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Video stuttering on newer mpeg-4 channels?

2251 Views 24 Replies 16 Participants Last post by  1948GG, 
M
Since the mpeg-2's have gone -4 I've noticed some stuttering type effects on them, mostly on ESPN since that's what I have watched more often. I noticed it again on FSN South from a recorded program from Friday. FSS went full time HD Thursday. Has anyone else noticed this? It's getting annoying.
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mx6bfast said:
Since the mpeg-2's have gone -4 I've noticed some stuttering type effects on them, mostly on ESPN since that's what I have watched more often. I noticed it again on FSN South from a recorded program from Friday. FSS went full time HD Thursday. Has anyone else noticed this? It's getting annoying.
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Yes. I noticed it on certain channels before the switch as well (TNT in particular), but it seems to have gotten worse, again, particularly on TNT.
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A
I haven't noticed any... Not sure how much I've watched ESPN or TNT lately though... since the Olympics have been on... :)

What are your signal strengths on 99c?
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gulfwarvet
i only see this a lot on TBS (mostly on Tyler's house on pain)
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W
I have noticed this more often recently as well, yesterday during the nascar race on espn and from a showtime recording on friday, very annoying.
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syphix
Only channel I consistently notice "stuttering" is Spike HD. VERY annoying...almost as annoying as Spike's inability to start shows on time.
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AirRocker said:
What are your signal strengths on 99c?
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I'm not having video dropouts. I would guess as with OTA that a higher signal strength doesn't mean a better picture. (If so then I would expect my HD to look better from D* :) ).

I haven't been into my signal strengths in a long time but I remember them being constantly in the mid 90's.
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mx6bfast said:
I'm not having video dropouts. I would guess as with OTA that a higher signal strength doesn't mean a better picture. (If so then I would expect my HD to look better from D* :) ).

I haven't been into my signal strengths in a long time but I remember them being constantly in the mid 90's.
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I guess maybe I'm picturing a different type of video stuttering than you're describing... But low signal strengths can definitely mess with the video quality...

The channels you're having an issue with are off the new satellite... which just showed up in the signal strengths a short time ago... and your dish very well could not be tweaked for that sat... May want to check it just for fun.. :)
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D
I have been having audio stuttering, all HD with Dolby Digital, locals on D* and some nationals, but can't recall which. I just had my antenna realigned and signals are very good so that can't be it.
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D
I get a hiccup in the video on my local RSN (FSN Detroit) about every 15 to 20 minutes like clockwork, and yes its really annoying. Luckily I get my RSN via QAM also, never an issue on QAM.

I also see plenty of video issues on ESPNHD, and I was seeing them before the switch to MPEG-4 as well as after. I see alot of video issues on Spike HD as well. Nat Geo is another channel I see problems with everytime I watch it. Video stuttering and video breakups to be exact. Tons of audio sync issues as well, on pretty much random channels at random times.

Bottom line, the MPEG-4 definitely has increased the overall sharpness/detail/vibrancy of the picture. There are a multitude of other video issues to go around though. These video stuttering problems go above and beyond the standard motion artifacting issues that can be seen on every D* HD channel.

Ive been a D* HD customer for only about 10 weeks, and I swear the overall HD quality has noticeably decreased in that short time.

I would say that the percieved decrease in quality has alot to do with me drinking the D* HD kool aid though. I really bought into all the hype and claims of great HD on various message boards, and I think when I first signed up I was just so sold on the kool aid that it took me awhile to realize the quality really is only marginal at best.

All in all D* HD is still my best option due to the quantity of channels offered, and regardless of how I come off I am relatively happy with my choice. D* HD is a long long ways from being what I would consider high quality HD though.
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AirRocker said:
I guess maybe I'm picturing a different type of video stuttering than you're describing... But low signal strengths can definitely mess with the video quality...

The channels you're having an issue with are off the new satellite... which just showed up in the signal strengths a short time ago... and your dish very well could not be tweaked for that sat... May want to check it just for fun.. :)
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I'll try to remember to check them when I get home tonight.

The kind of stuttering I'm talking about can kinda be described as frames are missing in the video. The video isn't smooth, it almost looks like it's skipping from one frame to the next. Think of a book and when you quickly flip the pages you can see movement in the picture, but you can also see the outline of the page that was flipped.
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mx6bfast said:
I'll try to remember to check them when I get home tonight.

The kind of stuttering I'm talking about can kinda be described as frames are missing in the video. The video isn't smooth, it almost looks like it's skipping from one frame to the next. Think of a book and when you quickly flip the pages you can see movement in the picture, but you can also see the outline of the page that was flipped.
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What you describe is exactly what I see on FSN Detroit on a daily basis. My issues with the other channels I mentioned are a bit different than the FSN issues though.

