Poor quality of SD channels
 

We pay VM a hell of a lot of money each month, yet the SD channels quality is poor.

The small print text on some programs is virtually unreadable.

I guess they are using a very high compression etc.

The best way to describe the quality, it's like the dodgy pirate VHS\Betamax tape a guy would bring round in the back of a transit van.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Must admit I find it hard to watch anything in SD these days, as you say some of the cable SD content is very poor. Part of the problem is the upscaling required to display it in 1080 on most tv's (assuming that's what you're watching it on).

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

What size screen do you have and how far away do you sit?

As for the small text, which channels? I do suspect some assume you are watching in HD.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Can you not watch in HD?

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

I have no problems with SD channels, my TV is a 10 year old 37" Plasma though ;)

I very much doubt Hom3r has one of those £130 TV's from Argos, so wondered if a duff lead could be the problem?

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Samsung 40" & Samsung 32" 3D

Sometimes we have programs clashes and one has to be recorded on a +1

---------- Post added at 13:42 ---------- Previous post was at 13:40 ----------

Yep Samsung 40" & Samsung 32" 3D

If HD is OK surely the cable is as well?

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Have to say, don't have any problem on my 49" Sony Bravia - we watch the BBC1 SD channel for the local news & weather.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

And how far away do you sit? You need to be between 5 and 8 times the screen height away. If you are closer than 8 feet from the 40", or 6.5 feet from 32", you will be able to see the pixels on a SD picture.

Correct. The cable isn't the problem.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Just had a quick flick around t'interweb (yes, bored) and the general consensus seems to be the problem of upscaling the SD to the much higher HD (or UHD).

I've no idea 'cos I don't play with mine (in case I bugger up a decent picture), but can you 'tone down' the upscaling to get a decent balance between HD and SD?

People with much better knowledge than I would obviously know where/how to fiddle with menus and settings . . . if that's the way to go.

I think the advances in technology have now left SD floundering when viewed on newer TV's, when this Plasma eventually dies I'll be grabbing a second hand one to replace it ;)

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

The resolution of Standard Definition varies.

Main channels, like the PSBs, tend to be 720x576 or 704x576.

Smaller channels, even from big broadcasters, can be 544x576.

Some have their main channel on 720x576 and +1 version on 544x576.

And not all channels of the same resolution are equal either. I've seen some 544x576 channels that have much better picture than other ones. I'm no expert, but I suspect some of this is that they use better encoders. There's multiple factors at play, not just encoders.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

I'm surprised that happens often if you've got a V6 and two Tivo's you must be well in to double figures for recordings before you need to shift recordings to +1's :shocked:.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

I have the V6 in my room, and the living room TV is a TiVo.


We are about 8ft from the screen which is above the fire (not real fire).


My dad videos loads of stuff, weekend garbage is the worst for me, and setting up is easy on the TV downstairs, rather than use the awful app the VM have.

Hmmmm I always have watched and loved SD..... I dont loike HD,its too wide.........

I did watch some HD channels on an SD TV one time and they looked good (Too wide on those sets though)

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

I always thought wide screen was a huge improvement, after all your eyes are positioned side by side not vertically stacked (apologies to those with a different setup ;)).

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

But they would only be in SD... :confused:

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

:D

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

They could still look better than the SD channels, depending on the bit-rate

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

There are gamers that prefer CRTs for retro gaming as CRT representation of the video output makes the pixels look nicer. The same games rereleased for new machines show the exact pixels and due to the preciseness of modern technology they look blockier, so many gamers prefer their old screens for those games. Such is the feeling that a range of CRT filters are often added to the rereleases these days to emulate the CRT look.

As it happens I've seen a HD channel downscaled on a CRT and it looked better than the SD channel via the same box and cable. Obviously it wasn't HD being output on screen, but there was a difference between SD and HD channels.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Many SD channels are now also widescreen. They only tend to revert to 4:3 ratio when showing older content.

16:9 is the go to default for most programming now as all modern TVs are wodescreen too. Even some SD CRT tvs were widescreen towards the end of their lives..

There are some new shows that prefer the full widescreen ratio adopted by many movies of 2:35:1 this format is so wide you still get black clack at the top and bottom on a standard 16:9 TV.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Not in the US, where Dude is.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

You knowing that worries me:erm:

Actually I think thats all cable companies offer here I think,just HD ...... (They assume everyone wants that and when someone like ME comes along,they dont know how to react)

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Which bit? Knowing that Dude is in the US, or knowing that the US doesn't have widescreen SD? :)

Actually Dude, just curious, but whereabouts in the US are you?

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

He is in usa :dozey:

Im not far from Chicago :)

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Got as far as Buffalo when one the one occasion l went north. And that's back in the early 70,s . On trip to see then girl! friend in Binghamton :D

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

SD does look grim, for me I think it's the compression artefacts rather than the resolution.

Most SD channels seem to average about 1.6Mb/s with MPEG4 compression and that's squeezing things just a bit too tight for my liking.

Still, most SD viewing is Sky News as I'm too cheapskate to pay for the package with HD. Would be good if they threw in Sky News HD to those on the lowest package but I suppose they want to encourage people to move up!

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Honestly l can't claim that it bothers me if it's sd or hd
Perhaps it's the standard of tv ( 42" uhd lg ) or just my eyes yes there is a difference but does it both me no:D

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

You'll see the biggest difference when watching sport mate.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Only watch rugby . And no l don't , guess premier sports and s4c are not
that good to start off with :rolleyes:

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

I think you are correct there.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Must be your eyes then :) the difference between football, for instance, being in SD v HD is far better in HD imo, I also had Premier Sports and the PQ in HD was very good.

Re: Poor quality of SD channels
 

Sorry really don't see it . If you ever stood on a terrace with a great big guy in front of you the rain pouring down mist on your glasses. How clear the screen is is low on the list :D