I am starting to not like my E* (not enough 5.1)

[MikeSoltis]

My dad's cable company, which we formerly hated until they brought him out a 6208, is passing the 5.1 on pretty much every channel that has it (HBO, Showtime, and Starz like E*, but they also pass it on Encore, Cinemax, and TMC)....
And I'm getting tired of my non-existant 921. If Comcast would come through, I would be playing frisbee with a dish 500 I've had since they came out. (No I'm in a different area and have comcast, not Armstrong, although Comcast is supposed to have the DVR "this year")

[cameron119]

My dad's cable company, which we formerly hated until they brought him out a 6208, is passing the 5.1 on pretty much every channel that has it (HBO, Showtime, and Starz like E*, but they also pass it on Encore, Cinemax, and TMC)....
And I'm getting tired of my non-existant 921. If Comcast would come through, I would be playing frisbee with a dish 500 I've had since they came out. (No I'm in a different area and have comcast, not Armstrong, although Comcast is supposed to have the DVR "this year")

The Encore channels don't provide any 5.1 feeds to any providers. There is no way you were ever getting an AC3 stream on the Encore multiplex since they simply don't provide it. I can tell you with certainty that you are getting more true AC3 streams from Echostar. Do you know the difference between AC3 and ProLogic?

[MikeSoltis]

Cameron, I was over there yesterday watching part of LOTR: FOTR, and it was indeed in "true" 5.1, big time.

AFAIK, only the 'main' Encore (E and W) are sending out 5.1 (switched on for movies that have it like HBO, Starz, etc.)

And just today, 'Solaris' was on MAX, and indicated at the beginning that it was in 5.1 (and HD), but no 5.1 (and no HD) from E*....

So, in fact, no, E* is behind in both HD and 5.1

[KenO]

My dad's cable company, which we formerly hated until they brought him out a 6208, is passing the 5.1 on pretty much every channel that has it (HBO, Showtime, and Starz like E*, but they also pass it on Encore, Cinemax, and TMC)....
And I'm getting tired of my non-existant 921. If Comcast would come through, I would be playing frisbee with a dish 500 I've had since they came out. (No I'm in a different area and have comcast, not Armstrong, although Comcast is supposed to have the DVR "this year")

That's what I'm finding in my area also. It seems to go in cycles. Cable is now exceeding statellite in HD content and is now considered "in". People like us who use Dish or DirecTV are considered in the stone-age by the younger crowd. My daughter's friend came over and saw my dish and said "some day you'll get the latest technology that cable provides."