Is this pixallation or just a crappy HD feed?

[toy4x4]

While watching many programs there are "blocks" in the picture that I do not really consider "pixallation". During shows that have a lot of red or blue the area where this is is blocky. It's not a drop/error with the signal. I have Cox cable btw.

Examples:

Chuck on ABC looks crappy quite a bit as there is usually a lot of red in
scenes

NCIS on CBS always has the blockiness during their intro and times during the show. Here's a terrible picture of an example of the NCIS Intro:

High Def Channel

http://www.boringgames.com/HD.JPG
http://www.boringgames.com/HD2.JPG

Standard Def

http://www.boringgames.com/SD.JPG
http://www.boringgames.com/SD2.JPG




Standard def looks better than high def... Is this really just a bad HD feed?

Here are the diagnostic numbers:

Before 10db attenuator:
Signal: 85
SNR: 35-36db

After 10db attenuator:
Signal: 77
SNR: 32db

I never have any RS errors.

Ideas?

[argicida]

I know this may sound odd but it almost looks like a fingerprint superimposed over the picture.

[worachj]

Looks like some type of interference. I would check for substandard/defective cable, splitters or installation techniques (check the crimps). My guess it's the cable from the TiVo to the TV.

[toy4x4]

I have RG6 through the house. The RG6 comes in from the outside directly to the 4 way splitter the cable company provided. It then is a straight shot to both my Series 3, Tivo HD, Cable modem and SD TV. If I remove the splitter and connect just the Series 3 to the line coming in it looks the same.

I have Series 3 connected to the TV via component cables. I have the Tivo HD connected to the other TV via HDMI.

The Tivo HD and Series 3 both look blocky on the HD channels.

[toy4x4]

I know this may sound odd but it almost looks like a fingerprint superimposed over the picture.

Ignore the fingerprint looking thing and try to look at the horizontal lines on the HD picture and that will kind of lead into the blocks.. I'll try the better camera to see if I can get a better picture.

Which I'm sure is also leading to the interference comment in the next post. Let me transfer the program to the PC and I'll do a screen capture for better pics.

[Spire]

Check out the obvious Photoshop clone job on the smoke coming out of the window.

[toy4x4]

Ok, uploaded another example.

[Resist]

Standard def looks better than high def... Is this really just a bad HD feed?Remember SD content will look better than HD content when the feed is bad. SD viewing doesn't show the bad stuff because the whole experience is bad to begin with, while HD viewing is more critical of the source.

[worachj]

Your new pictures are different than the finger print ones which looked like interferend. The new picutes look like mulit-blocking.

Check this site for help.
http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/reception-problems/what-does-my-interference-look-or-sound-like

[toy4x4]

Your new pictures are different than the finger print ones which looked like interferend. The new picutes look like mulit-blocking.



Yeah, the "fingerprint" on the first one was just caused by trying to take a closeup picture of a LCD screen.

[toy4x4]

Another example:

http://www.boringgames.com/HD4.JPG


Guess I'll call the cable company tomorrow and complain. But anyone know what I should try to get them to do? Better signal strength?

[bkdtv]

Tune to a channel where you are seeing these issues and take a look at the System Information -> DVR Diagnostics screen. If your RS Uncorrected error is incrementing rapidly, then all or some of the issues you see are the result of a signal problem. If you don't see any RS Uncorrected errors, or only see an occasional error, then you are seeing exactly what the cable company is providing.

Artifacts during scene transitions and high-motion are common, unfortunately. It's the result of overcompression. Most cable companies pass the local HD channels as they receive them, so the broadcasters are at fault for overcompression. Each broadcaster has 19.4Mbps available to use how they want, but most affiliates split that bandwidth across multiple channels and subchannels. Weather feeds, traffic feeds, etc all reduce the quality of the HD.

Cable companies are often -- but not always -- responsible for overcompression on the non-local HD channels.

[toy4x4]

That is pretty much what I expect also. I'm going to call them and they will roll a truck... But if I don't complain they will think everything is fine, which it is not.

[oViTynoT]

Interesting to see that the blocking is also showing on the SD side (tho not as obvious)... That means that it's a digital feed... Compressed just like HD.

[toy4x4]

I hooked up an OTA antenna. It looks the same also. Also there is clicking/popping on NBC on both cable and OTA.

[worachj]

I would suspect some kind of interference if you have the exact same problem with cable and OTA and on two different TV’s. The crackling sound is another sign of interference. Try tuning to an analog signal to help identify the problem and look for horizontal, speckled bands, which drift up and down the screen. Turn off all your electrical stuff and see if that helps, you may have a grounding problem.

[toy4x4]

I would suspect some kind of interference if you have the exact same problem with cable and OTA and on two different TV’s. The crackling sound is another sign of interference. Try tuning to an analog signal to help identify the problem and look for horizontal, speckled bands, which drift up and down the screen. Turn off all your electrical stuff and see if that helps, you may have a grounding problem.

But on one channel only?

[worachj]

If its only one channel, then you’ll have to live with it. I thought the blocking/pixilation was on multiple channels. I don’t understand why you would go though all of this for one channel. Its got to be a problem with that station's broadcast.

[bkdtv]

But on one channel only?A handful NBC affiliates were reported to suffer from this sound popping issue, which affects all sorts of equipment (not just TiVo). It's a configuration issue on their end; most NBC affiliates have fixed it while a few have not. You might check the Local HDTV Info and Reception (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45) to see if your affiliate is one of them. If they are, I would call their engineering department to complain.