Can my sony box output Dobly Digital?

[le hutch]

Ive heard that Sky+ will transmit films in DD. MY question is will my Sony box be able to output DD through its optical digital output?

I phoned Sky and the operative said 'Sky+ has a different signal that can only be picked up by Sky+ boxes, we are planning to introduce DD for Sky digital next year when we estimate 15% of subscribers will have DD capability'. She also said that the BBC were planning to transmit in DD soon as well. She couldnt even say Dolby Digital properly!!!

I think this is BS!! What do you think?

[boozydoo]

Lee,

I also want to know the answer as i have a sony box. I phoned sky and the woman i spoke to had no idea what i was on about and just offered to send me an information pack when they are published at the end of the year.

I dont think we will be able to get DD though. Think how your DVD works, you select through the menus what digital signal to output, DD, DTS or PCM stereo. DVD players have the ability to select what signal to output, our boxes dont. So i think that unfortunately we will always output stereo.

Anybody know any different?

[bighairy]

Short answer appears to be No.

For the (very) long answer go over to the following site:

<a href="http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/index.php" target="_blank">http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/index.php</a>

Go to the Sky digital - Technical board

and find a thread "Optical Audio Out on Sony digibox".

These guys seem to know how to pick up foreign stations with a standard digibox and have tested a Sony on streams that are already broadcasting 5.1.

[bighairy]

Sorry Lee, I just saw your name over at Digital Spy already!

I've found to my cost that the only way to get information from Sky is to wait and see. As a company they seem to care little and know less about their own delivery systems than anyone could imagine.

graeme