BajaNomad - HD TV reception

HD TV reception

vandenberg - 11-9-2009 at 07:48 PM

I have kind of a mystery. For some reason some HD programming disappears for no apparent reason.
For exemple...my wife likes to watch Dancing with the Stars on Mo & Tu nights. The HD channel works fine till that program comes on and the signal disappears totally. Screen goes blank. It comes in fine on a regular channel. When the program is over the HD channel comes back on like nothing ever happened. Last Super Bowl I had the same problem. All the prelimenaries came in fine, but when the actual game started, the signal disappeared and I had to go to a regular channel. Never have that problem with any other programming.
Any of you TV experts have an idea ???

DENNIS - 11-9-2009 at 08:13 PM

I think you have to pay some more money to somebody. Anybody. Me. Send me some money and everything will be just fine. :biggrin:

BMG - 11-9-2009 at 08:31 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers 27 - Arizona Cardinals 23

Can't help you with the Dancing winner.

Woooosh - 11-9-2009 at 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BMG
Pittsburgh Steelers 27 - Arizona Cardinals 23

Can't help you with the Dancing winner.

ouch

vandenberg - 11-9-2009 at 08:40 PM

I asked the advise of real experts, not you bloody fly by night doofi. :no:

[Edited on 11-10-2009 by vandenberg]

BMG - 11-9-2009 at 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg
I asked the advise of real experts, not you bloody fly by night kind. :no:

At least I charge less than Dennis for my advice.

BCSTech - 11-9-2009 at 09:01 PM

Interesting question.

How old is your HD TV? I can only guess that this particular program is being broadcast in a higher HD resolution than your TV can reproduce? Many are smart enough to downscale, but...?

Quien sabe...? So many different TVs. Might try Googling your TV's model and see if there isn't something on this. There might be a setting in the TV or the satellite receiver.

vandenberg - 11-9-2009 at 09:10 PM

It's a Toshiba Regza 1080p and only 1 year old.
BCS, will give Google a try. Thanks !!

BCSTech - 11-9-2009 at 09:38 PM

Nice TV!

vandenberg - 11-9-2009 at 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BCSTech
Nice TV!

Yes it is. It's a 47 incher, largest I could get on the back seat floor of my Camry.

capt. mike - 11-10-2009 at 01:16 PM

Vandenburg - a few Qs if you'll allow me - i am an AV hobbiest and interested in your problem.

1. is your sat receiver HD capable and receiving/decoding true HD content?
2. your monitor is not the problem clearly given it's capability
3. do you subscribe to a programming level that includes the HD programing and in those band width spectra?

i have 4 sat receivers only one of which is HD level. that one feeds many TVs via FM modulation and demodulation, but only the HD monitors on that loop get a great picture on the HD channels.

my older TVs which are not HD capable simply produce the non HD channels when tuned to them.

sat programming in baja mystifies me but i hope to one day have it.
i think by then it will all be via internet downloads though.

Bajahowodd - 11-10-2009 at 01:41 PM

I don't claim to be an expert. but I can share with you what I have read and my own experience. First of all, anyone who has a 1080p TV will only be able to watch 1080p programming via Blu Ray or in some cases movies on demand from some satellite providers. Broadcasters, because of bandwidth requirements, do not broadcast in 1080p. It's a mixed bag among broadcasters as to whether they utilize 720p or 1080i. To the average viewer, there is no discernable difference. In fact, even when using a 1080p format such as Blu Ray, you really need to have a very large screen (larger than 47") to see the dif. If you have a 720p tv, it will show all content in that format, even if the broadcaster is utilizing 1080i. As you step up, 1080i tvs and 1080p tvs will automatically play all formats. Again, bear in mind that no broadcast program comes in 1080p.

As for my own experience, we've had Time Warner cable for a number of years. I am glad to say that their performance has greatly improved recently. You have to understand that your signal provider can only give you what they receive. In major markets, for instance, local and network channels are received over the air by the cable provider. If the source material is interrupted, so will the signal you get from your provider. As an example, in SoCal, during periods of very high Santa Ana winds, the linkage from the broadcast studios to the transmitter on Mt. Wilson can be affected by yielding to the slightest movement of the dish. Similarly, during periods of unusually thick cloud cover, satellite signals may become compromised. It has not happened to us for some time, but we have had a number of instances where the HD pic has reverted to standard resolution, and sometimes where it has disappeared. In the case of analogue tv, what usually happened was the quality of the picture would become degraded, by still be there. With digital, it's all or nothing. It's a very complex technical system in an imperfect world.

BCSTech - 11-10-2009 at 01:42 PM

Quote:

. is your sat receiver HD capable and receiving/decoding true HD content?

D'oh! Una buena pregunta!

[Edited on 11-10-2009 by BCSTech]

Bajahowodd - 11-10-2009 at 02:07 PM

I would slao like to add that in the case of live sports broadcasts, technical issue can arise all the way back to the venue itself. It's from there they send a feed to the network.

vandenberg - 11-10-2009 at 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
Vandenburg - a few Qs if you'll allow me - i am an AV hobbiest and interested in your problem.

