Pixilisation of FreeView Satellite Picture

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83 posts

Master Geek

#218141 26-May-2009 20:55

openmedia: Please complain to TVNZ, Mediaworks and freeview.

No complaints = no changes.

If possible get some samples together to show the issue.

Sky are expected to cease the FTA TVNZ transmissions early June.

I've sent another complaint to TVNZ & Freeview, I can't find a email address to complain to mediaworks (TV3 & C4)

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#218273 27-May-2009 11:37

There are now 5x TV One being broadcast FTA on Optus D1.

UPDATE: After comparing them, it looks like I will be keeping my STB tuned into Sky's version for the present time.

Masarius

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#219401 29-May-2009 17:05

Just thought I'd post an update on my situation. I had an installer come out to look at my setup today to make sure it wasn't my dish or anything. He did all his stuff. looked at the dish, tested the feed etc... and concluded that the dish is fine, the signal is good, and suggested that it may have been a dodgy box. I returned the box to Harvey Norman who happily swapped it out for a replacement. But the new box has the same issues if not worse!

I asked the installer about rain fade and he basically said that the quality of the dish and the Optus D1 satillite means that for rain fade to cause any major problems it would have to be raining like crazy. But then, like I've said previously, the manufacturer told me that a change in bitrate of the broadcast should have no effect on the picture quality so I am still confused as to what exactly is causing the pixelisation.

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#219407 29-May-2009 17:26

I am pretty sure it's the feed, not your gear. Bad pixelation when camera pans or there is action, etc. Same problem here when recent configuration changes occured recently by a certain network. I have tuned my STB into Sky's transponder at present, and it has been alot better for me.

Biggles69

83 posts

Master Geek

#219441 29-May-2009 18:46

Masarius: Just thought I'd post an update on my situation. I had an installer come out to look at my setup today to make sure it wasn't my dish or anything. He did all his stuff. looked at the dish, tested the feed etc... and concluded that the dish is fine, the signal is good, and suggested that it may have been a dodgy box. I returned the box to Harvey Norman who happily swapped it out for a replacement. But the new box has the same issues if not worse!

I asked the installer about rain fade and he basically said that the quality of the dish and the Optus D1 satillite means that for rain fade to cause any major problems it would have to be raining like crazy. But then, like I've said previously, the manufacturer told me that a change in bitrate of the broadcast should have no effect on the picture quality so I am still confused as to what exactly is causing the pixelisation.

The Pixelation is definitely being caused by the drop in bitrate (mainly the type of variable bitrate) that TVNZ is currently using. (If the manufacturer says a change in bitrate does not effect picture quality then they are either lying or don’t know what they are talking about, I work for a TV station and work with digital video every day & bitrate does make a difference)
Everyone is getting the same pixelation since TVNZ started testing their new feeds so it can’t be your equipment, I haven’t seen a single person saying it is not happening to them.

Has anyone seen any improvement since the extra TV One feeds have come on line?

I didn’t get any response from my complaints to TVNZ & freeview sent me the standard:
-----------------
TVNZ is currently undertaking internal testing relating to the planned introduction of new services, and regrets the variation to your viewing experience that you have reported. This testing will continue for some time however whilst TVNZ determines the optimum set of configuration parameters relevant to its new mix of services.
Thanks for your enquiry
Freeview team
-----------------

babygwc

27 posts

Geek

#219464 29-May-2009 19:30

TVONE news was so badly pixelated tonight (Friday night). DVB-S is becoming unwatchable... I actually get a better viewing experience via the old analogue tuner I have. Its so bad that my wife even notices it now!

Masarius

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#219476 29-May-2009 19:47

I watched TV1 for the first time in about four days today and found it very pixelated. This was after I'd replaced the freeview box and the pixelation was so bad I first thought the new box I had received was broken more than the first - but after reading about the new regional TV1 feeds (I didn't know about them before tonight) I am wondering if that is the problem.

So far all of my channels have some sort of pixelation; TV1 is the worst and any moderate movement of the picture causes severe pixelisation while more or less stationary images (news presenters etc) always have some sort of artefacting. The other TVNZ channels aren't as bad but are still very pixelated during movement. TV3 is slightly better again. The best channel is C4 which is more or less fine except during fast movement although the picture can still have a lot of artefacts.

I have another question: today the installer said that he has had many complaints from people using certified freeview boxes and suggested that he has some non-freeview boxes that are of better quality and don't suffer from the pixelisation issue so much. Has anyone had any experiences with boxes that aren't freeview certified and is it true that freeview certified boxes are generally of lower quality? Is there a particular brand box that I could get that could resolve the issue - even to the point where pixelisation is only present during very fast movements?

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#219511 29-May-2009 20:44

I personally like Topfield boxes. I have tried two and they both were clear winners over another brand box that I tried.

Some channels are just poor quality on any receiver, because the bitrate is so low. FV TV1 and TV2 used to look really good last year. I thought it used to look better than the Sky transponder's version to my eyes. But now my STB is tuned into Sky's transponder. Just my $0.02, YMMV, etc.

richms

28198 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#219644 30-May-2009 04:00

I have just turned my tv on, and there is some lame movie with some fire in it... It looks like old ascii art to me, and even on cut sceens there is pixels remaining for another frame.

This is so bad that I have downloaded crap divx's that look a lot better - infact it makes a low quality youtube look awesome in comparison. - this is on TV2 which as I understand has not being made into multiple versions.

infact I have never seen it this bad even on sky's famously low bitrate channels.

Richard rich.ms

dtvs

73 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#219672 30-May-2009 09:09

My apologies I stand corrected, I genuinely did not think low bitrate would cause pixelation to the extent that you were getting, and apologies if I miss informed you in anyway.

The 5 TV1 feeds that you currently see are essentially all the same, just with different advertising.

In regards to your receiver there is no problem with it, you will expirience the same problem on any receiver, and of course an installer is going to tell you otherwise he wants mark up on selling you a box.

openmedia

3333 posts

Uber Geek

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#219707 30-May-2009 10:26

Pixellation in Thursday nights F-Word on TV One was truly dreadful. I'm putting together some samples for Tim at freeview to pass onto TVNZ.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

richms

28198 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#219823 30-May-2009 14:42

It seems better today then it was when I looked last night.

Unfortunatly my cameraphone isnt here so I couldt grab some video of it happening, but whatever the bitrate was dropping to on 2 lastnight was so low that it wasnt even getting all the picture updated some frames and the 2 graphic was disappearing during panning shots. Perhaps thats the disruptions during testing they are talking about and the normal crappy picture we had during they day was not testing and acceptable to them?

Anyway, its not looking too bad at the moment compared with what I have seen during the day

Richard rich.ms

Lurch

1061 posts

Uber Geek

#219962 30-May-2009 21:58

Still bad as ever, maybe even worse. :/ I havent seen a freeview ad in awhile ;)

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#220008 31-May-2009 00:18

In the meantime, those with non-official STBs can still tune into 12671 H 22500.

richms

28198 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#220018 31-May-2009 02:01

Its defiantly much worse right now on 2 then it was earlier in the evening - right now even on still things there are pixelation every second and a half to 2 seconds and the top half of the picture lagging as it was last night. Before is what I would expect for a service like this, what I have now is something that is broken.

Richard rich.ms

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