FOX broadcast the other night

[MTK]

Did anyone see the Colts game on Thurs. night? I didn't catch it but I've heard that alot of people were complaining about all the graphics and sound effects.

What was that all about?

[hooskins]

Yeah it happened to me more around the 2-3 quarter, and by the 4th it was gone. Basically the sound and the video would not freeze up but slow down and shake, and the sound in particular became very distorted. It was really annoying, but for me it was only on my HD channel. I switced it back to FOX regular(which sucks without HD), and it seemed to work fine. I think something was wrong with the HD feed, but I could be wrong.

[dmek25]

i have alot of problems with the digital feed. almost like freeze frame. love the picture but the service itself needs work

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by dmek25

i have alot of problems with the digital feed. almost like freeze frame. love the picture but the service itself needs work

It sounds like you may be experiencing a low-signal problem. Digital converter boxes require strong signal to maintain video continuity, and unfortunately it's quite common that poorly installed broadband services such as digital video suffer from low-signal issues caused by poor splitter configuration between the line that feeds the house and the outlets that deliver the signal to your TV, particularly if you have more than 3 or 4 cable outlets in your house. This is a significant problem in apartment complexes, where multiple units draw their signal from the same feed. The signal winds up getting split so many times before it actually reaches your TV that there is barely enough signal to drive analog video, much less digital broadband services.

If you live in a house, you may want to check the splitters to verify that all the connections are tight, and there are no open ports (splitter legs with no cable connected to them, which are a cause of signal loss and interference, both of which would cause the problem you're experiencing). Splitters are usually located inside a box mounted near the power meter outside your house, or in the crawlspace somewhere near the crawlspace door.

Make sure the line feeding your digital box is connected to a splitter port with the maximum possible signal throughput. Most splitters used in houses have ports with either -3.5 dB or -7.0 dB loss, and the ports are usually marked to indicate how much loss occurs. If possible, move the affected line to a -3.5 dB port. Also, make sure the splitter is rated for 5 MHz to 1000 MHz throughput. This is also usually marked somewhere on the splitter.

If there are multiple splitters between the main feed and the affected outlet, try bypassing the other splitters, and connect the affected line to the splitter closest to the main feed. You may need extra cable to do this, so it's best to call your cable company and have a technician do the work. Most cable companies don't charge for these types of services calls, but you may want to check to make sure.

If you have more than 4 cable outlets in your house, you may need a signal amplifier to overcome the signal loss. Again, this is something that most cable companies will install free of charge, assuming it's what you actually need to solve the problem. Just tell them you're experiencing reception problems on a digital box, you think it's caused by a low signal, and you'd like a technician to check your splitter configuration and determine if you need a signal amplifier.

If you install an amplifier yourself, make sure you get a 2-way broadband signal amplifier, not the cheap 1-way amps that are really just intended for boosting rooftop antenna signals. Good ones usually cost about $40 to $50, and you can find them at Best Buy, Home Depot or Radio Shack. Install it as close to the main feed as possible, preferably replacing the first splitter closest to the main feed with the amplifier (assuming the amplifier has the same number of ports as the splitter). You never want to install the amplifier behind the TV, as you will only be amplifying a degraded signal, and an amplifier installed near the TV can also burn out the TV tuner.

It sounds like Matty was referring to a network or production issue the other night, but if you're experiencing freeze-framing or tiling on your digital box, it's likely a low-signal issue that can be easily fixed. Digital services cost too much to just let a problem like that go unaddressed, so call your cable company and get it fixed. Or, if you don't feel like waiting around all day for a technician, you can PM me and I'll try to help you troubleshoot it.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by joecrisp

It sounds like Matty was referring to a network or production issue the other night

Right, I heard that people were complaining about the on filed graphics that gave the down and distance saying it looked like a video game... and I guess they kept having annoying sound effects.

Anyone remember the games in December last year on FOX? They kept playing jingle bells, Santa would keep coming across the screen, a snowplow would run across the screen, etc.

[dmek25]

thanks alot joe. the cable company has already installed a booster. im going to check the feed and all the lines. thanks again

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Right, I heard that people were complaining about the on filed graphics that gave the down and distance saying it looked like a video game... and I guess they kept having annoying sound effects.

Anyone remember the games in December last year on FOX? They kept playing jingle bells, Santa would keep coming across the screen, a snowplow would run across the screen, etc.

I yearn for the day when the networks will give some (remote) control over the production to the fans, allowing you to select the graphics, the camera angle and distance, and the audio feed (allowing you to listen to either the guys in the booth or the stadium sound); all of which could be changed during the game just by using an onscreen menu.

It's something I've been dreaming of for years, and now that on-demand archived video is a reality, the next step should be on-demand live video feeds, which would enable the kind of viewer-controlled viewing experience I described above. The league and the networks already have cameras all over the stadium, providing shots from almost any conceivable angle, so why not let the viewer pick which ones he wants to use?

I imagine, of course, that this would be a PPV service, but I'm pretty sure most hardcore fans would be willing to plunk down $5 to $10 a game to take control over those areas of the production which are critical to one's enjoyment of the game.

[BigSKINBauer]

Wasn't there an article about how that will be true in the near future? They talked about all that, the camaras, the sound, and the control the fans would have.

[saden1]

Last nights game was blurry on camera angle changes but then the image would be refocused after a second or two on my HD channel. Pretty crap deal I you ask me.