HD Picture quality as of late.

[FlyingJ]

With all of the complaining over the last couple of months on this and similar forums (me included) I feel the need to give D* some props. THe games I watched in HD yesterday (NFL) the PQ I thought was excellent. The Sunda night game on ESPN ditto, which frankly surprised me. Seems PQ has been improved, don't know why or if it is in my mind (doubt it) but no complaints here at all!

 

[ShadowEKU]

With all of the complaining over the last couple of months on this and similar forums (me included) I feel the need to give D* some props. THe games I watched in HD yesterday (NFL) the PQ I thought was excellent. The Sunda night game on ESPN ditto, which frankly surprised me. Seems PQ has been improved, don't know why or if it is in my mind (doubt it) but no complaints here at all!

I have noticed a marginal improvement... which is good. But I think they could adjust the bandwidth on a few more of the channels.

 

[Sean Mota]

I do not know about football games on SUNDAY Ticket channels. When HDnet Movies and Showtime HD are fixed come back and report that the quality has improved. These two channels are no longer HD on D*.

 

[Fgsilva]

They arent'??? I've been recording shows in both channels with my HD DVR and they look pretty HD to me.

I do not know about football games on SUNDAY Ticket channels. When HDnet Movies and Showtime HD are fixed come back and report that the quality has improved. These two channels are no longer HD on D*.

 

[Sean Mota]

They arent'??? I've been recording shows in both channels with my HD DVR and they look pretty HD to me.

Compare them to E* and you will see the difference... Also there is a little website around here where the bitrates and horizontal resolution has gone down hill on D*. So as far as those numbers are concerned these two channels cannot be called HD in my book.

 

[Chado]

You could also tell a big difference between the US Open coverage on UHD during the week compared to the local CBS coverage on the weekends...

But I was still happy to watch UHD rather than USA!!!

 

[asousa]

i thought the ST HD games were awesome....BUT they destroyed the SD ST Games, I couldn't even make out the numbers on their jerseys becasue the quality was so bad on my 52'

 

[ram1220]

i thought the ST HD games were awesome....BUT they destroyed the SD ST Games, I couldn't even make out the numbers on their jerseys becasue the quality was so bad on my 52'

52 foot? No wonder why it looked like crap.

 

[Sean Mota]

Sometimes the Size matters but sometimes it does not. On DLP and LCD size matters a whole a lot in trying to watch SD material since it is overly compressed. This could easily be seeing by comparing OTA Digital signal from local channel and compared to the supposed digital local channel. The OTA channel will look a whole lot better. Both E* and D* over compressed their SD channels. Trying to make an argument for SD channnels quality is beyond anyone right now. It is acceptable by everyone of the millions that already think they are watching Digital TV on their Tvs but in reality is overly compressed digital signal. Sometimes it is unwatchable.

In conclusion the argument for SD quality channel was lost a long time ago when DBS companies started send LIL. Our hope is that the same does not happen with LIL HD but so far the O&O LIL in my area has been damaged using MPEG2 by DirecTv. The OTA locals look much much better than the satellite counterpart on DirecTv.

 

[rockaway1836]

Sean, I know we have been through this before. But I don't have the same issues as you do. Maybe it's your receiver, or your TV, or your connection. I don't know what it is. As I have said in the past I get the NY locals from D as well as OTA on four different setups. I am using three HTL-HD and one H-10 receivers on two 26'' Sammy CRTs and two Panasonic rear projection sets one is a 47'' and the other a 53''. I don't have E so I can't compare one to the other.

 

[JerryVolunteer]

I Have a 70" and the HD looked awesome for the games this weekend. My SD games were even an improvement. They are truly doing something right...

 

[Sean Mota]

Sean, I know we have been through this before. But I don't have the same issues as you do. Maybe it's your receiver, or your TV, or your connection. I don't know what it is. As I have said in the past I get the NY locals from D as well as OTA on four different setups. I am using three HTL-HD and one H-10 receivers on two 26'' Sammy CRTs and two Panasonic rear projection sets one is a 47'' and the other a 53''. I don't have E so I can't compare one to the other.

Nope it is not the receiver and it is not the TV. But do you really believe that NBC HD OTA is the same as NBC HD through DirecTv? and the same for the other O&O networks? I also get CBS HD through E* and it is as good as OTA HD. I have a DirecTv Tivo and the problem is that the D* channels looked washed out and soft. There is no 3D Wow and there is no vibrant colors. I turned to OTA HD and the softness is gone and the Vibrant colors are back. I get the same quality with E* through CBS HD. My TV has been calibrated on both inputs.

I have done lots of comparisons with E* and D* and V* (when it was alive). As I said before one only have to compare against another source and the difference is there. Maybe sometimes ignorance is bliss and if I did not have E* or OTA HD, I will be happy and praising how great HD through DirecTv is.

I am not trying to bash DirecTv. Give me good quality and I will praise your praises but with what I have seen so far on the channels I have spoken publicly I am very dissapointed. One thing is true. Give me the same quality as one gets on the YES HD games and believe me I will not be complaining. But that is not the case.

 

[guffy1]

Sean, I know we have been through this before. But I don't have the same issues as you do. Maybe it's your receiver, or your TV, or your connection. I don't know what it is. As I have said in the past I get the NY locals from D as well as OTA on four different setups. I am using three HTL-HD and one H-10 receivers on two 26'' Sammy CRTs and two Panasonic rear projection sets one is a 47'' and the other a 53''. I don't have E so I can't compare one to the other.

