Starz! And DirecTV Launch Dolby Digital 5.1 On A Premium Channel
Encore Media Group LLCís new hit movie premium channel STARZ! transmitted ""Armageddon"" on June 29 at 10:15 PM ET/PT over DirecTV with a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal. This transmission provided Dolby Digital discrete 5.1 audio for the first time to standard definition premium channel viewers. After this first viewing of ""Armageddon,"" STARZ! and DirecTV will continue the 5.1 Dolby Digital signals with upcoming films such as ""Six Days Seven Nights,"" ""Lost In Space,"" ""Con Air,"" ""Blade"" ""Studio 54,"" and ""The Wedding Singer."" According to John J. Sie, Chairman and CEO of Encore, ""Dolby Digital raises the entertainment value for STARZ! customers and underscores Encore Media Groupís position as the digital programming leader in DBS and cable. We now have 13 premium networks tailored for the digital technology into the market so that the capabilities of increasingly sophisticated home entertainment systems are fully exploited."" Dolby Digital is backward compatible with the existing Dolby Surround ProLogic receivers currently in place. STARZ! will continue to broadcast movies in Dolby Surround while adding to the new Dolby Digital. The Dolby Digital service on the STARZ! East feed will be available to all DirecTV customers equipped with the latest Dolby Digital DirecTV System receivers. Two models with this Dolby Digital technology are available to DirecTV customers - the RCA DRD-515-RB and the Sony SAT-A4. The STARZ! West feed will carry Dolby Digital later this year. Addtionally, Encore Media Group will make Dolby Digital available to digital cable operators whose customers can take advantage of 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound if their cable companies choose to provide digital set top boxes equipped with the Dolby Digital S/PDIF output option. For more information, contact Encore Media Group at 303 267 5821 and DirecTV at 310 726 4683.