1. is your sat receiver HD capable and receiving/decoding true HD content?
2. your monitor is not the problem clearly given it's capability
3. do you subscribe to a programming level that includes the HD programing and in those band width spectra?

i have 4 sat receivers only one of which is HD level. that one feeds many TVs via FM modulation and demodulation, but only the HD monitors on that loop get a great picture on the HD channels.

my older TVs which are not HD capable simply produce the non HD channels when tuned to them.

sat programming in baja mystifies me but i hope to one day have it.
i think by then it will all be via internet downloads though.

Mike,
Yes to all questions. I have 3 receivers and 2 are HD.

The mystery still is why just this particular program while none of the other ones are affected.
And ...yes... I get a perfect HD picture on about 20 channels.

[Edited on 11-11-2009 by vandenberg]

[Edited on 11-11-2009 by vandenberg]

Udo - 11-10-2009 at 06:31 PM

I have the same problem here in the state with DIrectv. The HD signal goes out for two or three days, but can watch in 720i through composite wires.
Directv cant' figger it out. They have sent me two receivers so far in the last three months.

Bajahowodd - 11-10-2009 at 07:34 PM

And did you read my post?

vandenberg - 11-10-2009 at 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
And did you read my post?

Yes I did.
Program I was referring to went out for the exact duration of that program just a few minutes ago and the signal for the next one reappeared right at 8.00pm . :?:

It's no big deal, since we can watch it on a different channel in regular programming. Just baffles me.

Bajahowodd - 11-11-2009 at 11:50 AM

I've got a different angle on this. Inasmuch as you HD signal loss coincides with the actual run time of a program. It is especially true with sporting events. Licensing fees. Either your signal provider or the station on which the show is running does not have the contractual right to broadcast the show in HD. Funny thing, that even though households with HD receivers is a (growing) minority, they are demographically more desireable to advertisers and the content producers charge higher fees for the HD feed. It is almost absolutely not a technical issue. I can give you an example, while not totally on point- TNT airs the series "The Closer" weekly. TNT is one of the cable stations that does not have feeds for separate time zones. There is just one feed. So, this show airs simultaneously in all times zones at 9pm EST, which is 6pm on the West Coast. It airs on both regular TNT and TNTHD. later that same evening, the show repeats at 9pm PDT on their standard definition channel, but does not air on the HD channel, but is rather replaced by a different show. I made inquiry about this and was told that the rates TNT charges for the HD feed cannot be supported by the smaller audience that would watch it at the later time. Make sense? crazy?

TMW - 11-11-2009 at 08:02 PM

My guess is that it's either a box problem or a problem with the pickup for the satellite carrier. They use the same HD pickup then decode it using an SD decoder for the Standard definition feed and an HD decoder for the High Def feed. If you have more than one box and HD set and it is doing the same thing on all of them I would check with a neighbor and see what his box is doing. I would get a pad and pencil and note when the programs go out and for how long. Who is your satellite provider? You could try unplugging the box for a minute especially when it happens then plug it in and see if it's OK. Satellite and cable boxes can do some weird stuff.

TMW - 11-11-2009 at 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
I've got a different angle on this. Inasmuch as you HD signal loss coincides with the actual run time of a program. It is especially true with sporting events. Licensing fees. Either your signal provider or the station on which the show is running does not have the contractual right to broadcast the show in HD. Funny thing, that even though households with HD receivers is a (growing) minority, they are demographically more desireable to advertisers and the content producers charge higher fees for the HD feed. It is almost absolutely not a technical issue. I can give you an example, while not totally on point- TNT airs the series "The Closer" weekly. TNT is one of the cable stations that does not have feeds for separate time zones. There is just one feed. So, this show airs simultaneously in all times zones at 9pm EST, which is 6pm on the West Coast. It airs on both regular TNT and TNTHD. later that same evening, the show repeats at 9pm PDT on their standard definition channel, but does not air on the HD channel, but is rather replaced by a different show. I made inquiry about this and was told that the rates TNT charges for the HD feed cannot be supported by the smaller audience that would watch it at the later time. Make sense? crazy?

The four networks (ABC CBS, FOX and NBC) broadcast in three time zones and working on a mountain time zone feed.
ABC only broadcast to the affiliates in HD or upconverted HD to the affiliates. The satellite provider is only getting an HD feed from the ABC sourse, I'm assuming it's KABC in LA.

CortezBlue - 11-12-2009 at 08:34 AM

Ok, there is something called HDCP that allows broadcasters to turn programing on or off or control how the content is to be used. By chance, are you watching this through a DVR? If so, R U recording it?
It sounds to me like you are going through a switcher or a surround sound receiver using HDMI that does not support HDCP and it is not allowing the signal to pass.

If any of the above configurations sound like your config, try to eliminate the everything and go straight from the receiver to the hdmi of the monitor.

Hope that helps