5.1 sound on broadcast TV

[Joel1963]

I know you need a specific receiver to get the 5.1 signal from broadcast TV programs. How is the surround, is it as good as DVD with higher resolution, discrete sound? Any programs stand out?

[Todd Fredericks]

I know you need a specific receiver to get the 5.1 signal from broadcast TV programs. How is the surround, is it as good as DVD with higher resolution, discrete sound? Any programs stand out?

Joel, the surround (and use of all the other channels) is as good as the person who mixed it (same for DVD's). I've enjoyed many 5.1 programs. A lot of shows (dramas) seem to be mostly center channel driven for diologue and use the left/right (and surround) for foley. Music is spread out a bit too. There usually is some nice bass used during intense moments. I'm not sure is the resolution is higher or lower than the average DVD but too me it sounds fine.

[stypee]

Joel, the surround (and use of all the other channels) is as good as the person who mixed it (same for DVD's). I've enjoyed many 5.1 programs. A lot of shows (dramas) seem to be mostly center channel driven for diologue and use the left/right (and surround) for foley. Music is spread out a bit too. There usually is some nice bass used during intense moments. I'm not sure is the resolution is higher or lower than the average DVD but too me it sounds fine.


Also depends on what cable or dish service your using. We've got Time Warner over here in New York City and after a discussion with one of the cable guys I found out that sadly, the 5.1 sound is "simulated"..

[Larry Geller]

Also depends on what cable or dish service your using. We've got Time Warner over here in New York City and after a discussion with one of the cable guys I found out that sadly, the 5.1 sound is "simulated"..That guy is a moron who has NO idea what he is talking about (like most TWC reps)! I have TWC HD in NYC & it is TRUE DD 5.1! NYPD Blue, for one example, sounds amazing in 5.1!

[toptentwist]

Also depends on what cable or dish service your using. We've got Time Warner over here in New York City and after a discussion with one of the cable guys I found out that sadly, the 5.1 sound is "simulated"..

I've noticed that the sound I get for Monday Night Football for the local "over the air"
ATSC hi-def broadcast is true 5.1 sound...

BUT

If I switch to my DirecTV receiver, I get a Dolby 2.0 version on "Channel 13"
(I put that in quotes because since the signal is coming from a satellite -
"Channel 13" is just a concept).


The really cool thing about the MNF 5.1 feed is that Al Michaels and John Madden
are locked in the center speaker and other sounds are in the other 5 speakers.
The reason this is cool is that when I select the "stadium" processing on my
Sony Dolby Decoder - the processing leaves Al and John alone - and processes
JUST the stadium noise.

If the feed was stereo (or Dolby 2.0 or if Al and John were mixed to the
R&L front in a 5.1 mix), the same processing mode would make Al and
John sound as if they were talking over the public address system
at the stadium...


So... YES... you're ability to enjoy "broadcast" (OTA,cable, or satellite)
5.1 is largely a hit and miss venture...


Nevetheless, movies on premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc) are
pretty much equal to what you would get on a DVD if the network provider is
supplying 5.1 (which is usually the case for new movies on satellite).

[Ken_McAlinden]

The 5.1 I get on DirecTV broadcasts (pay per view movies and some premium channels - no HD for me) typically sounds a bit more dynamically compressed than the same soundtracks on DVDs, but that's pretty standard for broadcast audio, analog, digital, or otherwise.

Regards,

[Rachael Bee]

The local ABC affiliate frequently forgets to switch the HD feed to the local news after Monday Night Football or whatever HD is showing on the network feed. So, I've seen the ABC HD loop many a time. I even have a 1080i D-VHS tape of it. It's about 6-7 minutes long. It has a Monsters Inc. ad, a tour of the new HD Good Morning America studio, some ABC splashscreens, some wacky Colourbars with mult-quarants with all kinds of tests, and Space Shuttle footage without the original sound. Surround sound test tones are substituted. A voice informs you that the sub tone goes down to 50 hz. Wouldn't wanna blow up anybody's HT-in-a-box.

The sound is good up to an extent but I'm jaded from years ofexposure to LD's, DVD's and D-VHS that all obviously sound better. Well, it beats the sox off what they used to broadcast.

[Doug Sclar]

The NYPD Blue is excellent 5.1 for sure, but I've had some strange occurances with it. On a few of the broadcasts there was no dialog. This is not to say that there wasn't a center channel. Quite the contrary. There was plenty of foley coming out of the center. Once the dialog came in halfway through the show.

But when it is not messed up like that, it is scary good at times. I can't tell you how many times I heard somebody typing in the room behind me, or cars going by in my kitchen.

I am not sure if the messed up 5.1 was a network issue or my LA affiliate, though I can't see how the local affiliate could have caused that type of problem. :confused: I mentioned it to a friend in San Diego who was watching and he didn't seem to notice the problem at the same time. I can't see how it could be on my end since I had center info, and it's only happened on NYPD Blue and a few times. Go figure!

[jojopuppyfish]

What are the ways to get the 5.1 signal? Do you need cable or Satellite?
COuld you just buy a stereo receiver and hook the regular tv cable to the stereo?

[Doug Sclar]

What are the ways to get the 5.1 signal? Do you need cable or Satellite?
COuld you just buy a stereo receiver and hook the regular tv cable to the stereo?
It is a digital signal so you would need a digital cable box, a digital satallite box, or a digital hdtv receiver. A stereo receiver would not work. The output from the digital receivers is either toss link or coaxial cable through an rca jack. You have to plug it into a modern surround sound processor or av receiver which has either the toss link or digital coax inputs. Most current surround receivers have this I believe.

[Rachael Bee]

What are the ways to get the 5.1 signal? Do you need cable or Satellite?
COuld you just buy a stereo receiver and hook the regular tv cable to the stereo?

All the terrestrial recievers I've seen have a digital sound output, usually optical. They have analog L & R too. Some have Firewire (EEE1394) out too which also carries the video. Some Mitsu sets have inputs for it, but mostly people firewire over to the nearest D-VHS deck or other thingy______. LG has pretty good ones out. Not as many dealers as the other brands but Circuit City had, recently, I got one, it's a DVD player/OTA tuner combi thing-y. They have a stand alone one too. I have two broken Samsungs and intresting discussions with their numb nuts after the recordings. When you finally get a Carbon Unit, they usually lack good language skills in English.

Everything about the LG seems better, the remote, the useful faceplate controls, the menus, eh, then there's the bleeding built-in DVD player that's handy. 'An, totally, like it hasn't malfunctioned yet like the Samsungs did. When you think LG, think Zenith. Zenith has been LG for quite some years. I think the Zenith name is proably over...?

Stay away from the Wal-Mart tuner, U.S. Direct or Digital. hmnnn?, I think, too basic, too many lemmons, people have gotten the version that must be used with Whatever it's called's digital service by mistake or E-bay fraud. You can do better, even with the newer Samsungs, maybe? There needs to be more brands. Direc & Dish have satelite/OTA boxes. The selection is not overwhelming! Get out and see sum'es. Best wishes!

P.S. - the one I got is LST-3510A