Where has 5.1 gone?

[JCM]

I have noticed that numerous "serial" shows on 842 (Dexter, Stargate Atlantis, True Blood etc.) have dropped to 2 chanel audio. There are still some movies in 5.1 so I know my equipment is working.
I also see that OZ has gone to 2 chanel audio and narrow screen on the "new" HBO.
Why the step backwards on the pay movie chanels. The network chanels are continuing with 5.1 - for now?

[inview11]

I am really disappointed in the so-called new HBO CANADA
it is not new...Teri Hart, of the Movie Network, does the interviews now for HBO CANADA.
I know the Movie Network owns HBO CANADA, but c'mon, bring in something new.
All the HBO shows are still ending up on the movie network.
and we in Canada, still don't get all the HBO shows.
OZ is an old show, and they are saying it is new..NOT!
why even bother having HBO Canada when all the shows still end up being on the movie network?
can someone please explain to me the need for this.

thanks

Brad
and yes, to the OP above...the 5.1 is gone from most shows

[57]

Dexter has always been DD2.0. Astral advised me that this is because of a tight schedule and they can't get the DD5.1 mix to Astral in time from Showtime. Sounds fishy, but that's what I was told.

I'm pretty sure True Blood is DD5.1 - I watch it regularly. Don't know about the other programmes as I don't watch them, however, a lot more programming is DD5.1 today than it was a year or two ago.

This has nothing to do with BTV, so the thread has been moved. If you search for "astral DD5.1" and my username, you'll find several threads on the topic of DD5.1.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...t=astral+DD5.1

See also:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=17870

HBO...can someone please explain to me the need for this.

There's an HBO discussion thread where this has been discussed extensively, please read it and post there, unless you're discussing DD5.1.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=92511

Or do an advanced search for HBO* in the the thread title.

[VuMax]

I happened to still have copies of all 3 shows on my PVR and all 3 are 2.0. You can add Sanctuary to the list as well.

[57]

I happened to still have copies of all 3 shows on my PVR and all 3 are 2.0.

I checked True Blood this evening. It is (as I reported earlier) DD5.1 (Astral/HBO/TMN-HD, Rogers).

It would be really weird if Corus/MC's half of HBO Canada got the 2.0 version, but stranger things have happened.

[VuMax]

I just checked my copy of last night's episode on MC and it's 2.0. Interesting point you make about HBO though. I recorded it on 842 (MCHD), not the HBO channel (837). 837 has it again Tuesday night. I'm going to check and see if it's 5.1 on there.

[57]

I would expect you to get the same results as the signal would probably come off the same server. If you confirm that on Tuesday, you may want to contact Corus to see why they have a 2.0 version while Astral have a 5.1.

We have had similar issues before where Astral and Corus get different versions of the same programme, even though they often negotiate together. I believe a while ago MC had an OAR version of a movie while TMN had 16:9 for example. This may just be the studios sending whatever they feel like, instead of sending what's requested. I know that Astral was quite frustrated with the Studios for doing this, but lately they've been tracking what the studio sends vs. what's been requested much more diligently and we've been able to see a lot more DD5.1 than a year or two ago when I and others brought this up with them.

Perhaps Corus needs to do the same.

[Neild]

This highlights that these Canadian movie channels have an unfair monopoly, hence they care so little about delivering quality.

On a similar note, today Showcase HD broadcast the background audio channels only, leaving the program without any dialog.

It's too bad we Canadian consumers tolerate this.

[Barney Rubble]

It's too bad we Canadian consumers tolerate this.

I don't. that is why i no longer have any cable in my house. I record things at my Trailer in Birch Bay Wa and when I go down there on weekends I can watch all my favourite shows the way they are meant to be seen, ie 5.1, more HD than here and no simi subs and the real networks not watered down Canadian ones pretending to be something they are not.. I work during the week so i don't have time for tv much anyway, but come the weekend...

[alandla]

Thankfully I found this thread or I would really be freaking out.

I just got my new Sony Bravia LCD with the 975 HTIB hooked up to a HD DVR from Eastlink and recorded both Cloverfield and Stargate Atlantis on the TMN HD channel.

Last night I sat down to watch them with full 5.1 digital surround but I was getting no sound from the rear speakers while watching Atlantis.

I tried Cloverfield and sure enough there was surround sound so I was really confused as to what was going on.

Never having surround sound before, I first thought that maybe Atlantis was just to subtle to hear it but now I understand what the issue is.

I'm still be ripped off but at least I feel better that my system (and my hearing) seems to be working.

[57]

Note that if you read the operating manual of the 975 you will find that it defaults to "stereo" for incoming DD2.0 signals. If you want to hear Dolby Pro Logic sound (surround sound from DD2.0 incoming signals) you need to change the settings of the HTiB.

I can't remember for sure - I did this during an optimization last week and the instructions were around page 32 of the manual . Go into Setup or something similar and select DPLII for example.

Once properly set, you will see DPLII on the display of the 975 for DD2.0 incoming signals and the dialogue will come out the center channel, with surround sound coming from the rear speakers (when it's there - on some programming - news for example doesn't have much surround sound, explosions and the like - while most movies have surround sound )

[alandla]

Thanks for that piece of info. I missed that setting.

[Q]

I haven't been watching to much TV but shows are starting to come back now and I am noticing DD5.1 is not being broadcast.

TMN, MPIX and SuperChannel2 all have been DD2.0 tonight so far. I also noticed TSN and TSN2 have been broadcasting in both. For instance after the hockey game just after the canadian national anthem is switched from DD5.1 to DD2.0 on the fly.

We pay good money for these premium channels and I barely watch them as it is. When I watch StarGate Atlantis I expect it to be DD5.1 as it always has been.

Anyone else noticing this?

[i hate tv]

Out of curiosity, how much bandwidth would this type of change save?

[Telecaster]

I'm sure I noticed a sound drop last night during the Bon Jovi concert , just scanned through a few channels your right DD5.1 is gone from TMN, MPIX and Super Channel The sound is half of the experience on HD line up for me. This sucks....

Tele