Request for THE dolby digital answer from Apple

Question

My old set up was component video and optical into AV reciever. All worked well, HD movies had DD 5.1 soundtrack.
Now my new HDMI set up doesn't seem to send 5.1 across.
1. I have dolby digital set to on
2. I played a known DD HD film 'In Bruges' but no matter what could not pick up DD 5.1 via HDMI, my AV reciever Sony 2400ES (brand new model) just piccks up stereo
3. The soundtrack worked beautifully when sent via optical in full DD 5.1
4. I tried to select the 5.1 audio track via play/pause button which seemed like a great solution just in case both stereo and DD 5.1 were being sent via hdmi and confusing amp, but no selection option exists.
what worries me is the lack of response (that I can find) from apple on what as usual seems to be a huge amount of postings on this subject.
What would be handy Apple are:
1. A FREE dolby digital 5.1 movie/tv episode to 'play with' on with a selectable soundtrack option to allow you to check every option on your home cinema set-up without wasting £4-£5 every 48hrs. And I know the start up movie is said to be 5.1 but it lasts for a few seconds!!
2. A definitive answer on this issue
3. A difinitive LIST of movies and their soundtrack options, why does it take the pre buying screen to confirm/deny that the HD movie is indeed in 5.1, can't you use the same nomenclature as years and years worth of DVD covers, PUT Dolby Digital 5.1 and the little 6 speaker logo not just the double D's, which in DVD land usually just denote dolby stereo.
4. some administrator postings, I can't remember (apologies if wrong) seeing OFFICIAL responses in these forums, just loads of confused owners. And I remember a couple of years ago when my 80GB firmware update rendered my ipod dead, and it took WEEKS to find out how to fix it, which was a roll back until the new firmware was released.
I love 720p movies in 5.1 DD via HDMI, or rather I love the idea of them. It seems daft that to get it all as it should be I need to revert to component and optical

Answer 1

{quote}I played a known DD HD film 'In Bruges' but no matter what could not pick up DD 5.1 via HDMI, my AV reciever Sony 2400ES (brand new model) just piccks up stereo{quote}
In Bruges - in 5.1 works fine on my ATV with it connected to my AV receiver via HDMI
{quote}The soundtrack worked beautifully when sent via optical in full DD 5.1{quote}
It seems that your HDMI input on your receiver has not been configured to accept 5.1. You may need to check the settings of the receiver.
{quote}I tried to select the 5.1 audio track via play/pause button which seemed like a great solution just in case both stereo and DD 5.1 were being sent via hdmi and confusing amp, but no selection option exists.{quote}
This option only exists in 2.3 if you have extra audio tracks (e.g Director's Commentary, Alternate Language). If you have the "default" 2 tracks of AAC Stereo and AC3 then the Audio tab does not appear.
{quote:title=james beresford-wylie wrote:} What would be handy Apple are:
1. A FREE dolby digital 5.1 movie/tv episode to 'play with' on with a selectable soundtrack option to allow you to check every option on your home cinema set-up without wasting £4-£5 every 48hrs. And I know the start up movie is said to be 5.1 but it lasts for a few seconds!!{quote}
However, no matter if it is a few seconds or not it still plays in 5.1. Again, my ATV to my receiver via HDMI flips over to 5.1 when playing the startup movie, back to Stereo when negotiating the menus then back to 5.1 when i play a movie
{quote}2. A definitive answer on this issue{quote}
Would be nice as it has affected a lot of people
{quote} 3. A difinitive LIST of movies and their soundtrack options, why does it take the pre buying screen to confirm/deny that the HD movie is indeed in 5.1, can't you use the same nomenclature as years and years worth of DVD covers, PUT Dolby Digital 5.1 and the little 6 speaker logo not just the double D's, which in DVD land usually just denote dolby stereo.{quote}
I have plenty of DVD's where the Double D logo is shown and then right after it the words: Dolby Digital. Anyway, head on over to www.appletvjunkie.com if you want a list.
{quote:} I love 720p movies in 5.1 DD via HDMI, or rather I love the idea of them. It seems daft that to get it all as it should be I need to revert to component and optical{quote}
Again, no issues here with 5.1 over HDMI. You say you have a brand new receiver - perhaps the settings are not quite right on it to accept 5.1 over HDMI. Just a thought.
I can't see how a "known' film that plays in 5.1 over Optical but does not over HDMI be a problem for Apple. It's not like they can add "Do not send over HDMI" flags.
Yes, there is a big thread on AC3 not working with the 2.3 update, but that is down to the lack of AAC track on peoples own converted movies, and nothing to do with it being sent over Optical or HDMI. I don't believe Apple would be missing the AAC track on a movie they rent.
Cheers