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This is a long read, but interesting.
My Way News - HD enthusiasts crying foul over cable TV's crunched signals
Apr 21, 8:47 AM (ET)
By CHRIS WILLIAMS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - In Brent Swanson's basement home theater, there should be nothing drab about "Battlestar Galactica." He's got a high-end projector that beams the picture onto a wall painted like a silver screen, and speakers loom in the corners, flanking two big subwoofers.
Yet when he tuned in Sci Fi HD for a recent episode filmed in high definition, the image was soft and the darkest parts broke up into large blocks with no definition. Explosions, he said, were just dull.
"It kind of looked like they took the standard definition and just blew it up," said Swanson, a 33-year-old graphic designer and videographer who subscribes to Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) (CMCSA)'s TV service. "I couldn't really tell if what I was seeing was really better than what I saw on regular television."
As cable TV companies pack ever more HD channels into limited bandwidth, some owners of pricey plasma, projector and LCD TVs are complaining that they're not getting the high-def quality they paid for. They blame the increased signal compression being used to squeeze three digital HD signals into the bandwidth of one analog station.
The problem is viewers want more HD channels at a time when many cable and satellite providers are at the limits of their capacity, said Jim Willcox, a technology editor for Consumer Reports magazine.
"They have to figure out a way to deliver more HD content through their distribution networks," he said.
Compressing the signal is cheaper than costly infrastructure upgrades to increase capacity. Satellite TV providers - including DirecTV Group Inc. and Dish Network Corp. (DISH) (DISH) - also have the option of launching satellites to boost the number of HD channels on their systems.
While information is nearly always lost when signals are compressed and then uncompressed, the process can theoretically be made unnoticeable to eyes and ears - and Comcast says it should be.
But some viewers say they can see it. Willcox said complaints about compression have been showing up on Web forums, including the AV Science Forum, a site for serious audio visual enthusiasts.
"It's not exclusively Comcast, although Comcast, being the largest cable provider, is probably the largest target," he said.
Derek Harrar, a Comcast senior vice president in charge of video, said the company recently began using new technology on some channels to compress three HD channels into the bandwidth of one analog station. Other channels continue to get the previous 2-to-1 compression.
In a posting on the AV Science Forum, Ken Fowler of Arlington, Va., compared Comcast signals with those on Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) (VZ)'s all-fiber-optic network, which doesn't have the same capacity limitations. Fowler found the higher-compressed HD stations, including Sci Fi, Animal Planet, the Discovery Channel, the Food Network and A&E, fared particularly poorly.
He analyzed the signals by recording them on a digital recorder, then transferring them to a personal computer for analysis. He found there was much less data, measured in bit rates, flowing to some channels than others.
For example, Discovery's bit rate was 14.16 megabits per second on Verizon's FiOS system but only 10.43 Mbps on Comcast; A&E HD was 18.66 Mbps on FiOS compared with 14.48 Mbps on Comcast. The FiOS system didn't offer Sci Fi HD, which Fowler's testing showed at 12.59 Mbps on Comcast.
He found the signals from the major networks and ESPN weren't getting the increased compression.
In an interview, Fowler said he reran his analysis about two weeks ago and found "basically the same thing."
Philadelphia-based Comcast wouldn't identify specific signals that are 3-to-1 compressed, and a Sci Fi channel spokeswoman referred questions back to Comcast.
Harrar said the company works to make sure any new compression technology is invisible to consumers, but Comcast is "constantly monitoring our network and making adjustments" for best picture quality. The company has been rolling out the new compression technology at different times around the country.
In fact, postings on the AV Science Forum from early April suggest the Comcast network has improved in some places.
And there are other reasons a high-definition picture can appear subpar: The source image might not have been recorded in HD, or the television's settings, the viewing angle and even the ambient lighting in the room could be the cause.
New York-based Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) (TWC) has avoided many of the criticisms aimed at Comcast, although the companies are technologically similar and face the same capacity limits.
Time Warner spokesman Alex Dudley attributed it to his company's testing procedures. He said that before Time Warner rolls out new technology that may affect image quality, it sets up two identical televisions in a lab, one with the old signal and one with the new. Technicians make adjustments until the pictures can't be told apart.
"The testers are our engineers who we call 'golden eyes,' who have a proven track record of picking up subtle differences in picture quality," he said.
Verizon's FiOS doesn't compress the signal once it receives it, and Willcox said it's considered the picture quality "benchmark." However, Verizon said the system is growing but is now available only in parts of 17 states and has just over a million subscribers - compared with more than 24 million for Comcast.
He said two possible solutions are on the horizon, an improved version of compression, called MPEG-4, and something called "switched digital video."
