FOX and WB issues

[Enrico Ng]

I decided to capture last weeks episode of American Idol, I noticed that it looked really bad, like as if I encoded it a low low bitrate. It was very blocky. I then looked at the Transport Stream and saw that it was in there. Does this mean FOX messed up? (I live in chicago incase anyone else here noticed)

Also, I was watching WGN. It usually looks fine, plenty of 1088i content, but I noticed some weird "flashes" every now and then.

I checked my capture and saw that some frames had a blue line going across the middle and like all black below it. This doesnt look like a normal signal drop where it just becomes blocky. I checked the AC3 for erros using Besliced and it detected no errors.

Also, I notice that sometimes its in widescreen, but it pops back to 4:3 for like 2 seconds. This happens on all channels.

Also, on UPN, I notice that some shows that are suppose to be in HDTV such as "Enterprise" are not.

Are all these problems due to my local station's transmission?

[FredThompson]

If your hardware and system can keep up with the stream, probably.

[SeeMoreDigital]

This sort of thing can happen when there's a build up of too much static electricity in your system or at your dish. And as a result it can interfere and throw out the FEC.

Remember to disconnect your LNB cable from your set top box before attempting to illuminate the static.


Cheers

[Enrico Ng]

Originally posted by SeeMoreDigital
This sort of thing can happen when there's a build up of too much static electricity in your system or at your dish. And as a result it can interfere and throw out the FEC.

Remember to disconnect your LNB cable from your set top box before attempting to illuminate the static.


Cheers

I'm using a myHD2 card connected to an indoor antenna

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by Enrico Ng
I'm using a myHD2 card connected to an indoor antenna I have to admit I'm not all that spec'd up on all the equipment that's avialable in the US/North America, only Europe.

Even so 'static' build up can often be the cause of many problems.

All you need do is disconnect your eqipment from the mains, disconnect the RF cable. Put your finger over the end of RF cable plug and then over the socket (ie: to short out the center input and outer ground). Then if you have an 'smart card' remove it and rub your finger over the contacts.

Put everything back together and switch on.


Cheers

[jrmann1999]

There's only one definate way to answer your question, call your local affiliate and ask if they are broadcasting true HDTV content yet. Most likely they are upconverting the analog signals to HDTV resolutions as most providers do during the initial ramp up of HDTV.

With respect to your 4:3->16:9 issue, welcome to the world of local affiliate advertisement. My WB, FOX, ABC, NBC, etc.. all do it and all should have fired engineers. They typically do this during a news promo or a local market commercial that they didn't film in HDTV so they upconvert to 4:3 content as it's easier for them. Then the engineer that's controlling the network feed or splicing in the commercial is lazy and forgets to "flip his switch" to enable the true HDTV feed. Don't forget in DVB-T(which is all HDTV really is) they broadcast both the digital and analog feed, just on different channels. They just get lazy switching back and forth.

[Enrico Ng]

Originally posted by jrmann1999
There's only one definate way to answer your question, call your local affiliate and ask if they are broadcasting true HDTV content yet. Most likely they are upconverting the analog signals to HDTV resolutions as most providers do during the initial ramp up of HDTV.

With respect to your 4:3->16:9 issue, welcome to the world of local affiliate advertisement. My WB, FOX, ABC, NBC, etc.. all do it and all should have fired engineers. They typically do this during a news promo or a local market commercial that they didn't film in HDTV so they upconvert to 4:3 content as it's easier for them. Then the engineer that's controlling the network feed or splicing in the commercial is lazy and forgets to "flip his switch" to enable the true HDTV feed. Don't forget in DVB-T(which is all HDTV really is) they broadcast both the digital and analog feed, just on different channels. They just get lazy switching back and forth.

Yes, I do notice this when there is a delay after or before commercials.
but sometimes it happens like in the middle of the show. It will just switch to 4:3 for a few min.

I tried the static thing but its the same.
I just thought the inconsistencies curious.
because I compared a capture from FOX from january to one recently and the compression is horrible. but it may have just been that night.
The WB(WGN) thing with the flickering frames was suprising since I've never seen that before. They CLAIM they broadcast in HDTV (except for fox) on their website. Its ironic, my local FOX station just did a news segment about HDTV and why we should use HDTV eventhough FOX is one of the only stations that does not broadcast in HDTV.

[Zep]

Originally posted by Enrico Ng
I decided to capture last weeks episode of American Idol, I noticed that it looked really bad, like as if I encoded it a low low bitrate. It was very blocky. I then looked at the Transport Stream and saw that it was in there. Does this mean FOX messed up? (I live in chicago incase anyone else here noticed)

Also, I was watching WGN. It usually looks fine, plenty of 1088i content, but I noticed some weird "flashes" every now and then.

I checked my capture and saw that some frames had a blue line going across the middle and like all black below it. This doesnt look like a normal signal drop where it just becomes blocky. I checked the AC3 for erros using Besliced and it detected no errors.

Also, I notice that sometimes its in widescreen, but it pops back to 4:3 for like 2 seconds. This happens on all channels.

Also, on UPN, I notice that some shows that are suppose to be in HDTV such as "Enterprise" are not.

Are all these problems due to my local station's transmission?


oh this is easy one for once to answer. :)


Play the .tp file back in the myHD app. How does it look?

if it looks fine then the problem is on the encode side.

if it looks BAD then the broadcast was hosed. I doubt your equipment
is messed up else ALL stations would be messed up.


also remember IDOL is the HARDEST show on TV to compress. (I'm not kidding)
It is

Super HIGH SPEED panning
Thousands of fast Cuts
TONS of detail
many many pull backs over the audience clapping
There is even a HUGE screen behind the singers that is made up of BLOCKS
of changing light patterns.

even at 512 x 384 you need a bitrate of 3500 to hit an Average Q of 2

If you want i will send you a link to a clip of IDOL that i did at 704 x 400 wide screen :)


PM me if you want to see it