Thinking of getting Sky.... but...

[Slyder]

Could someone confirm if I can recieve 5.1 sound through a normal Sky box that a new customer receives, or is that feature only on Sky+ and SkyHD. Reason I ask is because I was verbally told by an installer a basic box has an opticle out but the site says different.

[Losttheplot]

5.1 is only available from HD and Sky+ boxes only. Other boxes with optical outs only carry stereo (and hence Pro-logic).

Even then only some movie channels (and most HD) carry DD5.1, every thing else is still stereo.

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by Losttheplot

5.1 is only available from HD and Sky+ boxes only. Other boxes with optical outs only carry stereo (and hence Pro-logic).

Even then only some movie channels (and most HD) carry DD5.1, every thing else is still stereo.

Ahhh ok then. just speaking to the misses and were going to get rid of VM for the tele and have sky installed at the flat.

[the-cable-guy]

Originally Posted by Slyder

Could someone confirm if I can recieve 5.1 sound through a normal Sky box that a new customer receives, or is that feature only on Sky+ and SkyHD. Reason I ask is because I was verbally told by an installer a basic box has an opticle out but the site says different.

Sony VTX-S750U & Sony VTX-S760U have digital out.

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

Sony VTX-S750U & Sony VTX-S760U have digital out.

Yes but their SPDIF output only carries stereo - only Sky+ and HD boxes carry DD.

[the-cable-guy]

digital audio out & 5.1 are two different formats. while digital audio out will be better then standard stereo, it wont be as good as 5.1 so if you want a better sound but cant have Sky +/HD for whatever reason, then digital audio out is the way to go.

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

digital audio out & 5.1 are two different formats. while digital audio out will be better then standard stereo, it wont be as good as 5.1 so if you want a better sound but cant have Sky +/HD for whatever reason, then digital audio out is the way to go.

The digital audio out (SPDIF) will only be noticably better if the DAC in your amp is much better than the components in the STB, the analogue and digital outputs are both derived from the compressed mpeg1 or mpeg2 audio that the source channel uses, so your STB has to decode it. You won't notice much difference between the two outputs for standard stereo audio.
The DD signal however does not get processed by the MPEG encoders, or your STB, its a data stream which stays the same all the way from the Dolby digital encoder of the broadcaster to the processing on your amp.

[the-cable-guy]

if your amp is upto the job then you will notice a difference when using digital out instead of standard stereo.

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

if your amp is upto the job then you will notice a difference when using digital out instead of standard stereo.

You won't notice any major difference with standard stereo as the information presented to the amp is the same whether via the SPDIF or analogue inputs. The set top box decodes the MPEG1/MPEG2 audio data and presents this on the outputs, theres no more dynamic range, SNR etc on the SPDIF output as its identical information to the analogue output.
The digital output only really comes into its own with the DD feed, as the STB does nothing to process this data, the DD data stays intact all the way from the broadcaster, even the MPEG2/H.264 compression encoder does not process the DD data, it simply passes it through.

I've asked this before, do you work in the cable industry?

[the-cable-guy]

? what does cable have to do with satellite tv & what does the fact if i do or do not work in the cable industry have to do with anything ?

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

? what does cable have to do with satellite tv & what does the fact if i do or do not work in the cable industry have to do with anything ?

Previous posts have tended to suggest you work in the industry, and a name like 'the-cable-guy' suggests you also work in the industry. A simple no would have done.

[the-cable-guy]

im not being funny but what i do or do not for a job hasnt really got anything to do with anyone unless i choose to tell them.

[Losttheplot]

Originally Posted by the-cable-guy

im not being funny but what i do or do not for a job hasnt really got anything to do with anyone unless i choose to tell them.

I think its best that people understand you are saying no. That way they won't take what you say about cable as gospel.

[the-cable-guy]

? why is it ? my personal life has nowt to do with anyone 2bh as yours doesnt.

[foreverwar]

I think he's talking about your work life, and its relevance to posts you may make, and their credibility, rather than your "personal" life (imho).