Watching Spark Sport (including launch and pricing)

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199 posts

Master Geek

#2284467 27-Jul-2019 08:35

Just got to the point where the Spark Sport offering outweighs Sky, so I'm ditching Sky for Spark Sport. The ATV app seems to work well. My only real problem so far is that the stream seems to be lower quality than the Sky (satellite) one, bit more jerky and some more visible compression artefacts. Not that either are really that great… So far I'm quite keen and the price difference is brilliant.

Lenovo

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arnies

462 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2285160 29-Jul-2019 13:53

I created a Chrome Extension which adds a PiP button to the SS player.

Useful for when you want something playing in the background while you do something else. I haven't published it yet, but can do if anyone is interested.

Benoire

2446 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2285185 29-Jul-2019 14:26

Quality of the F1 feed seemed much better this weekend, back to pre-silverstone; looks like framerate was increased as it was smooth and no real artifacting. Anyone found the Android TV app crashing? At least it remembers where it crashed so I can resume...

ianajmes

128 posts

Master Geek

#2285186 29-Jul-2019 14:28

Benoire:
Quality of the F1 feed seemed much better this weekend, back to pre-silverstone; looks like framerate was increased as it was smooth and no real artifacting. Anyone found the Android TV app crashing? At least it remembers where it crashed so I can resume...

Just watched it back on Apple TV and agreed it seemed a lot better, have been getting better results from my Samsung app recently but that was the first time I have seen a smoother Apple TV run.

niallm90

123 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#2285194 29-Jul-2019 14:42

Benoire:

Quality of the F1 feed seemed much better this weekend, back to pre-silverstone; looks like framerate was increased as it was smooth and no real artifacting. Anyone found the Android TV app crashing? At least it remembers where it crashed so I can resume...

It was a lot better than Austria and Britain. But when I checked quali it was still 30fps and I noticed a bit of rudder on some of the wide panning shots.

lyndondrake

199 posts

Master Geek

#2285196 29-Jul-2019 14:46

The main thing that annoys me is the occasional shudder - the overall stream quality isn't great but not too distracting. But at least a couple of times a minute, and sometimes every few seconds there is a noticeable break in the frame progression, which is super irritating.

DNArewind

14 posts

Geek

#2285218 29-Jul-2019 15:08

The German F1 race did look smoother than the previous two - but it's still 25 fps. It looks like a smoothing/interpolation algorithm has been applied. Slow-panning shots were very smooth, while faster panning-shots - and more static shots with moving cars - still had noticable judder. I find this unpleasant to watch, and it is very disappointing.

Compare the first 30 seconds of the race to the F1 highlights video on youtube, which runs at 50 fps. The youtube quality is fantastic - as was Spark Sport up to France. (I'm watching via Firefox on a TV @ 50 Hz)

arnies

462 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2285275 29-Jul-2019 16:12

Maybe it's because im playing off my laptop, or I was tired early this morning but I didn't notice any issues this morning with the stream. Looked good quality and always has on my TV. (LG OLED C8).

Benoire

2446 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2285280 29-Jul-2019 16:15

I'd agree, I didn't notice anything untoward with the stream this morning from 6am onwards.

demeter23

126 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#2285369 29-Jul-2019 20:27

I spoke with Spark on Twitter after I was disappointed with the frame rate used in some of the recent football matches. They confirmed it had dropped down to 30fps from 60fps so 'more devices can access the service' but that's no good for the football, for which is the only reason i'm subscribed.

Does anyone know if they're planning on upping it back to 60FPS?

niallm90

123 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#2285380 29-Jul-2019 20:38

demeter23:

I spoke with Spark on Twitter after I was disappointed with the frame rate used in some of the recent football matches. They confirmed it had dropped down to 30fps from 60fps so 'more devices can access the service' but that's no good for the football, for which is the only reason i'm subscribed.

Does anyone know if they're planning on upping it back to 60FPS?

I was told during the British GP that they would be going back to 60fps but I was going to re-contact them as it was still in 30fps this weekend. I wish they would make is user selectable if some people are having issues with it.

tdgeek

26478 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2285426 29-Jul-2019 22:55

There is no difference, IMHO what you are seeing is a placebo effect. Ive watched every race and its been great. Since this 60/30 issue, what I see is a similar res, but low frame rate. Thats on what Iv been using, iPad and Airplay. When the ATV4 app came out it was no better and no worse. it was the same 1080p but the frame rate has halved. If you look at panning, its got a lot of judder. When the cars are coming towards you its fine, as there is very very low panning.

So, I tried my iPhone with Airplay and watched 3 laps. Then watched the same with ATV4 app. Identical.

niallm90

123 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#2285432 29-Jul-2019 23:29

tdgeek:
There is no difference, IMHO what you are seeing is a placebo effect. Ive watched every race and its been great. Since this 60/30 issue, what I see is a similar res, but low frame rate. Thats on what Iv been using, iPad and Airplay. When the ATV4 app came out it was no better and no worse. it was the same 1080p but the frame rate has halved. If you look at panning, its got a lot of judder. When the cars are coming towards you its fine, as there is very very low panning.

So, I tried my iPhone with Airplay and watched 3 laps. Then watched the same with ATV4 app. Identical.

I'm not sure who you are talking to or what your really trying to say.

The previous races definitely had some weird encoding going on. Look back through my posts for captures.

tdgeek

26478 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2285436 29-Jul-2019 23:37

niallm90:
tdgeek:

There is no difference, IMHO what you are seeing is a placebo effect. Ive watched every race and its been great. Since this 60/30 issue, what I see is a similar res, but low frame rate. Thats on what Iv been using, iPad and Airplay. When the ATV4 app came out it was no better and no worse. it was the same 1080p but the frame rate has halved. If you look at panning, its got a lot of judder. When the cars are coming towards you its fine, as there is very very low panning.

So, I tried my iPhone with Airplay and watched 3 laps. Then watched the same with ATV4 app. Identical.

I'm not sure who you are talking to or what your really trying to say.

The previous races definitely had some weird encoding going on. Look back through my posts for captures.

Ive seen all races, most FP's etc. There were some cameras with strange artefacts they were discussed. There has been the odd pause. The specific issue I am referrng to is FPS. It was 1080p/60 Looked great, better than Sky. Now its not. The 60/30 thing is a known factor. When there is panning, its very different to what it was like before. Before you would call it motion blur, now its just plain judder.

Ill look at your captures now, they may not be relevant if they arrest on the platform I use though. Ive read here about issues I never had, that appeared on other platforms.

tdgeek

26478 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2285438 29-Jul-2019 23:47

Ok, seen your screenshots, I know that issue. First time I saw it, it looked like it covered most but not all the screen. Maybe optical illusion. That flicker is not all the time. When I have seen it, it wasn't all the time, it was on some but not all track cameras. Someone here from Spark confirmed it was in the feed. That makes sense as it was not on all cameras. I watched end of FP3 tonight, and qualifying and the race, and after race, I didn't notice it. The frame issue is there still.

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