Dolby Digital Plus: Which TV program has it and which Motorola model is DD Plus capable?

Dolby Digital Plus is just an audio compression scheme.  It doesn't sound better than Dolby Digital because it is Dolby Digital...just compressed.

In the world of TV, programs are...at most...encoded with Dolby Digital 5.1.  It's up to the developers of the television program to encode the audio format...not Cox.  Cox only delivers the program to you.  If you see a Dolby Digital logo on a TV program, it could be between 2.0 and 5.1 channels.  For example, Game of Thrones was encoded and broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1.  Cox delivered that to you.  Even if it was compressed with Dolby Digital Plus, it would still be Dolby Digital 5.1.

In the world of streaming over the Internet, programs could be encoded with up to 13.1 channels.  That's where Dolby Digital Plus comes in.  Dolby Digital Plus was created to squeeze in better audio with the other bandwidth hogs, such as HD, UHD, 3D, networking support, etc.  Media-streaming providers offer it include a better audio format while saving bandwidth over the Internet (Netflix, Vudu, Amazon, SmartTV apps).

The only advantage of Dolby Digital Plus is it supports up to 13.1 channels.  Meaning, it can compress up to 13.1 channels over the Internet.  It's the extra channels that sound better...not Dolby Digital Plus.

If your home theater system is properly distributing 5.1 channels to 6 speakers with an Internet streamer but your Motorola DCX3200 is not, you either have the wrong cables, wrong connections or the wrong surround format selected while watching Cox.

I don't think the quality of DD Plus is the point of OP. I still value the discussion, but does anyone know if other any channels offer DD Plus with their broadcast? Cox can only give what they get. Anyone know if other providers (Dish, FIOS, TWC, etc) offer it?

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I don't think the quality of DD Plus is the point of OP. I still value the discussion, but does anyone know if other any channels offer DD Plus with their broadcast? Cox can only give what they get. Anyone know if other providers (Dish, FIOS, TWC, etc) offer it?
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From  google search, it appears while DD Plus is available from several internet-based content-delivery companies (Netflix, VUDU, Amazon, etc.), it seems to be extremely rare from cable companies such as Cox. In fact I am not aware of any cable company that delivers DD Plus at this point even though quite a few of cable set-top boxes *are* DD Plus capable (anyone pls correct me as needed). Although the lack of DD Plus could be due to content provider not providing the mix as per explanation above, I am suspicious that it's some technical issue related to bandwidth from cable company vs. internet company ??

BTW I am the OP and the reason I asked for DD Plus is the significant improvement in sound quality of DD Plus over DD - very easily heard especially in a home-theater setup that uses high resolution/high quality speakers and surround sound processor (SSP). For example center channel voice becomes more detailed and clearly defined. You could A/B compare very easily: connect the Bluray player that delivers Netflix to your SSP using both HDMI and Coax cable. Using HDMI, you get DD Plus, using Coax, you will only get DD.

cannga said:
technical issue related to bandwidth from cable company vs. internet company ??

I doubt it. Alot of it comes to what the feeds are. Most cable providers can only give what they get, and since no content providers are giving DD Plus, they can't give it. Netflix and Amazon aren't broadcasters. They license a movie and receive the content on their servers, so they have much more control on how the content is delivered. It's like the difference between a radio station (Cox) and Pandora(Netflix).

Assuming the issue is not bandwidth related, then the next question is what is preventing Cox from asking the content creators from providing them DD Plus materials? Why could Netflix have DD Plus movies, but not Cox? Cost cutting?

I am not sure the ratio station vs Pandora analogy is correct, but assuming it is, what is preventing the radio station (Cox) from "broadcasting" DD Plus materials?

BTW, we are both obviously guessing/speculating, but I still think the fact that DD Plus is missing from cable companies yet readily available from internet based providers points to a technical issue, possibly bandwidth or compatibility related.

cannga said:

Assuming the issue is not bandwidth related, then the next question is what is preventing Cox from asking the content creators from providing them DD Plus materials? Why could Netflix have DD Plus movies, but not Cox? Cost cutting?

I am not sure the ratio station vs Pandora analogy is correct, but assuming it is, what is preventing the radio station (Cox) from "broadcasting" DD Plus materials?

BTW, we are both obviously guessing/speculating, but I still think the fact that DD Plus is missing from cable companies yet readily available from internet based providers points to a technical issue, possibly bandwidth or compatibility related.

You're still missing the point that Cox must take the audio that was included in the satellite transmission of the material, the same satellite transmission that goes to all of the other cable companies. If I have a BD copy of a movie, I have a choice of many different audio formats (since it is my disc.) Cox doesn't have that choice.

Domino said:

You're still missing the point that Cox must take the audio that was included in the satellite transmission of the material, the same satellite transmission that goes to all of the other cable companies. If I have a BD copy of a movie, I have a choice of many different audio formats (since it is my disc.) Cox doesn't have that choice.

But what about Video On Demand programs from Cox, *not* the linear channels. VOD programs such as for example Games of Thrones do not rely on satellite feed right?

It's up to Cox to transcode the VOD programs into whatever format that is necessary: Stereo for tablet, DD Plus for set top boxes so capable, etc. Netflix transcodes their VOD programs into DD Plus; I just wonder why Cox can't.

