|   Digital Cable | chelms1946
Nov 27, 2001 6:01 AM | | I am trying to get the best sound possible from my digital cable service, but have noticed that the so-called digital channels sound actually better when I select the analog setting on my receiver, is this because its not true digital? Also, when I set the audio setting to auto-digital it goes automatically to "stereo" mode. In order to get sound from both the analog over the air channels and the digital channels, wouldn't I have to use both analog and digital audio cables?
Im thinking I'm better off switching to satellite in the future. |
| re: Digital Cable | FLZapped
Nov 27, 2001 6:11 AM | | Wow. there are a lot of variables here.
Quite frankly, you are probably paying more for this service. WHy not call the cable company nad have them send a representative over and you demonstrate what you have mentioned here and make them answer why their digital service is lacking in quality.
Good Luck.
-Bruce |
| re: Digital Cable | Spiky
Nov 28, 2001 7:12 AM | | "when I set the audio setting to auto-digital it goes automatically to "stereo" mode"
This is correct. Most broadcasts are in stereo or mono. Very few are actually DD 5.1. It sounds like your cable box probably converts to analog from the original signal, then converts back to digital for transmission out the digital audio output. And it sucks at it, so your sound is crappy through the digital output. Face it, cable sucks. The 2 DBS companies aren't far behind in the 'sucking' department. God, I wish I had money and energy for a BUD. |
| No you don't! | woodman
Nov 28, 2001 9:10 AM | | Spiky:
I agree 100% with you when you say that the digital cable is really a hoax and a scam - especially in the audio department.
But I disagree vehemently with both of your statements about satellite television.
"The 2 DBS companies aren't far behind in the 'sucking' department."
I can't speak for DirecTV since I'll have nothing whatsoever to do with them, but as for Dish Network, I get excellent sound from them - nearly ALWAYS on every channel I select (there's a bunch that I never go to).
"God, I wish I had money and energy for a BUD."
No, you don't. I have one sitting in my front yard that I'd give you free - come and take it away! C-band satellite is a dying format for consumers ... it'll remain viable for programmers to use, but a lot of what's on those birds has "gone digital" so is no longer available to the public (unless you want to spend a bunch of money for one of G-I's digital IRDs - about $1K). Fuggitaboudit!
woodman |
| Yes, I do!! | Spiky
Nov 29, 2001 12:13 PM | | Um, let me clarify:
Mostly I was talking about cable/sat BOXES and 5.1 sound. As for the overall quality: cable sucks, digital cable is a scam (although I didn't say that til now, good reading between the lines) but has good PQ, sat is still better IMO. But not much. I was really saying that cable boxes probably have very poor audio DAC/ADC parts. Or whatever it is that passes for some method to decode the audio from the cable bitstream. Also, Dish's boxes have had many problems with the optical output and specifically the 5.1 abilities. Just poor QC and R&D, AFAIK. And on top of that, there is very little 5.1 content.
FWIW, I have Dish and am mostly happy. 2 channel sound is excellent, but discussing digital connections means discussing 5.1 channels. I just got my first DD/DTS HT receiver and haven't actually tried my Dish 4700's optical out yet. I'm going to put a 501 there instead. DirecTV is almost exactly the same in quality these days. On every level. Their boxes are somewhat more stable, depending on which box.
BUD is the best signal available for video. That's my whole point. If I had the money and energy to spend on rotating, fighting MN winters, dealing with the WAF, new technology costs, etc., I would get one. I don't have those so, unfortunately, you're right-I'm not interested. Yet.... |
| re: Yes, I do!! | woodman
Nov 29, 2001 5:44 PM | | Spiky:
Where did you come to the conclusion that C-band offers the best video performance anyway? Are you just repeating the conclusion of "videophiles" who insist on "resolution" above all else?
I was a satellite dealer (C-band) for a dozen years, and I argued up and down that DBS was for the birds - until I got one for myself that is. Dish Network is the best thing that's ever happened to me since I got involved with satellite TV nearly 15 years ago. Is it perfect? Of course not - but it sure beats the crap out of anything else out there, including C-band.
When I moved up into the mountains of S.Calif I found that there was absolutely NO television at all without satellite. I got me a BUD and went to work learning all about this technology. I was grateful that there was some way I could still get television - and I was willing to put up with all of the irritations that accompanied it - such as:
1. the continuous migration of satellites from one location to another, not to mention the relocating of channels from one bird to another. Also the "death" and consequent replacement of older sats, which often involved re-programming an IRD with a new designator (they hardly ever replaced a satellite and kept the sat "name").
2. the dreaded "sparklies" on far too many channels (about 1/3).
3. the twice annual "solar outages".
4. the abominable chore of trying to empty the dish of an accumulation of snow.
5. poor sound quality on many channels at various times (overall not as good as what I get from Dish Network).
6. the loss of many channels that went to digital transmission.
7. way too many equipment failures.
8. the loooong time it takes to get from one channel (at one end of the arc) to another at the other end - only about a minute, but that can seem like an eternity sometimes.
9. the endless waltz with piracy.
Today, the biggest obstacle to owning a C-band system would be the difficulty in obtaining parts/service for one - it's a dying format, there's very little doubt about it. My most sincere wish is that I can dissuade you from making what I honestly feel would be a major mistake ... fer crissakes, DON'T DO IT!
regards
woodman |
| re: Digital Cable | chelms1946
Nov 28, 2001 10:17 AM | | Thanks for your help, I thought it was the way I hooked it up but now I know its not.
Regards |
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