NBC on SES 3 KU band

stinkygopher1

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Jan 28, 2020
62
34
Saint John NB CA
A quick question about the sound on SES 3 for NBC. Is the sound on that transponder off and on or is it something else? Sometimes when I go to NBC it's normal and then there is no or very little volume.Thanks!
 
A quick question about the sound on SES 3 for NBC. Is the sound on that transponder off and on or is it something else? Sometimes when I go to NBC it's normal and then there is no or very little volume.Thanks!

Depends on the show, you will need to select the right audio channel to use on your STB.


Sent using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: comfortably_numb
The STB remote should have an AUDIO button. Press to display the section of audio channels included with the service. Select a track and press ok to save. I find that on the NBC channels, track 3 or track 4 usually has a mix track for primetime programs.

Example: During the evening news, I think that track 2 only carries sound effects or music track. If you are bored, might be fun to not hear the voice track, but instead only hear the whoosh and sound effects...
 
Many thanks to all who replied. I was playing with the audio button and on different settings it made the sound either there or not there. The big test will be when the next show comes on with no audio.Thanks again!
 
Quite some time ago I found this article which explains what is going on, and how to use ffmpeg to get full 5.1 audio in programs you have recorded. If you happen to be running satellite tuner cards and Tvheadend you can even do it in real time, which they explain in a different article. I believe this same technique may also work on one or two of the other major channels to get full 5.1 audio, although unlike these channels the others do appear to offer a normal stereo feed on one of the audio tracks (though it may not be the first one).

The only reason the sound appears "normal" on some shows and commercials is because the center audio is equally distributed to the left and right front stereo channels. This is almost never the case on entertainment shows, but often true of live shows such as the news. Even then you can be watching and suddenly it will go to a commercial and you will hear the background music but no voiceover, because the first audio track does not include the center channel.

Some of the information in those articles may be a bit outdated but I believe the audio channel mapping is still the same.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FTA4PA
I had the same problem with the sound I changed the Audio PID's last number to (4). Audio PID 851 to 854, 861 to 864, 751 to 754 and 761 to 764. Everything works good.
 
stinkygopher1:
You're not so far from me. What size dish do you use to receive NBC Ku?

I've almost made a career out of receiving those transponders. I found when I had my pristine 1.2m dish (before Hurricane Dorian last year) that I could receive NBC reliably. However now with my quality 1m dish, it seems just not to have quite enough gain for Halifax.
 
***

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

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)