Or maybe its becasue some people wouldnt notice the difference if it slapped them in the face?

It would take a blind person to not notice the major difference between D* networks and any OTA network, IMO...

 

[pro96]

Very nice improvement ever since most of the HD channels were moved to Directv 6 ? 110w and nothin but HD there.. the locals are gone

 

[Jimbo]

Sean Mota & guffy1,

Keep in mind that a lot of people on these boards only have 1 source to look at, therefore no way to compare , so thier opinions are different than yours.

I do have D* hd and OTA and I perfer the OTA.
Movie channels will never look as good as LIVE events, so the people talking about low PQ on Movies channels are not comparing Apples to Apples ...

PS. I also get more channels OTA than thru the D* tuner, for some reason.

Jimbo

 

[rockaway1836]

Or maybe its becasue some people wouldnt notice the difference if it slapped them in the face?

It would take a blind person to not notice the major difference between D* networks and any OTA network, IMO...

Well, Guffy as I have posted on other threads. It's not just me. Two of the setups I am refereing to are at my local mens club. Where there are about 50 regulars (members) and hundreds of strangers (building renters) that come in and are quite simply blown away with the PQ. The difference in PQ from what D offers and what I can get OTA (on the same stations) is slightly better OTA. Jimbos I agree with you. Movies are not all that impressive. Maybe because they are shot in 35MM and the conversion process to HD just does not cut it. I think the same could be said for most TV series. Live sports and shows that are actually shot in HD for HD broadcast are where HD shines. Sean. I am not at all far from the city. I invite you to come up to my local mens club for an adult beverage and I will be happy to show you in person what I am talking about. I'm just over the Tapan Zee Bridge at Exit 12 off The Thruway. My only complaint with D right now, is that they need to kick whoever is in charge of throwing the switch to enable channel 94 in the butt.

 

[FlyingJ]

Someone that is actually telling it like it is. Thanks Rockaway. Seems that when someone sees the HD symbol on something their expectations go crazy. Yes I expect perfection too, on live events, sports etc....but I think many have expectations way too high on movies etc....We must take content into account. By the way Sean, my HBO looks great, that's on 106 inches. Buddy has E*, plasma screen and really I dont see any difference. Seems to depend on what is on, Hey if it's Nemo, or Shrek it's awesome, Taxi had a great picture yesterday, some movies, just don't look that great. I bashed D* for the last 6 months on PQ, but I have seen better recently.

 

[Sean Mota]

You guys have to be joking... Everyone knows the difference between live events shots in HD and Movies shot in 35MM. The HD shots look a lot whole better but movies shot in 35MM are of a higher resolutioin than HD vidoe! With this been said Movies on HDnet movies on E* look stunning. Movies on HDnet Movies on DirecTv look like crap or 480p at best.


You guys can put your hand on the sand or you want but DirecTv is not doing you or myself a favor. I am not working for anyone in trying to convey that there is a big problem on DirecTv with HD quality on certain channels. You guys keep coming back to Football games which I have no problem with whatsoever. I have specifically spoken about Showtime and HDnet movies. These two channels look stunning on E* and why on D* do they look washout and without 3D effects. Please explain that to me. It is all I am asking. As I said before with OTA you may have a crappy OTA signal to begin with and you may think that DirecTv is given you the best HD on local channels. I am fortunate enought to leave close in the city and the local HD I get from the ESB are quite stunning compare to the local HD through DirecTv.

Let's not try to hide the ineptitude of the DirecTv of providing decent quality HD. It is only fair if we are paying for it that we get it. As I said before take a look at Showtime and HDnet Movies in other providers and the difference is like night and day. It does not matter whether it was a transfered from 35mm. It is still HD and it is supposed to look HD. I am not a novice at this and I understand the difference between and HD tranfers and HD vidoe.

 

[Sean Mota]

Just so that you know that there is actual data on this. Cheezmo has been quite good in tracking all movements of HD channels on DirecTv with bitrates and resolution.

Here is his website where he keeps all the bitrates information: http://www.widemovies.com/dfwbitrate.html

If you look towards the bottom of the page you will see HDnet Movies at a resolution of 1280x1080i (it is supposed to be at 1920x1080i). The range of bitrates is from 7mbps-9mbps. Quite bad! an HD channel to look decent at least needs 12mpbs and range to 16mpbs which is the normal rate one gets through OTA most of the time.

Take a look at HBO HD again at 1280x1080i (it is supposed to be at 1920x1080i). The range of bitrates is from 8 to 9. Again bad!

Take a look at Showtime HD again at 1280x1080i (it is supposed to be at 1920x1080i). The range of bitrates is from 7.8 to 11.4 Again bad!

And so and so on.... Take a look at his latest notes on top of the page.

Also for some specific examples take a look at some the pictures he has documented on HDnet movies.

http://www.widemovies.com/directvcomp.html


In contrast take a look at Dish Network bitrates http://satelliteguys.us/bfg/dishhd.htm in this chart.

This will give you a very good picture of what is going on with DirecTv picture quality issues in some HD channels.


This has been documented more than enough and it is not new.

 

[billbillw]

In contrast take a look at Dish Network bitrates http://satelliteguys.us/bfg/dishhd.htm in this chart.

Whose data is this? How was is collected? Let's make sure this is an apples to apples comparison before drawing conclusions.