View Full Version : Directv compression?
Do you guys think it will get better? My local (ABC) game on Saturday was unwatchable..... I couldn't wait til the game started Saturday and then I was very disappointed. Do you guys see any change anytime soon..... I don't remember the compression being this bad last year...... As a matter of fact, I thought the PQ was awesome.....
bills976
09-01-03, 08:51 AM
Once Directv 7S is operational, compression should get better. All of those locals temporarially on 101 will be moved to 119, improving the PQ on nearly all channels (except of course those at 110). Hopefully that will cure the PQ woes (and yes, NY locals are nearly unwatchable as well).
I also have noticed that the N.Y. Channels need to be improved. I qualify for and have the New York and L.A. Channels. L.A. Channels seem to be just a little bit plainer in picture quality than the New York East Coast Feeds. Picture quality needs to be improved on those East Coast Feeds. CBS West Channel 2 out of L.A. the volume on there feed seems to be low also. Maybe they need to turn up the volume or transmission volume of that channel. Better Picture on L.A. Low Volume. Adaquate Volume on CBS East N.Y. CBS 2 But Poorer Picture Quality. Sheesh. I've been noticing this for a while now.
I also have noticed that the N.Y. Channels need to be improved. I qualify for and have the New York and L.A. Channels. L.A. Channels seem to be just a little bit plainer in picture quality than the New York East Coast Feeds. Picture quality needs to be improved on those East Coast Feeds. CBS West Channel 2 out of L.A. the volume on there feed seems to be low also. Maybe they need to turn up the volume or transmission volume of that channel. Better Picture on L.A. Low Volume. Adaquate Volume on CBS East N.Y. CBS 2 But Poorer Picture Quality. Sheesh. I've been noticing this for a while now.
Picture quality on D* just flat out sucks right now. I have been with them for 7 years and this is probably the second worst it has been. It is so bad on all of the channels that when words come up on the screen, it is just one big blur. Espn was so bad today that I couldn't even watch the game. The words on the backs of the jerseys looks like one big blob of color. As long as D* keeps adding shopping channels and other worthless bandwidth eaters, this is what we will get.
Mike D-CO5
09-01-03, 06:22 PM
Picture quality on D* just flat out sucks right now. I have been with them for 7 years and this is probably the second worst it has been. It is so bad on all of the channels that when words come up on the screen, it is just one big blur. Espn was so bad today that I couldn't even watch the game. The words on the backs of the jerseys looks like one big blob of color. As long as D* keeps adding shopping channels and other worthless bandwidth eaters, this is what we will get.
Well at risk of sounding like some of the Directv pom pom waivers: Switch to Dish....
Seriously though, Directv might improve in the future when they add their new satellite but for now the clear winner to me is Dish. My comparisons so far this year when I have had both.
1. Directv picture is grainey and the color is a bit washed out on all channels including their locals. The channels are heavily compressed with lots of artifacting on all of them.
2. Dish picture is clearer and the color is better even on their local channels with the exception of the ABC affiliates I've tried from Houston, Little Rock and Chicago. New York has the best quality of any ABC station as well as the other networks. Dish only shows artifacting when they show solid color backgrounds or low contrast lighting.
But of course if you want to wait till the new satellite here is something I've tried that works:
Turn the sharpness off and the contrast way down. This seems to help with the artifacting .
Good luck with your choice. :)
I couldn't agree with you more stevie. I think that Direc TV seriously needs to take some of these new home shopping channels and cut them out of there channel lineup immediately to free up some bandwidth. Damn how many shop at home channels does anyone need? 1 or 2 should be adaquate. QVC and Home Shopping Network stay. All the rest Shop NBC, and Celeberity shopping needs to GO NOW! Are you listening Direc Tv?
I agree, I am really getting upset with my membership to DirecTV. Can we set up a petition to voice our disapproval with the local PQ. Dump some worthless channels! If some one gives me the "Well they need to make money..." excuse I'll freak. Dish seems to be doing quite well charging less with better PQ and less BS channels. It annoys me I have so far to go with my membership... man I hate commitments...
crkeehn
09-02-03, 04:11 AM
I guess it depends on the channels that you are getting. The Baltimore Channels are coming in very nicely, luckily the Baltimore UPN affiliate carried the Redskins preseason games so that I was able to watch them. No problem with the picture.
Of course the locals on Dish don't compare. What am I saying? Dish doesn't even carry the Baltimore locals yet.
I'm happy my locals were added in August but I would prefer better PQ on all the channels instead of my locals...... I had to use the ole rabbit ears to watch the Clemson/Ga game on ABC because of the PQ..... So in my opinion, directv rushed to get all the locals up and messed up the PQ...... I had my locals thru TWC and was happy to wait another 6 months or so for better PQ...... I'm hoping the PQ will get better....
Sorry to complain but I don't think it is complaining when it is the facts.......