Interesting discussion.

It's a pointless discussion.  Cox doesn't alter programs.  If they did, they'd have to engage with studios, compete with other providers for a deal, buy a license, select the correct aspect ratio, decode, alter, error check, encode, get approval from post-production houses, etc.  Netflix does all that.  Cox just delivers what's produced.

Cox also stores the same program for on-demand.  When an episode of Game of Thrones broadcasts, Cox copies it to a video server and it's probably available within a few hours or the next day.  They don't edit it.  Heck, if they did, why not emblazon a Cox logo on it or give themselves a credit.

Why DD+?  It's a lossy format.  If you're so persnickety about sound quality, why not ask for Dolby TrueHD?  Forget audio, why not ask to improve the video:  1080p, higher dynamic range, deeper color bit rate or reduced color compression?

Cox doesn't alter programs.  The Internet handles more data.  And your home theater stinks if you can distinguish the center channel from the rest of the soundfield.

Bruce said:

It's a pointless discussion.  Cox doesn't alter programs.  If they did, they'd have to engage with studios, compete with other providers for a deal, buy a license, select the correct aspect ratio, decode, alter, error check, encode, get approval from post-production houses, etc.  Netflix does all that.  Cox just delivers what's produced.

Cox also stores the same program for on-demand.  When an episode of Game of Thrones broadcasts, Cox copies it to a video server and it's probably available within a few hours or the next day.  1. They don't edit it.  Heck, if they did, why not emblazon a Cox logo on it or give themselves a credit.

2. Why DD+?  It's a lossy format.  If you're so persnickety about sound quality, 3. why not ask for Dolby TrueHD?  Forget audio, why not ask to improve the video:  1080p, higher dynamic range, deeper color bit rate or reduced color compression?

Cox doesn't alter programs.  The Internet handles more data.  And your home theater stinks if you can distinguish the center channel from the rest of the soundfield.

1. Transcoding into DD Plus is not editing, not anymore than transcoding into Dolby Digital. Once Cox obtains GOT from HBO, it could transcode it into whatever format that is needed, including Stereo, Dolby Digital, or Dolby Digital Plus if it so chooses. The question, again, is why not DD PLus.

2. As already explained, DD Plus has 10x data rate of DD, less compression, better audio quality.

3. We are talking about streaming - that actually is the main point of this discussion. There is not enough bandwidth to stream Dolby TrueHD, hence compression schemes such as DD Plus and DD.

cannga said:

1. Transcoding into DD Plus is not editing, not anymore than transcoding into Dolby Digital. Once Cox obtains GOT from HBO, it could transcode it into whatever format that is needed, including Stereo, Dolby Digital, or Dolby Digital Plus if it so chooses. The question, again, is why not DD PLus.

2. As already explained, DD Plus has 10x data rate of DD, less compression, better audio quality.

Yes, Cox can transcode and DD+ has the capability of 10x the data rate.  The operative word is capability.  The result is no better than the input received by Cox from the network.  If HBO delivers 5.1 channel 48kHz audio, transcoding to DD+ won't help.  So the question here is what do the networks transmit?

cannga said:
But what about Video On Demand programs from Cox, *not* the linear channels

Im not sure exactly how much control Cox has over On Demand. They run the technical side of it, but what comes on and how is decided by those that own the content. I thought alot of it is controlled by the company "InDemand". Games of Thrones is HBO, so they likly decide what format it gets uploaded. Non original material is probably more complicated, and is a mixture of what the content is available in when HBO gets it into their network, combines with how they give it to Cox, and then how Cox gives it to the customers. Im not really sure where the format is standardized. It's a interesting question.

I think this conversation is parallel with the 1080i vs 1080p discussion. To that end, aren't some EOD 1080p? If so, any chance their audio standards could be different? In the end though, if the content is only being delivered at the lower standard, increasing that standard won't have any real improvement in quality. It would be like recording a tape onto a CD.

Health Edge said:

Im not sure exactly how much control Cox has over On Demand. They run the technical side of it, but what comes on and how is decided by those that own the content. I thought alot of it is controlled by the company "InDemand". Games of Thrones is HBO, so they likly decide what format it gets uploaded. Non original material is probably more complicated, and is a mixture of what the content is available in when HBO gets it into their network, combines with how they give it to Cox, and then how Cox gives it to the customers. Im not really sure where the format is standardized. It's a interesting question.

I think this conversation is parallel with the 1080i vs 1080p discussion. To that end, aren't some EOD 1080p? If so, any chance their audio standards could be different? In the end though, if the content is only being delivered at the lower standard, increasing that standard won't have any real improvement in quality. It would be like recording a tape onto a CD.

I am sure that for Video On Demand (NOT linear channel that's dependent on satellite feed), content creators such as HBO provides full resolution, lossless source (eg Game of Thrones) to distributors (Netflix/Cox). Netflix/Cox then store GOT on their servers and transcode to various video and audio formats (stereo, DD, DD Plus, etc.) for streaming. Each company has a team of engineers that deals with this; one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQrsz3BrfwU

See Stephanie's response above - it is DOABLE, just not being done. Hopefully competition will speed up changes.