through the setup menu on the Yamaha receiver. I also switched cables around with the DVD and Xbox just to make sure all of the inputs were working properly and they are.

Slosh- I did go through the sat receiver menu and set the output for Dolby Digital and PCM.

I may order a PPV movie this weekend and see if I get actual 5.1 surround. I'm going nuts trying to figure this out. Thanks for the suggestions.

[rajx7]

Woodman- I have double checked that the optical input is set for digital signals and not analog (DTV/SAT port) through the setup menu on the Yamaha receiver. I also switched cables around with the DVD and Xbox just to make sure all of the inputs were working properly and they are.

Slosh- I did go through the sat receiver menu and set the output for Dolby Digital and PCM.

I may order a PPV movie this weekend and see if I get actual 5.1 surround. I'm going nuts trying to figure this out. Thanks for the suggestions.

Hey dude,
I have owning the Dish's 500 series DVR for last 3 yrs and have been using the Digital out successfully and frankly it sounds awesome. You might have to go into the menu and look into the system setup( I believe # 6 in the menu ) and then select # 8 (Dolby Digital) in the menu and select the 3 rd option for , dolby digital/PCM option. This shoould work for you. Also remember that the program you are watching should be releaying in Dolby digital. HBO , Showtime and MAX have some movie channel on DD all the time. Hope this helps you.
Regds,
Raj

[shokhead]

What will happen if you run the analogs to the tv and the dig out to the reciever? Can you only use one or the other?

[rajx7]

What will happen if you run the analogs to the tv and the dig out to the reciever? Can you only use one or the other?

You can use both. That is not a problem but why would you want to do it as Dig out will play everything Dish is relaying whether it is DD or not. You do not need to use analog out at all. In fact all the sound from Dish Network when using Dish PVR 500 series is in digital.I have a denon reciever and it always displays the kind of source input, it is playing whether it is Analog or Digital. Whenever I watch TV it always says digital.

[shokhead]

I dont always want my reciever on when watching tv. So the analogs straight to the tv would work when just the tv is on and the dig would work when the reciever is on,right?

[rajx7]

I dont always want my reciever on when watching tv. So the analogs straight to the tv would work when just the tv is on and the dig would work when the reciever is on,right?

Yep it works just fine.

[recoveryone]

Slosh hit the nail on the head, not all SAT channels broadcast in DD even DD stereo. So make sure the channel is sending a DD signal. I have HDTV cable and not shows are in 5.1 sounds, but the ones that do sound great. Watching Football is like sitting in the stands and even some of the games are not broadcast in HDTV, Monday Night Football is the best then CBS would come in 2nd. Not to get off the subject to much,but just as DD sound vary same with HDTV Pictures CBS 1080i NBC 1080i ABC 720 Fox 720 PBS 1080i ESPN 1080i.

While most play the sound in 5.1 PBS and ESPN is always in DD stereo or stereo surround (FR,FL & S). So check the source of the signal (channel) In DD Stereo you may not get a DD light on your system if it is not geared to show such a signal, but you still getting a Digital signal even mono can be sent digitally.

[N. Abstentia]

Yeah, check the channel. If I remember right there were only 4 or 5 channels on Dish that were in 5.1