The astute observer will see that the Freeview website has now been updated, with better information about surround sound. If you click the ‘Freeview HD’ section of the site, and then the ‘Why HD’ tab, you’ll see that the diagram of the 5.1 speaker system has gone, and along with it the heading about surround sound.
That’s a good start – it means that surround sound is not being pushed as much as it was, which should help ensure that people don’t assume that they will get it, in the way that many have so far.
The first FAQ on that page still – at the moment – refers to 5.1 sound from an AV amplifier, which is only accurate if you have the right equipment, but I suspect that will be updated shortly.
Why do I think that? Well, partly because of the feedback I’ve had from Freeview, about which I’ll write more later in the week. But also because when you click the ‘More FAQs’ link at the bottom of the page, there’s another ‘Can I get 5.1 surround sound’ question at the bottom of the list. You’ll find the answer to that one here. It’s a much more accurate summation of the situation, and should go a long way to making sure that readers are better informed. There’s even a link back to one of the articles on this site, too, as well as to the recent BBC blog on the subject.
