Directv / Dolby Digital Question, Polk DSS options

Max~Power
Max~Power Posts: 15
edited August 2008 in Troubleshooting
Directv / Dolby Digital Question

Story: Just hooked up my (Digital Solution Model Number DS-1mk2) that Digital Preamp / Processor is sitting on top of a huge Sub with all the connections on the back. Polk System (is this a good, better or best system?). I have had this system for about 5 or so years… I finally hooked it fully back up at my new house after 3 years of no use. Fished wires mounted speakers and the goods.

Side rant: I had the front two speakers, Sub and the middle speaker working great but couldn’t get the rear speakers to work. After buying new wires and a wire stripper/cutter re-hooking everything up again it still wouldn’t work. Found a double AA batter trick to know the speaker was wired and they were. So I cut the power to the TV, Dircetv and Polk system left it for five minutes and plugged it all back in. It was then all working, what’s up with that?

So I have a Directv DVR Plus+. It has a Dolby Digital symbol on the front and their website said it would run it.

1. Do I need any special wiring for this sound? (Do not have HD or HDMI)
2. How do I know if the show on DirecTV has Dolby Digital sound? (I press info and sometimes there’s a ‘secondary audio’ symbol but no DD symbol. Directv.com was no help either..
3. Should I have my Red and White wires running into ‘DSS” or cable?

Right now everything is running great on the DSS Pro-logic setting, But I have read while trouble shooting my wiring problem that the difference between Dolby Digital and pro-logic is like CDs to LPs….

I really want to hear it in DD if the option is available.


Not sure if this is the right place for this post, but move it if you must
Post edited by Max~Power on

Comments

  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited August 2008
    If you go into your system settings make sure in your audio tab that Dolby digital is selected. Also if you are using red and white rca cables you are not going to get Dolby digital.
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  • Max~Power
    Max~Power Posts: 15
    edited August 2008
    If you go into your system settings make sure in your audio tab that Dolby digital is selected. Also if you are using red and white rca cables you are not going to get Dolby digital.

    Thats what i'm asking...

    What do I need to run from my Polk system to my TV to have DD?
  • Max~Power
    Max~Power Posts: 15
    edited August 2008
    This website claims http://www.greathometheater.com/Audio-and-Video-Connections.html


    Coaxial ("Coax") cable with rca pin connectors

    Both sides of the cable are male, with a pin encircled by a metal ring. Note that these cables in 75 ohm configuration called S/PDIF, are also used as digital audio feeds to connect DVD players, Compact Disc (CD) and some DAT recorders to multichannel surround sound (Dolby Digital, DTS, etc) equipment.

    Audio rca input receptacles are Red for Right or White for Left.


    Then...

    Digital Toslink connections

    Plastic, male to male cables: Black receptacle. Toslink is a fiber optic version of the coaxial digital audio connection and is used in the same applications as coax. Most newer equipment has a Toslink connection to carry Digital audio data in the form of light pulses, rather than using electricity, eliminating the distortions caused by inductance, capacitance and resistance of wire cables. Digital Audio inputs and/or outputs are available on many newer Dolby Digital (Dolby 5.1, 6.1, AC3, Prologic, etc.) and DTS surround sound receivers, DVD players, CD players, minidisc players and recorders, MP3 and DAT recorders, professional Audio Cards for Computer Digital Audio workstations, Outboard AD/DA Converters and satellite dish receivers
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited August 2008
    as I understand it... as I have a Direct TV DVR plus too.. it says dolby digital because it can pass a dolby digital signal through it's optical connection.. the problem being in that the DVR itself is not an HD receiver.. therefore most of the programing is in pro logic only, even though it's using the optical connection.

    on my Outlaw audio pre amp it always decodes it as pro logic. even though I am using an digital optical connection. and in the DVR set up. I have it selected as dolby digital.

    crazy I know. If you were to upgrade to the HD DVR i can bet you that more of your programming would be in 5.1 dolby digital. but it's more $$$ I know.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
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  • Max~Power
    Max~Power Posts: 15
    edited August 2008
    danger boy wrote: »
    as I understand it... as I have a Direct TV DVR plus too.. it says dolby digital because it can pass a dolby digital signal through it's optical connection.. the problem being in that the DVR itself is not an HD receiver.. therefore most of the programing is in pro logic only, even though it's using the optical connection.

    on my Outlaw audio pre amp it always decodes it as pro logic. even though I am using an digital optical connection. and in the DVR set up. I have it selected as dolby digital.

    crazy I know. If you were to upgrade to the HD DVR i can bet you that more of your programming would be in 5.1 dolby digital. but it's more $$$ I know.

    This is what I was afraid of... lets say CSI on the HD channel is in DD but the CSi on the regular isn't... that would piss me off
  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited August 2008
    Max~Power wrote: »
    This is what I was afraid of... lets say CSI on the HD channel is in DD but the CSi on the regular isn't... that would piss me off

    Be prepared to be pissed off then. On the other hand, I'm not at all impressed by the audio quality of Directv's DD signal. The audio off a dvd is far superior imho.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
  • Max~Power
    Max~Power Posts: 15
    edited August 2008
    I have a DVD player but it does not have any DD logos on it nor does it have a Digital Toslink connection.... it only has red nd white hook ups

    No DD for me?
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited August 2008
    Max~Power wrote: »
    I have a DVD player but it does not have any DD logos on it nor does it have a Digital Toslink connection.... it only has red nd white hook ups

    No DD for me?

    correct.. if you are using the red and white RCA hook ups from your DVD player. the best audio you could get into your receiver would be either.. pro logic or force your receiver into 5 or 7 channel sound.. which isn't dolby digital.

    I am curious what brand of DVD player you are using? also.. maybe it's time to upgrade your DVD player.. they are really cheap ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
  • Max~Power
    Max~Power Posts: 15
    edited August 2008
    danger boy wrote: »
    correct.. if you are using the red and white RCA hook ups from your DVD player. the best audio you could get into your receiver would be either.. pro logic or force your receiver into 5 or 7 channel sound.. which isn't dolby digital.

    I am curious what brand of DVD player you are using? also.. maybe it's time to upgrade your DVD player.. they are really cheap ;)

    insignia from best buy.. has dvd/vhs decks...

    I need an upgrade
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited August 2008
    Max~Power wrote: »
    insignia from best buy.. has dvd/vhs decks...

    I need an upgrade

    you'll like what you hear once you get a new deck that decodes dolby digital.

    so your deck does not have any optical output on the back of it at all? :confused:
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
  • Max~Power
    Max~Power Posts: 15
    edited August 2008
    danger boy wrote: »
    you'll like what you hear once you get a new deck that decodes dolby digital.

    so your deck does not have any optical output on the back of it at all? :confused:


    Thats what I said.... I was like :confused:... it's only 2 years old or so
  • Shannon W.
    Shannon W. Posts: 568
    edited August 2008
    danger boy wrote: »
    as I understand it... as I have a Direct TV DVR plus too.. it says dolby digital because it can pass a dolby digital signal through it's optical connection.. the problem being in that the DVR itself is not an HD receiver.. therefore most of the programing is in pro logic only, even though it's using the optical connection.

    on my Outlaw audio pre amp it always decodes it as pro logic. even though I am using an digital optical connection. and in the DVR set up. I have it selected as dolby digital.

    crazy I know. If you were to upgrade to the HD DVR i can bet you that more of your programming would be in 5.1 dolby digital. but it's more $$$ I know.


    X2

    Thats the problem that most programing in standard Definition is not in DD. So its kinda a joke to have it, but if you switch to the HD DVR then almost all the HD channels are in DD.

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