It is fact. There are way to many Home Shopping Channels on Direc Tv. And In my opinion some of them need to be taken off. I also think there are to many financial channels such as CNBC, and CNNFN, CNBC World. etc. Keep one network and Dump the other.
GreyGhost00
09-03-03, 07:33 AM
I also think there are to many financial channels such as CNBC, and CNNFN, CNBC World. etc. Keep one network and Dump the other.
This is absurd. Perhaps they should dump all the sports networks and only keep one.
As for home shopping, you should be aware that Dish network has even more Shopping channels than DirecTV.
The big question is do the companies get a cut of the shopping channel revenue? Do the shopping channels pay to be on the satellite TV? If so, then it's a revenue stream and it's nothing that is going to go away anytime in the near future.
waydwolf
09-03-03, 11:08 PM
And here everyone says digital cable has worse picture quality. NOT! Bloomberg is on digital here and totally watcheable with all its text on constantly(and Comcast and Cablevision finished up they say while Echostar finished down). No overcompression anywhere. Of course, this is all with QAM64 so they've not even reaped the extra bandwidth benefits of QAM256 so it can hardly get any worse, only better. (I can't wait till we get HD and PVR sometime within the year)
Meanwhile, I don't much care if Dish overcompresses some things because I'm only getting it this fall for the porn. For serious non-eyestrain watching, I have digital cable.
Maybe it isn't that they need to cut channels, but need to do some technological work improvement before they try to compete with a technology that has more than twice the bandwidth...
Karl Foster
09-04-03, 06:19 PM
I have noticed some pixelation on my 32" Toshiba flat-screen tv, but not on the 24" Toshiba. Both are using the same type of receiver. It is more noticable on MTV than any other station. I haven't really noticed anything out of the ordinary on my locals. I have adjusted the contrast and sharpness, and that seems to have solved most of it. It is still leaps and bounds ahead of cable in my area, and never has outages. Our local cable company (now Comcast) is trying to improve a very antiquated system, but it seems to be taking forever - not that I'd ever switch back. Too many years with too lousy of service.
Grey Ghost has got to be crazy as hell. Us Sports Fans are Paying the HIGH $$$$ Dollars for our sports to be delivered to us via satellite that most Cable outlets and other Satellite Services do not have. All those shopping channels are available on Cable. If you don't like the idea of wanting those shopping channels and Financial channels cut off direc TV's lineup to make way for our sports to be plainer in picture quality hell go back to cable. That's the whole idea NFL Sunday Ticket is Exclusive to Direc Tv. This is ridiculous. Those Home shopping channels are only Basic Package Services. I'm sorry but if I am paying over $100 for my sports then yes they should be better in Picture Quality. And to hell with those other channels.
There was alot of compression during the football game last night...... It was watchable but I hope it does improve...... I have a question for you guys...... I have the Fox E and Fox W, can I ask for a waiver on the others even though I have my locals? I'm sure I will be turned down but you never know...... I tried it twice in the past and the Fox gave me a yes waiver on the 2nd go around.....
GreyGhost00
09-05-03, 01:45 PM
Grey Ghost has got to be crazy as hell. Us Sports Fans are Paying the HIGH $$$$ Dollars for our sports to be delivered to us via satellite that most Cable outlets and other Satellite Services do not have. All those shopping channels are available on Cable. If you don't like the idea of wanting those shopping channels and Financial channels cut off direc TV's lineup to make way for our sports to be plainer in picture quality hell go back to cable. That's the whole idea NFL Sunday Ticket is Exclusive to Direc Tv. This is ridiculous. Those Home shopping channels are only Basic Package Services. I'm sorry but if I am paying over $100 for my sports then yes they should be better in Picture Quality. And to hell with those other channels.
Perhaps you misunderstood my post - I'm in complete agreement: I'd like better PQ for ALL of the channels, including the Sports (I'm one of the "US".) But to say that everything other than sports or premium packages should be axed for PQ is just downright silly. Some of us are huge sports fans AND watch the financial networks as well. Your argument seems to be that you feel "entitled" to something from D* since you're paying "HIGH $$$$" for sports packages. The product is what it is right now. If it's not acceptable to you or you don't feel it's a good value, then cancel it or don't buy it in the first place. I don't like the shopping channels any more than the next guy, but obviously many people do, otherwise they wouldn't be there. I know several people that watch the financial channels that would say "to hell with all of the premium sports channels." Should D* cut out the sports channels so that those people can have better PQ on the financial channels?
Gotcha Grey Ghost. I wish all the channels would be better in Picture Quality. But The Sports Packages are extras and people are paying for them on top of there monthly Direc Tv Bill. The Sports should be the best in picture quality but they are not. Try watching a Cubs game on Fox Sports Net Chicago Channel 639. The Picture Quality on that Channel is horrible compared to other Fox Sports Net Channels. The Picture seems darker the compression is to much. It's Not very PLAIN at all. So hopefully they will do something about this soon.
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