Making DIsh DVD quality

ScottChez

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Oct 2, 2003
1,651
142
I posted this as a suggestion, that they place test cards on some channels late at night when stations go off the air or to place them on there filler channels like the Alt EPN channels when they are not on.

I've used the Avia and DVE to calibrate my DVD chain with good results. But Dish was alway different (different cable and connection).

Since different sources can have different DC levels and chroma and so on, the results weren't as convincing on dish. Since there's no way to get a test signal onto Dish, there's not anyway to get a reference from it.

Until last night. I happen to notice that HBO2 was showing "Sign Off", which is weird for HBO. I don't know that I've ever seen HBO "off-air". Checking the channel I noticed they were sending various tests down the line, notably an A/V Timing test. So I hit record and went to bed.I checked this morning and sure enough, there were test patterns in the recording. I got regular SMTPE color bars and then later the "split" color bars like on the DVE disk!

Did a little tweaking of controls while viewing through the color filter gels in the DVE package, so now the hue and saturation and brightness levels are well matched to what the DIsh produces. It was a fair bit different than what I got from the DVD player, as I expected. The sharpness settings did carry over well (way, way down from factory). Picture looks a little more accurate now.


Just an other way to perfect you Dish Picture quality- record the HBO off the air show. Then use the test patterns to tweak the TV.
 
Quite interesting that you posted this. Yesterday I sent an e-mail to DISH technical services requesting that they would make a channel or two available for test waveforms. Since they are static in nature, the BW used would be minimal and would help really geeky users like us to calibrate our display.

I sent a similar request to D* when I was a member and received absolutely no response.

I have not received a response from E*, yet.

I don't have a PVR, so I can't do what you did.

Later.

Lamer
 
FYI-

HBO has made a habit of doing this for quite some time usually on a once a month basis. They run HDTV patterns on the HBO HD channel.

In addition, HDNet runs some excellent test patterns every once in awhile. It lasts for about 15 minutes, has audio descriptions and instructions on what the patterns do.
I have recorded both to DVHS tape for use here. The HDNet pattern also has a resolution chart for HDTV and a safe frame - overscan chart, pluge, dot pattern and centering.

The only complaint is that the programs of patterns aren't on very often. I'd like to see the HDNet on a regularly scheduled time like every Sunday morning at 6AM (4-7 for all time zones in the footprint) so people would know when and where but not bother normal programming hours.
 
Don Landis said:
I'd like to see the HDNet on a regularly scheduled time like every Sunday morning at 6AM (4-7 for all time zones in the footprint) so people would know when and where but not bother normal programming hours.
HDNet shows their Test Patterns program every Tuesday morning at 8:00 AM ET.
http://www.hd.net/schedule_sevenday.html
 
"Until last night. I happen to notice that HBO2 was showing "Sign Off", which is weird for HBO. I don't know that I've ever seen HBO "off-air". Checking the channel I noticed they were sending various tests down the line, notably an A/V Timing test."

I've seen that many of times in the past with the movie channels around 4AM and when I tuned in there was a movie showing.
 
Perhaps there should be a schedule of when these test patterns are going to be aired, either that or have it on a Dish Network information channel or put it on one of those sport alternate channels instead of having a Dish Network logo.
 
My kids erased my recording of the Off the Air (they thought it was a mistake recording).

Any one know of and others schedued?
 
ScottChez said:
My kids erased my recording of the Off the Air (they thought it was a mistake recording).

Any one know of and others schedued?

Pull that tab off next time :) ;)

I would love to see a test pattern thrown into the rotation on the Info channel. It would be a welcomed addition by me and scores of others.

It could prove that Dish sends out a quality signal.

The SD from Dish and the HD from HDnet would be great.
 
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)

Latest posts