Sky HD Dolby Digital output

[Turbo-G]

Hi all, apologies if this has been asked many times before. However, does Sky HD output DD in 5:1 over HDMI now, or is an optical/coax still required?

I've found plenty of old forum pages where the general consensus is that you need an optical cable in addition to HDMI else you only effectively get stereo. The sky website doesn't mention the requirement of additional cables:

"Many HD programmes are broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, delivering top quality audio to accompany your HD picture. In order to immerse yourself in surround sound, you'll need a compatible home cinema system. Don't worry if you don't have one – you'll still experience the same amazing picture quality of high definition and stereo sound."

Please confirm, thanks,
Grant

 

[robbiemc]

Unless they've changed it recently you'll still need an optical cable unfortunately.
Although not a huge hassle it really is stupidity that 5.1 isn't output via HDMI - that's what it's there for after all.

 

[iamtheoneneo]

still optical.

 

[Scuzzy]

Sky uses a 1.1 HDMI socket!!' awful, optical only for 5.1

 

[Reality Bites]

I still can't ever get DD5.1 over optical connection to my amp.

 

[chaparral]

I still can't ever get DD5.1 over optical connection to my amp.

You most have a setting wrong on your amp or your skybox...

Have set your skybox to output DD audio through the optical/coax outputs ??

 

[Scuzzy]

@ reality bites;

Which amp you got ?

 

[james.miller]

Sky uses a 1.1 HDMI socket!!' awful, optical only for 5.1

hdmi 1.1 supported dvd audio (5.1, 48khz) and 8 channel LPCM. it was a concious decision not to include 5.1 output over hdmi, nothing to do with standards.

 

[Reality Bites]

You most have a setting wrong on your amp or your skybox...

Have set your skybox to output DD audio through the optical/coax outputs ??

Yeah, set to DD and the amp is set to auto so will play what it receives.

@ reality bites;

Which amp you got ?

Onkyo 875

 

[Sh4rkie]

Onkyo 875

I have an 875 + SkyHD with 5.1 going over optical no probs.

My setup is SKYHD - HDMI direct to TV, SKYHD - Optical into OPT1 on the 875, in the 875 setup menu 1 (in/out), 4 (digi in) and set CBL/SAT to OPT1. If the kids are watching cartoons they get TV sound with the amp off, when needed fire up the amp change to CBL/SAT and have digital 5.1 .

Hope that helps.

 

[neil_g]

I still can't ever get DD5.1 over optical connection to my amp.

me neither but i think my optical port on my sky box has died as coax works perfectly.

 

[Reality Bites]

I have an 875 + SkyHD with 5.1 going over optical no probs.

My setup is SKYHD - HDMI direct to TV, SKYHD - Optical into OPT1 on the 875, in the 875 setup menu 1 (in/out), 4 (digi in) and set CBL/SAT to OPT1. If the kids are watching cartoons they get TV sound with the amp off, when needed fire up the amp change to CBL/SAT and have digital 5.1 .

Hope that helps.

I have the HDMI out of the sky box and into the amp along with the optical. I know I'm getting sound from it as when i remove the optical cable, it goes. I've definately got DD output set from the sky box.

maybe I need to play a bit more.

It comes up as a standard surround mode, but not DD.

 

[Sh4rkie]

I have the HDMI out of the sky box and into the amp along with the optical. I know I'm getting sound from it as when i remove the optical cable, it goes. I've definately got DD output set from the sky box.

maybe I need to play a bit more.

It comes up as a standard surround mode, but not DD.

I'll have a play around this weekend and double check the SKY settings etc. for you and report back. Sorry for stating the obvious but the source program is encoded to DD?

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

The audio option on Sky HD is one of the worst things about it. Sky are clearly working on the assumption that that whilst the majority of it's subscribers may well have bought a HD TV, that they couldn't be bothered to buy a decent audio system to go with it. Hence they're using DD, i.e. a format that's been around for over a decade and has absolutely nothing like the bandwidth available on BD disks.

 

[Reality Bites]

I'll have a play around this weekend and double check the SKY settings etc. for you and report back. Sorry for stating the obvious but the source program is encoded to DD?

Well I've had the sky box around 2 years now and I've never seen it come up as DD on the amp....could be my settings though

thanks for checking

 

[Iceman]

I had a few issues but, after messing around lots it works now. The only thing i find is there are not many channels that i subscribe to output in DD. BBC HD does but ITV HD does not. Well i have never had it output in DD.

 

[rG-tom]

sorry to slightly hijack the thread, but does anyone know the situation on Virgin's V+ HD boxes? Quite often programs start that say "presented in DD where available" but my amp is still only in 2 channel mode, is this right? I dont have any movie channels so can't verify if they are in DD or not, but no films on "normal" channels seem to have surround.

 

[Sh4rkie]

sorry to slightly hijack the thread, but does anyone know the situation on Virgin's V+ HD boxes? Quite often programs start that say "presented in DD where available" but my amp is still only in 2 channel mode, is this right? I dont have any movie channels so can't verify if they are in DD or not, but no films on "normal" channels seem to have surround.

That's generally an american thing isn't it? They overlay that on the original broadcast from the US.

 

[Sh4rkie]

Well I've had the sky box around 2 years now and I've never seen it come up as DD on the amp....could be my settings though

thanks for checking

Working fine here, AMP setup as previous post and SKYHD setup to output DolbyD over Digital out.

Make sure the source has "DD" on the program information, i find the HD channels carry most.

 

[MissChief]

Big bang Theory, Walowitz cooking?