johne44

Question: The Sony SAT-HD200 has icons in the display mode signifying HD and/or Dolby Digital signals coming in. Can anyone clarify these icons for me?

Examples of my confusion:
With HDNet, the HD icon is always illuminated. My receiver decodes the HDNet audio as Dolby 2/0, but the DD icon is off.

My NBC OTA signal from the Washington DC affiliate never has the HD icon illuminated, even on the Tonight Show (it sure LOOKS like HD).

On the DirecTV HBO (regular), the DD icon is always on. Meanwhile the HBO HD channel has neither the HD or DD icon illuminated, even when the movie appears to be HD.

Is the STB looking for special info coming over in with the signal?

HDave

Who knows. What I do know is that my TV is telling me I am getting 1080i even when that little Icon is telling me different. Also my amp tells me when I am getting 5.1 5.0 2.0 and it never matches the HD200. Do what I have be doing and say "woo look at the nice icons I wonder what they do" and then just enjoy the show.

HDave ( may the 1080i be with you)

Fritz

The icons aren't accurate for me either, so I am guessing it is up to the broadcaster to illuminate them. Don't expect the DD icon to be on much because DD is not required for a high def signal.

Also, the TV will always be in 1080i mode, as the receiver converts all signals to 1080i for display on the TV unless you choose otherwise. The receiver is capable of converting all signals to 720p or 480i/p, even down-converting 1080i to 480i if that is all your TV will handle.

Having been disappointed with all forms of Standard Def broadcasts, I'm more than thrilled to find that the picture received from digital OTA broadcast even with standard def is far superior to any other form of broadcast, including DirecTV, analog reception, and analog cable (which, contrary to popular belief, is superior to digital cable).... short of HD of course.