Heavy compression on SoHo

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2886 posts

Uber Geek

#616337 27-Apr-2012 22:30

I wish they would delete a couple of the less popular channels (e.g., the preview channel - which just seems to show wall-to-wall promos - does anyone ever actually watch this?) and use the bandwidth saved to up the bitrate on the premium sport/movie/SoHo channels that are heavily watched and where quality matter a lot.

The other channel where I recently noticed that the bitrate and resultant picture quality were truly awful was the Box, when I tried to watch Spartacus recently. However, the saturation-bombing of advertisements (which seemed as bad as, or even worse than, free-to-air channels) drove me away before the poor PQ got too much to tolerate. I think I managed nearly one whole episode before the lamentable viewing experience sent me to the off switch!

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#616361 27-Apr-2012 23:21

ruff:
How much profit did sky post last year? Is it that much of an ask to transmit a decent looking picture?
Ben Ruffell
www.ruff.co.nz

Again, monopoly pay-tv provider is the answer. The could buy bandwidth to improve quality, but it would decrease profits.

So, why bother?

ruff

63 posts

Master Geek

#616437 28-Apr-2012 09:22

Exactly. They don't need to bother.

But, if enough users are vocal in their complaints, we may get somewhere.

Also, it's worth noting that Sky knows exactly who watches what, and when. They have perfect ratings metrics. So, a few of those channels must have people putting up with the quality.

Anyone got the CEO's email? He always comes across as a smart guy in the media, I would love to get in touch with him.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#616796 28-Apr-2012 22:50

ruff: Also, it's worth noting that Sky knows exactly who watches what, and when. They have perfect ratings metrics.

How? My box, like the boxes of many other people, isn't connected to a phone line (has never been) or the internet, and there is no return data path from the STB back to to Sky. Unless I use the phone to order a Box Office Film, they wouldn't have a clue which shows I am or am not watching.

DS9

325 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#616799 28-Apr-2012 23:02

JimmyH:
ruff: Also, it's worth noting that Sky knows exactly who watches what, and when. They have perfect ratings metrics.

How? My box, like the boxes of many other people, isn't connected to a phone line (has never been) or the internet, and there is no return data path from the STB back to to Sky. Unless I use the phone to order a Box Office Film, they wouldn't have a clue which shows I am or am not watching.

+1 They now what I subscribe too but have no clue what I am watching or when, let alone if it a SKY channel or not. Though SoHo is my favourite channel, saving a hell of a lot of bandwidth

I aim to misbehave.

ruff

63 posts

Master Geek

#616877 29-Apr-2012 10:23

Sure, it would have to be connected to a phone line for the call back to work.

tkr001

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

#616899 29-Apr-2012 11:59

It doesn't call back with viewing stats!

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grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#616919 29-Apr-2012 12:46

JimmyH: However, the saturation-bombing of advertisements (which seemed as bad as, or even worse than, free-to-air channels) drove me away before the poor PQ got too much to tolerate. I think I managed nearly one whole episode before the lamentable viewing experience sent me to the off switch!

+1

I watched a doco on the Discovery Channel on the night of Anzac Day. There were no adverts as such, but 3 minutes out of every 10 was spent playing promos for other Sky channels. Totally pointless when you have an EPG. It also meant that I only got 7 minutes of programme, before another 3 minutes of promos cut in -- usually the same ones over and over. Again it drove me to the off switch with so much totally pointless content. I hardly ever watch anything live for this reason, because ad-skipping deals to these continual interruptions very easily.

Elpie

1304 posts

Uber Geek

#616923 29-Apr-2012 12:48

JimmyH:
ruff: Also, it's worth noting that Sky knows exactly who watches what, and when. They have perfect ratings metrics.

How? My box, like the boxes of many other people, isn't connected to a phone line (has never been) or the internet, and there is no return data path from the STB back to to Sky. Unless I use the phone to order a Box Office Film, they wouldn't have a clue which shows I am or am not watching.

Same here. However, if you go to weather then Sky downloads weather data. They also send updates down the line so I guess they may have some magic to enable viewing statistics.

richms

28173 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#616959 29-Apr-2012 13:40

Im cancelling sky when my contract is up unless they have done something serious to address the picture quality.

Freeview craps all over sky for PQ on everything, and the channels I actually give a damn about (discovery, sometimes animal planet, BBC etc) look worse than a shoddy old 360p xvid download. And at least a download hasnt had the framerate molested to the degree that sky do.

Richard rich.ms

tangerz

625 posts

Ultimate Geek

#616976 29-Apr-2012 14:45

Elpie:

Same here. However, if you go to weather then Sky downloads weather data. They also send updates down the line so I guess they may have some magic to enable viewing statistics.

All the weather data and any updates are all sent via satellite...

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#616977 29-Apr-2012 14:52

richms: Im cancelling sky when my contract is up unless they have done something serious to address the picture quality.

Freeview craps all over sky for PQ on everything, and the channels I actually give a damn about (discovery, sometimes animal planet, BBC etc) look worse than a shoddy old 360p xvid download. And at least a download hasnt had the framerate molested to the degree that sky do.

I'm close to cancelling as well. Will keep it until Game of Thrones finishes (as I want to see it and don't really want to get into dodgy downloading) and then consider further. I'm fine with the content range and the pricing. What is driving me towards cancelling is the poor viewing experience.

The picture quality is bad on a lot of channels (and seems to have become worse in the last 3 months?). Even the premium ad-free channels (ie SoHo and the Movie Channels) I subscribe to are getting unpleasant because of bandwidth starvation and poor picture quality, and I thought Sky would be trying hard to make people add and keep these. On the other channels the intensity of the advertising interruptions are beyond a joke. Channels like the Box have some shows and nostalgia re-runs I would like to watch, but a format that means you get just about more ad-break than actual programme, which makes them virtually unwatchable. The Living Channel is unable even to consistently set its aspect ratio correctly.

Monopoly or not, Sky's needs to look at addressing this. Personally, it's why I never went for MySky and the HD Ticket (unlike my current recorder, MySky has no ad-skip button), why I have already dropped some optional channels, and why I am close to cancelling a 14-year old subscription entirely.

kendog

325 posts

Ultimate Geek

#617642 30-Apr-2012 20:54

I have also noticed the poor picture quality on GOT. I will send an email to sky and see what they say.

ruff

63 posts

Master Geek

#619219 4-May-2012 08:20

Well the quality is still bad.

I never got an answer back from Sky.

I did an interesting experiment the other night. Started watching a movie on Sky Movies. Then put in a Blu-ray. Wow! What a difference.

Sky may be hitting the correct number of pixels for an HD broadcast, but they are not hitting the right bit-rate.

I am canceling SoHo, HD Ticket and movies.

and putting that money into Blu-ray rentals.

Jas777

838 posts

Ultimate Geek

#619499 4-May-2012 13:44

Ruff,

The bit rate might not be all of the problem?

As Sky uses 1080i and Bluray uses 1080p this surely makes a difference too?

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