grieves_b

I have recently bought a teac dvb350 stb thinking that I would receive
excellent 5.1 Dolby Digital sound for all TV programs!

On futher research (after purchase of the stb) is seems all networks
transmit standard definition broadcast in MPEG1 layerII only, with ten
supposedly broadcasting Dolby 2/0 and ABC only sometimes in 5.1.
(Perth)

The teac dvb350 unit has an S/PDIF interface which I have connected to
my Sony receiver. The receiver recognises a digital signal incoming,
PCM 48Hz is displayed on the receiver for every channel. By default (i
think) my receiver sends signals only a subwoofer and 2 front
speakers, (no centre, no rear surround). No real difference noted from
the old ****ouge signal.

Is this the best I will get from this stb?? Am I receiving a MPEG1
layerII signal out from the stb to the hi-fi, and is this displayed as
PCM 48Hz (not sure what PCM is)? Also am I missing out on any Dolby
2/0 programs because the stb cannot decode this signal? Ususally when
I play a DVD the hi-fi recognises the dolby signal and it is
displayed.

One more question, does anyone know where you can get a guide that has
upcoming dolby 5.1 broadcasts through the ABC. I was surprised that
the network does not promote this kind of thing through its website or
even the tv guide.

Cheers
Bruce

grieves_b

I have recently bought a teac dvb350 stb thinking that I would receive
excellent 5.1 Dolby Digital sound for all TV programs!

On futher research (after purchase of the stb) is seems all networks
transmit standard definition broadcast in MPEG1 layerII only, with ten
supposedly broadcasting Dolby 2/0 and ABC only sometimes in 5.1.
(Perth)

The teac dvb350 unit has an S/PDIF interface which I have connected to
my Sony receiver. The receiver recognises a digital signal incoming,
PCM 48Hz is displayed on the receiver for every channel. By default (i
think) my receiver sends signals only a subwoofer and 2 front
speakers, (no centre, no rear surround). No real difference noted from
the old ****ouge signal.

Is this the best I will get from this stb?? Am I receiving a MPEG1
layerII signal out from the stb to the hi-fi, and is this displayed as
PCM 48Hz (not sure what PCM is)? Also am I missing out on any Dolby
2/0 programs because the stb cannot decode this signal? Ususally when
I play a DVD the hi-fi recognises the dolby signal and it is
displayed.

One more question, does anyone know where you can get a guide that has
upcoming dolby 5.1 broadcasts through the ABC. I was surprised that
the network does not promote this kind of thing through its website or
even the tv guide.

Cheers
Bruce

tony_h

Sydney has 9, 10, ABC in Dolby2.0 (and the three 5.1 progs on ABC in the
past year).
Standard definition mandates MPEG audio to be broadcast, so we are lucky we
also get the optional Dolby sent on those channels.
I think all set top boxes output the MPEG audio stream out the SPDIF as PCM,
as they have internal decoders that convert the MPEG stream to PCM for both
their ****ogue audio output (PCM to ****ogue chips are a dime a dozen), and
the SPDIF interface as it is easy. I purchased an MPEG amp (and dolby/DTS
etc) a few years ago when I knew our DTV standard mandated MPEG audio, and
when our early DVD standard was the same thing. However it looks like you
don't get access to this MPEG audio stream due to the box decoding it to PCM
before sending it out.
Now with Dolby it is quite different, the box passes this untouched out the
SPDIF port, and won't pass any ****ogue audio out (I don't think any boxes
have an inbuilt dolby digital decoder). But you have to manually select
the Dolby stream to take advantage of this, it is different for each box how
to achieve this. For the Topfield, it is a per channel selection with the
speaker looking remote key (and stores both streams on the recording,
defaulting to the stream that you had selected on the channel at the time as
the audio stream when playing back). Some boxes have a global
selection/option.
Regards
--
http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
environment etc...

tvsee

Press the audio button - yellow with speaker symbol on it -
on the remote.
When DD digital / AC3 is available you will have the option to select it.

( I think ) - also pressing the info button - pressing once shows program
on now and and next program, pressing twice shows other details -
should indicate whether / what type of Dolby Digital is available.

I have the Teac dvb400 STB.

grieves_b

Thanks Tony for the good info. The fact that the Dolby signal passes
through the box untouched until it gets to the hi-fi reciever makes
the subject of my email quite incorrect! Thanks for clarifing that
one.

I will try the audio button on the remote and see what happens.

Cheers
Bruce