On Spike, particularly on all CSI episodes, there is just this wierd slight glitchiness in the video. Hard to explain, but watch a CSI episode and Im sure youll see what Im talking about. The picture isnt breaking up, it just has this really strange unnatural movement/glitchy look to it. I really only see it on CSI episodes.

On ESPN I see green pixelation from time to time, and also the occassional brief blackout, as well as stuttering video from time to time. As far as I know, and according to another thread on this site, the ESPNHD issues have been going on forever.

On Nat Geo its slight yellow/white/green pixelation that I see like clock work every 15 minutes or so. Not really what I would call stuttering, just a little pixelation here and there.

For the record, the lowest signal I get any 99c/103c transponder is mid 80's, with average being around 90.
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donkeylips said:
Bottom line, the MPEG-4 definitely has increased the overall sharpness/detail/vibrancy of the picture. There are a multitude of other video issues to go around though. These video stuttering problems go above and beyond the standard motion artifacting issues that can be seen on every D* HD channel.

Ive been a D* HD customer for only about 10 weeks, and I swear the overall HD quality has noticeably decreased in that short time.

I would say that the percieved decrease in quality has alot to do with me drinking the D* HD kool aid though. I really bought into all the hype and claims of great HD on various message boards, and I think when I first signed up I was just so sold on the kool aid that it took me awhile to realize the quality really is only marginal at best.

All in all D* HD is still my best option due to the quantity of channels offered, and regardless of how I come off I am relatively happy with my choice. D* HD is a long long ways from being what I would consider high quality HD though.
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I don't want to head this thread into a different direction, but I agree that the HD PQ isn't really all that great. I'm glad that your kool aid has run out. If someone who has only had D* for as short as you and already notice a difference that should really tell you something.

But if you include PQ in addition to the stuttering that some of us are seeing on here the HD experience is getting worse.

They wont fix the HD PQ issues, but I sure hope they fix the stuttering issues in time for college football.
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mx6bfast said:
I'll try to remember to check them when I get home tonight.

The kind of stuttering I'm talking about can kinda be described as frames are missing in the video. The video isn't smooth, it almost looks like it's skipping from one frame to the next. Think of a book and when you quickly flip the pages you can see movement in the picture, but you can also see the outline of the page that was flipped.
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Exactly. And like I said, TNT is worse, particularly when they run reruns of SD programming and stretch it. I have noticed that movies usually are pretty good, but all else usually has these issues. I have also seen it on Spike (especially CSI reruns), TBS, USA, FX, and on rarely on other stations. I sure hope they get this fixed. Since it is only seen on certain channels, I am thinking it might be the way those channels are sending their signal to Directv, but just a guess.
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T
It seems we have all seen these problems ive been seeing them on and off for about a year.Especially toonhd used to be the worst it seems like it is the encoders on directvs end and cnn it happens alot on but they dont seem to be in any hurry to fix any of them so i guess were stuck with it.And for the hd picture quality it has gone down hill alot from when d10 launched last year.It seems they are overcompressing the new hd channels now to add more.The quality isnt what it first started out to be.Not as stunning to see now.
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AirRocker said:
I guess maybe I'm picturing a different type of video stuttering than you're describing... But low signal strengths can definitely mess with the video quality...

The channels you're having an issue with are off the new satellite... which just showed up in the signal strengths a short time ago... and your dish very well could not be tweaked for that sat... May want to check it just for fun.. :)
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Range from 92 to 96.
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Michael D'Angelo
I have noticed this on different channels myself once in a while. It will happen for about 5 to 10 seconds and then stop.
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jacksonm30354
Taltizer said:
It seems we have all seen these problems ive been seeing them on and off for about a year.Especially toonhd used to be the worst it seems like it is the encoders on directvs end and cnn it happens alot on but they dont seem to be in any hurry to fix any of them so i guess were stuck with it.And for the hd picture quality it has gone down hill alot from when d10 launched last year.It seems they are overcompressing the new hd channels now to add more.The quality isnt what it first started out to be.Not as stunning to see now.
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I watch CNN alot and see no issues with it. Picture quality to me is no different from the day the channels were launched. I have 3 tv's hooked up as well and all 3 look great.

They really don't have a need to compress since they have added much since D10 and now have additional capacity with D11.
Maybe you are refering to a local having worse quality? It could have added a subchannel or 2 and that could decrease the quality of the main channel.
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Michael D'Angelo;1747119 said:
I have noticed this on different channels myself once in a while. It will happen for about 5 to 10 seconds and then stop.
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I only see the stutter on ESPN HD and ESPN 2 HD. I do not see it on any other channels.
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I just sent an email to customer support regarding these issues. I suggest everyone else does so as well.
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