Comcast and Time Warner Cable have introduced switched video on a trial basis across their networks. In concept, it's like on-demand videos. The company sends only the channels the viewer is watching, instead of all the channels at once.
But switched video has its own issues, including possible slower channel switching times and compatibility problems with digital video recorders.
Willcox said cable providers can't afford to ignore quality complaints. Many customers are already picky about quality after paying $800 to $3,500 for an average-size, HD-ready LCD television.
Swanson, the "Battlestar Galactica" fan, is sticking with Comcast for now.
"It hasn't gotten bad enough for me to consider changing," he said.
Dan
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My Way News - HD enthusiasts crying foul over cable TV's crunched signals
Apr 21, 8:47 AM (ET)
By CHRIS WILLIAMS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - In Brent Swanson's basement home theater, there should be nothing drab about "Battlestar Galactica." He's got a high-end projector that beams the picture onto a wall painted like a silver screen, and speakers loom in the corners, flanking two big subwoofers.
Yet when he tuned in Sci Fi HD for a recent episode filmed in high definition, the image was soft and the darkest parts broke up into large blocks with no definition. Explosions, he said, were just dull.
"It kind of looked like they took the standard definition and just blew it up," said Swanson, a 33-year-old graphic designer and videographer who subscribes to Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) (CMCSA)'s TV service. "I couldn't really tell if what I was seeing was really better than what I saw on regular television."
As cable TV companies pack ever more HD channels into limited bandwidth, some owners of pricey plasma, projector and LCD TVs are complaining that they're not getting the high-def quality they paid for. They blame the increased signal compression being used to squeeze three digital HD signals into the bandwidth of one analog station.
The problem is viewers want more HD channels at a time when many cable and satellite providers are at the limits of their capacity, said Jim Willcox, a technology editor for Consumer Reports magazine.
"They have to figure out a way to deliver more HD content through their distribution networks," he said.
Compressing the signal is cheaper than costly infrastructure upgrades to increase capacity. Satellite TV providers - including DirecTV Group Inc. and Dish Network Corp. (DISH) (DISH) - also have the option of launching satellites to boost the number of HD channels on their systems.
While information is nearly always lost when signals are compressed and then uncompressed, the process can theoretically be made unnoticeable to eyes and ears - and Comcast says it should be.
But some viewers say they can see it. Willcox said complaints about compression have been showing up on Web forums, including the AV Science Forum, a site for serious audio visual enthusiasts.
"It's not exclusively Comcast, although Comcast, being the largest cable provider, is probably the largest target," he said.
Derek Harrar, a Comcast senior vice president in charge of video, said the company recently began using new technology on some channels to compress three HD channels into the bandwidth of one analog station. Other channels continue to get the previous 2-to-1 compression.
In a posting on the AV Science Forum, Ken Fowler of Arlington, Va., compared Comcast signals with those on Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) (VZ)'s all-fiber-optic network, which doesn't have the same capacity limitations. Fowler found the higher-compressed HD stations, including Sci Fi, Animal Planet, the Discovery Channel, the Food Network and A&E, fared particularly poorly.
He analyzed the signals by recording them on a digital recorder, then transferring them to a personal computer for analysis. He found there was much less data, measured in bit rates, flowing to some channels than others.
For example, Discovery's bit rate was 14.16 megabits per second on Verizon's FiOS system but only 10.43 Mbps on Comcast; A&E HD was 18.66 Mbps on FiOS compared with 14.48 Mbps on Comcast. The FiOS system didn't offer Sci Fi HD, which Fowler's testing showed at 12.59 Mbps on Comcast.
He found the signals from the major networks and ESPN weren't getting the increased compression.
In an interview, Fowler said he reran his analysis about two weeks ago and found "basically the same thing."
Philadelphia-based Comcast wouldn't identify specific signals that are 3-to-1 compressed, and a Sci Fi channel spokeswoman referred questions back to Comcast.
Harrar said the company works to make sure any new compression technology is invisible to consumers, but Comcast is "constantly monitoring our network and making adjustments" for best picture quality. The company has been rolling out the new compression technology at different times around the country.
In fact, postings on the AV Science Forum from early April suggest the Comcast network has improved in some places.
And there are other reasons a high-definition picture can appear subpar: The source image might not have been recorded in HD, or the television's settings, the viewing angle and even the ambient lighting in the room could be the cause.
New York-based Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) (TWC) has avoided many of the criticisms aimed at Comcast, although the companies are technologically similar and face the same capacity limits.
