Maori Television and Te Reo in HD on Freeview

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lchiu7

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Topic # 223892 23-Oct-2017 10:20

Having ditched my cable TV services I have been using Freeview more lately (before that I just got them all on my cable box).

I have made a couple of interesting observations on Freeview.

1. Prime isn't in HD but it is on cable TV. I presume that's because Vodafone gets the feed directly from Sky in HD but the Freeview transponder isn't HD?

2. As on the subject, both the Maori Channel and Te Reo are in HD (well according to my TV and the PQ on the right content looks like it's HD) but the audio is AAC.

Are they on a transponder that has sufficient capacity for HD transmission? Also I presume their studio gear is HD also?

Just putting it out there for comments.

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Reply # 1888011 23-Oct-2017 10:44

There may be some useful information in this thread (I haven't read it myself).

sbiddle

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Reply # 1888018 23-Oct-2017 11:00

Maori TV and Te Reo launched on their own MTS MUX a few months ago. They previously used the Kordia MUX.

AAC is the primary audio codec for Freeview DVB-T broadcasts. Some channels broadcast additional AC3 feeds for 5.1 sound.

lchiu7

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Reply # 1888042 23-Oct-2017 12:03

Behodar:

There may be some useful information in this thread (I haven't read it myself).

That is actually interesting and relevant. I hadn't read that.

As others have noted it would be good if Prime went HD. Thought some people say there's nothing to watch (which is mainly true), there is the occasional broadcast like the delayed rugby. And having it 5.1 would certainly add to the quality given a great deal of their programming is distributed in 5.1.

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Spong

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Reply # 1888306 24-Oct-2017 00:04

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When Sky decided to broadcast Prime in HD on the Sky platform about a year or so back, I distinctly remember them stating that they would be negotiating with Freeview to broadcast it on that platform too. I know many of us on Geekzone were skeptical that they were telling the truth, and I can't help thinking they held back as something extra they can use to keep people onboard that sinking Sky Ship.

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fe31nz

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Reply # 1889011 24-Oct-2017 22:22

And Prime HD does not seem to have the subtitles that Prime SD or Prime DVB-T has. Which is no good for my mother (85).

Pumpedd

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Reply # 1889093 25-Oct-2017 07:50

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Blame Sky not Freeview.

KiwiME

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Reply # 1889364 25-Oct-2017 15:53

sbiddle: Maori TV and Te Reo launched on their own MTS MUX a few months ago. They previously used the Kordia MUX.

So, they are the only channels on that MUX? If so, that would be interesting. I'm having problems viewing these two channels on my older Sony TV and am not sure what else to try. So far, what I've posted on Sony and NZ Freeview forums:

My Sony KDL46-W4500 TV fails to render an acceptable picture for both new Full HD terrestrial channels even after a factory reset. The frame rate stops about once a second for several tenths of a second, then jumps ahead a few frames and continues. Every other channel is fine, as are the two tuners in my HTPC split 1/3 each off the same terrestrial antenna pointed at Mt. Erin in Hawkes Bay. There is no pixelation or signs of low signal strength and the picture is pin-sharp. The sound has no obvious problems.

I replaced my terrestrial antenna today and the performance is the much the same. As with the previous antenna signal strength is at maximum, pre viterbi is lower but more variable than that of other HD stations, about 9 e-5 to 1.5 e-4, while the others are more stable at about 3 e-4. Post viterbi is always zero. The COFDM AGC number is about -460 for all stations.

I was hoping the "3G/4G filter" in this new antenna would help since there are cell base units within 200 m.

Or, perhaps this is a multipath issue? I've got a line of sight with the transmitter 30km away on Mt. Erin but close over the rooftops of urban Napier. But why only these two stations after a decade of perfect performance on all the other Full HD channels from the same location?

A few others in the country have posted about the same sort of problem, but not hundreds, so I'm looking for a local issue rather than a firmware or transmission issue.

djtOtago

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Reply # 1889443 25-Oct-2017 17:45

KiwiME:

My Sony KDL46-W4500 TV fails to render an acceptable picture for both new Full HD terrestrial channels even after a factory reset. The frame rate stops about once a second for several tenths of a second, then jumps ahead a few frames and continues.

This sounds like a video decoding issue.
The video stream is encoded into a h264 video stream using a particular set of encoding settings. These settings do vary from channel to channel.
Your tv has to decode the h264 stream in order to display it. The fact it is pausing at regular 1 second ish intervals indicates to me it may be having trouble decoding the stream. Probably the Key frame.
If this is the case, then the only fix(s) will be, for the channel in question to change the settings they use, or a firmware update for your TV.

KiwiME

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Reply # 1889621 25-Oct-2017 22:11

I’ve confirmed a friend in Auckland has the same issue with a similar vintage Sony TV, about late 2008.

KiwiME: My Sony KDL46-W4500 TV fails to render an acceptable picture for both new Full HD terrestrial channels even after a factory reset. The frame rate stops about once a second for several tenths of a second, then jumps ahead a few frames and continues.

kiwiharry

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Reply # 1889648 26-Oct-2017 07:01

KiwiME:

My Sony KDL46-W4500 TV fails to render an acceptable picture for both new Full HD terrestrial channels even after a factory reset. The frame rate stops about once a second for several tenths of a second, then jumps ahead a few frames and continues. Every other channel is fine, as are the two tuners in my HTPC split 1/3 each off the same terrestrial antenna pointed at Mt. Erin in Hawkes Bay. There is no pixelation or signs of low signal strength and the picture is pin-sharp. The sound has no obvious problems.

I have the same TV. Can confirm I also have this issue.

sbiddle

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Reply # 1889653 26-Oct-2017 07:18

I recall some similar issues in the very early days of Freeview|HD where some changes made at one point that caused such issues on some brands of hardware.

KiwiME

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Reply # 1889688 26-Oct-2017 09:06

kiwiharry:
I have the same TV. Can confirm I also have this issue.

OK, that's good to know before I start wasting more time and money chasing a non-existent antenna problem :)

Have you tried contacted anyone about this? I've posted on Freeview Forums, Sony's Facebook page, Sony's community forum, and have sent emails to Maori TV themselves.

I would have thought there would be a large number of older Sony TVs with first-gen Freeview technology in the country but perhaps some viewers don't notice the framerate issue?

BTW, what is your location?

kiwiharry

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Reply # 1890936 26-Oct-2017 19:04

KiwiME:
kiwiharry:
I have the same TV. Can confirm I also have this issue.

OK, that's good to know before I start wasting more time and money chasing a non-existent antenna problem :)

Have you tried contacted anyone about this? I've posted on Freeview Forums, Sony's Facebook page, Sony's community forum, and have sent emails to Maori TV themselves.

I would have thought there would be a large number of older Sony TVs with first-gen Freeview technology in the country but perhaps some viewers don't notice the framerate issue?

BTW, what is your location?

Hi. No I haven't contacted anybody as I only saw your post this morning and noticed the same TV model. We rarely watch anything on the Maori TV channels and even when we do it is via our Sky decoder and not via terrestrial freeview.

I'm in West Auckland.

I'll try and make some enquiries too and post back.

KiwiME

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Reply # 1892581 30-Oct-2017 13:24

Video of Sony KDL46W4500 showing the problem at this link. The moire artifacts are from my phone, not the TV.

http://napierwebcam.nz/Maori_HD.mp4

joshhill96

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Reply # 1894261 2-Nov-2017 14:01

Hi Guys

Ii am in touch with the Freeview team and investigating reports coming in as they have been on Freeview Forum, at this stage there is no updates on this,

I recall this is on older SONY Digital Tuner Televisons?

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