You Ask Freeview (November 2010 round)

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Biddle Corp

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#403197 11-Nov-2010 06:08

geekPete: This is a request, and if it were to be a question, it would be along the lines of ...

Any chance you could broadcast the original pre-transmission resolution size of each program, within the EPG info?

This is so we can know if a program has been "upscaled" before transmission.

Why? ...

I generally re-encode programs that I have recorded using my PC-based PVR media server, because some of my viewing devices cannot handle fullHD resolution, nor some of the high-end "encoding options" in the stream, e.g. CABAC.

If this "upscaling" info was in the Program information, then if my conversion program could know that a 576 line source had been upscaled to 720 lines, I would program it to re-encode back down to 576, not the transmitted 720 line height, so it can be better viewed at no loss of quality on less powerful devices. Less importantly, it would also take up less hard drive space and use less network bandwidth when played over my wi-fi.

Thanks, :)

First off their are no 720p broadcasts now that TVNZ are 1080i.

And seondly the MHEG5 EPG says what shows are HD. Everything that's not labelled as HD is upscaled ON TV1, TV2 and TV3 so I can't see how your idea could actually work.

geekPete

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Geek
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#403328 11-Nov-2010 11:11

sbiddle:
First off their are no 720p broadcasts now that TVNZ are 1080i.

Has that just happened in the last few months? (I know I had recordings in June that were 720p)

sbiddle:
And seondly the MHEG5 EPG says what shows are HD. Everything that's not labelled as HD is upscaled ON TV1, TV2 and TV3 so I can't see how your idea could actually work.

In my TVGuide.xml (produced by EPGCollector/1.0.17.0), I only have the following data:

programme start,stop,channel

title

desc

rating

There is no "HD" field. How do I get it in there?
Thanks :)

NZCrusader

646 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405149 16-Nov-2010 02:07

More channels. Nice movie or informative channels. No junk channels that will never get watched.

Dont mind if not in HD, just something else than the standard programming.

For those who dont know what im talking about, im meaning:

If I want to watch movies, ild switch to a movie channel.
If I want to watch documentaries or something, ild switch to a doco channel.

Rather than the delightful mix of spagetti from TV1,2,3 & the rest.

*The reason I love sky. But it costs money, and young ones always stealing it watching disney channel. Would be nice anyway if freeview could take on sky in delivering services like this.

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http://www.sonsofvalour.net/forums/forum.php

Foo

522 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405159 16-Nov-2010 07:21

NZCrusader:

*The reason I love sky. But it costs money, and young ones always stealing it watching disney channel. Would be nice anyway if freeview could take on sky in delivering services like this.

It would be great if Freeview could take on Sky, but as it is free, there isn't really a revenue model and therefore I don't think this would be able to happen.

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405161 16-Nov-2010 07:31

An ad-supported movie channel? That might work?

Foo

522 posts

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#405163 16-Nov-2010 07:45

grolschie: An ad-supported movie channel? That might work?

That's a good idea, however I loathe the way the adverts cut up a movie and make it almost unwatchable...I watched Iron Man on TV3 a couple of months ago and the time to adverts starts of slow but as it progressed it got worse and worse. Maybe less breaks but for longer could be a way to do it?

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405173 16-Nov-2010 08:16

What about company sponsored movies/programs, rather than the many adverts throughout? Or some combination of both, to enable less ads during the movies?

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SepticSceptic

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#405198 16-Nov-2010 09:31

Foo:
grolschie: An ad-supported movie channel? That might work?

That's a good idea, however I loathe the way the adverts cut up a movie and make it almost unwatchable...I watched Iron Man on TV3 a couple of months ago and the time to adverts starts of slow but as it progressed it got worse and worse. Maybe less breaks but for longer could be a way to do it?

Aint that the truth - starts off around 20-25 mins between ad breaks, to get you hooked in, and then towards the end it's 8 minutes between breaks !!! FFS !!

They would have a quota of adverts per movie, so no matter which way you look at it, there will be 15-20 mins adverts per hour, spread out across the duration of the movie. Thank you for PVR's - a major blessing.

SepticSceptic

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#405205 16-Nov-2010 09:48

NZCrusader:

*The reason I love sky. But it costs money, and young ones always stealing it watching disney channel. Would be nice anyway if freeview could take on sky in delivering services like this.

Go fo a decoder-only rental ($18.00) - will give you all freeview, plus a cartoon channel - Disney or Nick, I think. I don't watch kids channels, but I did see one of them in the EPG. Plus a couple more over and above FV. Can check this eve.

Foo

522 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405208 16-Nov-2010 09:52

I suspect we are getting off topic, but yeah - the idea of having a company sponsoring a movie could work. I recall that they do this sort of thing with Sunday theatre on TV1.

Fully agree with you SepticSceptic - I think the 'sliding scale' is a bit naff but can see why they do it - once you are hooked in, they can crank the frequency up. I also find it amusing when they break to adverts before returning for the credits.

I wonder if there was a combination of company sponsored advertising with slightly minimised ad breaks if that could work?

injuised

256 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405555 16-Nov-2010 21:18

whats the story with clearvision being the only accredited installers, ive been an installer on your website since you started and i challenge you to find one complaint directed against me., Now ive feilded some rediculous questions from people directed to me from your 0800 number, given backup and support to people who have purchased their STBs from somewhere else, Now i dont think it is very fair that one company can monopolise on the installation industry. I am a technician with local knowledge and have built up an extremely good reputation in my area, surely it woiuld be a better experience for a customer to talk to someone with local knowledge than some unknown company in Auckland, Can you tell me why any reference to my name has been removed from your site and the monopoly given to clearvision..

NZCrusader

646 posts

Ultimate Geek

#405883 17-Nov-2010 13:30

*This might be off topic.

But why is it that we lack dedicated movie or doco or sports channels in the non subscription tv broadcasts ?

In saying this. Im NOT saying that TV1, 2, 3 or 4 are BAD because they show a mix of programs.
But I am saying that currently. I notice that these seem to be the most watched channels.

Looking on the freeview website. I see half a dozen channels that ive never even seen or heard of, let alone, I dont know anyone that watches these other channels.

I dont know if others do watch these on a regular basis or something, but as I said ild probably prefer some dedicated entertainment type channels as to a bunch of random ones I probably wont ever watch.

^ forgive me if that opinion is unreasonable / unfair.

SepticSceptic

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#405888 17-Nov-2010 13:39

SepticSceptic:
NZCrusader:

*The reason I love sky. But it costs money, and young ones always stealing it watching disney channel. Would be nice anyway if freeview could take on sky in delivering services like this.

Go fo a decoder-only rental ($18.00) - will give you all freeview, plus a cartoon channel - Disney or Nick, I think. I don't watch kids channels, but I did see one of them in the EPG. Plus a couple more over and above FV. Can check this eve.

Sky decoder rental will give you Disney channel too ..

richms

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#405897 17-Nov-2010 13:53

Heres another one, whats with the aspect problem on the 33 chinese tv? Not that I can understand it, but they are sending 4:3 as widescreen so its fat-o-vision - surely there is some technical standards that freeview expect broadcasters to stick to?

Also, whats freeviews position on C4 showing things pillarboxed and letterboxed all the time? Surely this just makes freeview look lame to most people?

Richard rich.ms

Jaxson

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#405909 17-Nov-2010 14:29

Just had an idea for a question....

What's with the transfer of recorded files etc. I know it's probably linked to suppliers requiring assurances that their material won't be copied and distributed etc but how come the Panasonic units have MHEG5 EPG's etc but can write to DVD or Bluray discs?

Almost all freeview HD PVRs have ethernet hardware on them....

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