[nich0142]

Long Time Reader First Post

I just had my HR20 installed a couple of days ago (14 hr install, that is another story..) I noticed that my HD Local channels look pixilated especially with darker images close up, as well as scene changes (I have had multiple techs come out and sat strength is 95). I just deactivated an R10-250 for the HR20 and the R10 local OTA HD is much sharper than the HR20's HD Locals. I couldn't received OTA ABC therefore I wanted to try the HR20.

Question:
1) Will the MPEG4 HD Locals ever improve in quality?
2) Will the HR20 be able to produce the same sharpness once the OTA connection is activated?
3) Should I dump the HR20 and stick with the R10-250?

Thanks in advance

Minneapolis, MN

 

[rmnowick]

Long Time Reader First Post

I just had my HR20 installed a couple of days ago (14 hr install, that is another story..) I noticed that my HD Local channels look pixilated especially with darker images close up, as well as scene changes (I have had multiple techs come out and sat strength is 95). I just deactivated an R10-250 for the HR20 and the R10 local OTA HD is much sharper than the HR20's HD Locals. I couldn't received OTA ABC therefore I wanted to try the HR20.

Question:
1) Will the MPEG4 HD Locals ever improve in quality?
2) Will the HR20 be able to produce the same sharpness once the OTA connection is activated?
3) Should I dump the HR20 and stick with the R10-250?

Thanks in advance

Minneapolis, MN

Nick,
I'll take a stab at these since no one else has responded yet. I have some family out in Mound BTW...

1. You might want to search some other threads concerning the MPEG4 HD locals broadcast quality. I seem to remember a discussion concerning some additional hardware that needed to be installed by the local affiliates to allow for better MPEG4 submission to D*. I could be wrong about this though.

2. Assuming the OTA tuner used in the HR20 is of good quality, there is every reason to think that it will produce a picture from the OTA signals as good as the R10 delivers. Keep in mind that D* will be rolling out the HR20 to a lot of users over the next few years. So, this should give them an incentive to provide the best possible product. Current teething problems notwithstanding.

3. Depends whether or not you have the patience to be a beta tester for the HR20 or not. Some people have very high levels of expectations regarding their video equipment, while others can live with the HR20 knowing that future upgrades will turn it into a much better receiver. Only you can answer that one. Also, I believe that eventually D* will be converting over to mostly MPEG-4, but that is down the road.

Since I currently don't have any HD content access, I would gladly suffer through a couple months of hardware debugging. So long as the Bears games record properly

Robert

P.S. I'll see if I can find the discussion of the locals picture quality...

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=67009

 

[Que]

Question:
1) Will the MPEG4 HD Locals ever improve in quality?
2) Will the HR20 be able to produce the same sharpness once the OTA connection is activated?
3) Should I dump the HR20 and stick with the R10-250?

Thanks in advance

Minneapolis, MN

1) It will never be better then OTA but, maybe when there new sat goes up it will be close.

2) Don't know. They have to activated it 1st.

3) If you don't like the PQ of the MPEG4 stick with the HR10 until they have OTA activated on the HR20.

 

[upnorth]

Long Time Reader First Post

I just had my HR20 installed a couple of days ago (14 hr install, that is another story..) I noticed that my HD Local channels look pixilated especially with darker images close up, as well as scene changes (I have had multiple techs come out and sat strength is 95). I just deactivated an R10-250 for the HR20 and the R10 local OTA HD is much sharper than the HR20's HD Locals. I couldn't received OTA ABC therefore I wanted to try the HR20.

Question:
1) Will the MPEG4 HD Locals ever improve in quality?
2) Will the HR20 be able to produce the same sharpness once the OTA connection is activated?
3) Should I dump the HR20 and stick with the R10-250?

Thanks in advance

Minneapolis, MN

This one really puzzles me I have Twin Cities locals via D* MPEG-4 and they are pretty much flawless no pixilated or blocky picture here and I have heard of no other complaints from others in the area having any trouble.
Is it happening on all 4 channels or does one stand out more than the others?

 

[w6fxj]

This one really puzzles me I have Twin City locals via D* MPEG-4 and they are pretty much flawless no pixilated or blocky picture here and I have heard of no other complaints from others in the area having any trouble.
Is it happening on all 4 channels or does one stand out more than the others?

DirecTV's local HD Local Receive Facilities had problems with their decoding-encoding equipment in several of the early city roll-outs. Later rollouts use better transcoders. DirecTV are upgrading the shaky systems one city at a time. So things will get better eventually.

 

[Chris Blount]

Long Time Reader First Post

Welcome to the forum!

DirecTV's local HD Local Receive Facilities had problems with their decoding-encoding equipment in several of the early city roll-outs. Later rollouts use better transcoders. DirecTV are upgrading the shaky systems one city at a time. So things will get better eventually.

This is true. MPEG 4 locals should improve but it will take some time.

All of my MPEG 4 locals don't look as good as OTA. At this point I don't mind though because I know OTA on the HR20 will eventually be activated.

 

[upnorth]

DirecTV's local HD Local Receive Facilities had problems with their decoding-encoding equipment in several of the early city roll-outs. Later rollouts use better transcoders. DirecTV are upgrading the shaky systems one city at a time. So things will get better eventually.

I was just telling the OP who is getting the same locals as I am that I am puzzled because mine are flawless. I had some small problems early on but they were taken care of. I believe the encoding equiptment has been updated. I have none of the problems others in different areas are reporting.

 

[glennb]

My MPEG4 locals look fine.

I haven't noticed any video quality problems.

 

[DCSholtis]

D* is in the process (I THINK) of updating the LRF decoders in Cleveland. They have fixed the problems on our local NBC but the local CBS still has the 8mm look to it.

 

[RAD]

The 8mm problem isn't just in older cities, Austin that just went up a couple weeks ago has it on all video based material on the 1080i channels, the one 720p that we have is OK.

 

[DCSholtis]

Same here in Cleveland however they have fixed the NBC problem all that remains is the CBS station. Our 720ps are perfect.