The PQ is back, the love is back

[softwiz]

Tonight Voom had the best PQ I've seen since after the encoders were switched out. I watched almost every HD channel and the colors were stunning, the picture was deep, and I saw very little motion artifacts.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh

 

[jagouar]

Same here... much better PQ across the board.

Seems to have dropped a few nothces back now. Eurosport was perfect earlier and now has pixelization again.

 

[DarrellP]

Today, DiscoveryHD sucks big time (5pm PST), I had to watch it from Dish. That's the only channel I tried to watch so I can't vouch for the others.

 

[David Dietzel]

I agree that the PQ is steadily improving -- and, that fact, curiously, seems to really annoy some folks.

 

[Voomin@720p]

Yes VOOM is looking good!

 

[RRaymo]

On Equator HD the Flying Friday commercial tonight showed some very wild artifacts on Building Faces and during scene changes.

On the whole we are seeing better PQ than we have since the Harmonic product has been in the pipeline, but I'd still say we are 15 percent off optimal from the original signal--and there are some glaring oddities like the one mentioned above.

Finger's crossed that we can communicate this well and fully...

[Shoot, finger's crossed that we have a product to critique in a few days!]

Rick

 

[jgantert]

I don't know... UHD still looks horrible to me. However, I'll agree in general that most channels look better.

-John

 

[MarcelV]

Last night, Equator looked pretty good during the 'Arctic Adventure' or something like that. But then I was watching Auction and there was slow movement of a tourbus in Paris. It was slow movement, but the pixelation issue was showing. It was terrible.
Times I was watching: Auction around 9.00 PM; Equator was 02:00AM or something like that, maybe even later.

 

[HD at last]

I have not seen any or relatively little improvement in any of the channels I watch.

The motion artifacts are horrible.

 

[riffjim4069]

I have not seen any or relatively little improvement in any of the channels I watch.

The motion artifacts are horrible.

Reboot your receiver(s) and see if that makes a difference.

 

[007BlackMan]

I haven't seen any difference in PQ there is still motion artifacts and pixelation on EquatorHD and DiscoveryHD.

 

[Walter L.]

IMO, PQ last night was the best I've seen since the Harmonic migration, but not yet to the level it was before.

 

[Voomin@720p]

PQ is looking pretty awesome on my end! Of course I am getting ready to turn 40 and my eyesight might be fading a bit.

 

[T2k]

I don't know... UHD still looks horrible to me. However, I'll agree in general that most channels look better.

-John

UHD looked gorgeous yesterday night for me.

 

[gutter]

I don't agree at all. Someone commented in another thread that all the HD channels look somewhere between SD and HDlite. I agree. I don't care about the SD channels but the HD ...I want to have it knock my socks off like it used too. Looks so soft now and ordinary.

 

[cohiba]

I've only had Voom a couple weeks and I just can't believe the great PQ. If it truly is as bad as you all say it is, I can't wait to see it when it's GOOD!!!!

 

[tdillon]

My two cents:

I only watch the HD channels. In my opinion the PQ has not been as good since the new encoders were brought on line. The picture is way too soft now on all of the channels. Even the promo channel, which used to be consistently the best, has soft focus on everything.

My kids like some of the SD channels. The PQ on those channels has improved with the new encoders.

VOOM is an HD specialized service that has tacked on some SD service to perhaps attract the masses.

I have to admit that the SD channels on VOOM look MUCH better than the equivalent channels from Adelphia cable using Adelphia's HD MOTO DVR STB.

I don't care about the SD channels, however. Just give me 1920 by 1080i HD content on every channel and I will be happy.

(Still waiting for the Voom HD DVR)

 

[gutter]

If Chuck paid for these encoders...he ought to get his money back.

 

[MarcelV]

Gutter, just browsing the channels, don't get your comment. Worldsport looks great, currently. Even in action minimal pixelation. (Soccer, Barca vs. Real), so did Soundstage on Rave. Both channels are better as I have seen for a while. Mosquito noise however on EquatorHD. This was at around 7:15PM.

 

[gutter]

Gutter, just browsing the channels, don't get your comment. .

I quoted the comment someone made earlier today that the PQ looks somewhere between SD and HDlite. It doesn't have the snap or the wow. I can't count each blade of grass or the freckles on some of the players. I mean the quality was that good. Rave looks soft and no punch. When it is all said and done, it looks slightly better than my old 32" Sony XBR. All the channels look like a second generation print. Sorry. I am not leaving VOOM but I am disappointed.

I have been in TV production for 30 years and can recognize slight changes. When I entered any studio, by first question was always when was the last time each monitor was calibrated. I hated looking at several monitors and seeing a slightly different picture from the same video source. If they were not checked weekly, I would not do business.