Is the audio from Digital Comcast Cable digital?

NewHTguy
NewHTguy Posts: 584
edited March 2009 in Electronics
I recently downgraded my comcast HD cable to the Comcast starter digital cable package. The Motorola cable box has only a left-right audio output. Does this mean that there is no way to send the audio in digital format to my AVR? I just don't understand why digital cable would have analogue audio?
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Post edited by NewHTguy on
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,262
    edited March 2009
    The audio signal coming out of your Mototrola box is analog. No there is no way to send it as a digital signal.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • mmadden28
    mmadden28 Posts: 4,283
    edited March 2009
    The box is receiving the programing as digital via cable then converting it to the analog format so you can use it on non-digital sets.

    It is odd though that the box doesn't have a dig coax or toslink option. IIRC, standard def programs can still have 5.1 encoding. Might be the Tier you chose. I don't recall what my standard def boxes have as an option for outputs. I've only ever used the digital out (hdmi, coax or fiber) for my HD sets.
    What model # is the box? You might want to call Comcast and ask them about your options.
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited March 2009
    Yeah it sounds like you got a bum deal on the box they gave you ; the Motorola box I have has a Toslink out.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,262
    edited March 2009
    I forgot there are probably never version of "cable" boxes over what I currently have. Disregard my first post :)
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • NewHTguy
    NewHTguy Posts: 584
    edited March 2009
    That su*** but that is what I thought. I'll have to ask if I can get one with a digital out. Thanks for the responses.
    MAIN: Polk Lsi9s; Polk PSW505; Lsic (in box); Onkyo SR-875; Parasound 2250; Cambridge Audio 740C; LG BD370
    OFFICE: Polk Lsi7; REL T3; HK 3490; CA 840W; Onkyo C-S5VL
    BENCHED: CS20; OWM3s
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited March 2009
    Yeah...I've got Comcast cable & high speed internet. They'll piss on your leg and tell you that it's raining !! They probably gave you the wrong box hoping you wouldn't notice or care. Give em Hell !!:mad::mad::mad::mad::D
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