Time Warner spokesman Alex Dudley attributed it to his company's testing procedures. He said that before Time Warner rolls out new technology that may affect image quality, it sets up two identical televisions in a lab, one with the old signal and one with the new. Technicians make adjustments until the pictures can't be told apart.
"The testers are our engineers who we call 'golden eyes,' who have a proven track record of picking up subtle differences in picture quality," he said.
Verizon's FiOS doesn't compress the signal once it receives it, and Willcox said it's considered the picture quality "benchmark." However, Verizon said the system is growing but is now available only in parts of 17 states and has just over a million subscribers - compared with more than 24 million for Comcast.
He said two possible solutions are on the horizon, an improved version of compression, called MPEG-4, and something called "switched digital video."
Comcast and Time Warner Cable have introduced switched video on a trial basis across their networks. In concept, it's like on-demand videos. The company sends only the channels the viewer is watching, instead of all the channels at once.
But switched video has its own issues, including possible slower channel switching times and compatibility problems with digital video recorders.
Willcox said cable providers can't afford to ignore quality complaints. Many customers are already picky about quality after paying $800 to $3,500 for an average-size, HD-ready LCD television.
Swanson, the "Battlestar Galactica" fan, is sticking with Comcast for now.
"It hasn't gotten bad enough for me to consider changing," he said.
Dan
---
2 Replies
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1745 views
Lifetime Supporter
I know HipKat said that they were working on conversions but we got the official news yesterday right from Dish that starting next month all DMA's will be on the western arc, and all customers will be assigned to that. That's gonna mean a lot of customers around here aren't gonna get Dish unless there are exceptions. Too many mountains and trees.
165 Replies
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4602 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SqPMCS9OOSY
Direct YouTube Link - Preorders Open for the Brax Wink De-Googled Phone #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SqPMCS9OOSY
Direct YouTube Link - Preorders Open for the Brax Wink De-Googled Phone #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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4 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
This is a thread that will keep you apprised of 4K events that will be showing on Dish channel 540. Keep looking here for information.
As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
768 Replies
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167867 views
. can we say over priced garbage!!!
I'm thinking of switching to DirecTV and wanted to know what equipment I should be asking for.
I'm wanting wired satellite due to that fact that I live in the sticks and there is no reliable, decent speed internet for streaming available.
What would be the correct equipment for three 4K tvs in the house?
I'm wanting wired satellite due to that fact that I live in the sticks and there is no reliable, decent speed internet for streaming available.
What would be the correct equipment for three 4K tvs in the house?
59 Replies
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1061 views
S
why not just do a rebranding of the two
As they pivot away from using dishes and more toward streaming, the DirecTV brand would make much more sense.why not just do a rebranding of the two
been there 
S
agree to a certain point!!! is charlies pockets gonna get tight and will he cancel channels because he don't want to pay for them??? a hopper 3 on dtv channel lineup would be amazing and every mans dream come true lol
Squirrels have eaten my antenna wire on my home unit that is a car radio running of the 12 volt side of my solar system. I need a new antenna and would like to add something to one of my existing masts. The reason I am looking at this that I am also covered in trees which has not been a problem, but something mast mounted would future proof me. Thanks in advance.
7 Replies
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168 views
A
We have the pro-500 and it's a beast pulling in the signal!!! always full bars no matter how much it rains. it's worth every penny
I am a animal lover, but this year I gave up gardening. Even moved it to potted plants on the second story deck last year. Can't tell you how much use my Ruger 10-22 got, but it was a losing battle for me. Never got any food. So now they eat coax instead! 20 acres of dense woods behind me and my stuff tastes better, either veggies or wires!
A
i might think about running cables through some conduit to prevent the Squirrels from chewing em all to hell
Pub Member / Supporter
Walter Koenig, Chekov on Original ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 90
Walter Koenig, who memorably played Chekov in the original "Star Trek" series and seven "Star Trek" feature films, died Sunday in Los Angeles.
variety.com
3 Replies
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34 views
Rest In Peace 
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
161 Replies
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2302 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68619 Replies
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2678255 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
We have a Breakfast and Dinner thread so...
Continuing from the Breakfast thread, found Cornbread mix so ...
Yellow Cornbread Mix
2 Hatch Green Chiles -diced
1 Egg
2/3 cup of milk
add to greased pan
Bake for 400f 20-25 minutes(From instructions)
now to put together and try... this to go with pinto beans...
Continuing from the Breakfast thread, found Cornbread mix so ...
Yellow Cornbread Mix
2 Hatch Green Chiles -diced
1 Egg
2/3 cup of milk
add to greased pan
Bake for 400f 20-25 minutes(From instructions)
now to put together and try... this to go with pinto beans...
5447 Replies
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335862 views
