Stereo audio: Terrestrial vs NTL

Originally Posted by Tod

I take it you are implying that freeview is not free because you have to buy the equipment to receive it?
On that basis normal analogue is not free either as you have to buy a TV! lol

Nope, thats not what I'm saying

[ccursons]

I have also noticed the difference when listening in Dolby surround, Dolby Pro logic works by directing certain ranges of sound to certain channels therefore because NTL just doesnt seem to broadcast the same level of detail or the same range (as in as low or as high) as you get with nicam, sky or freeview, the sounds are all rather flat and midrange and therefore the processor will direct them to the centre channel where flat midrange speech is produced.

Originally Posted by ccursons

I have also noticed the difference when listening in Dolby surround, Dolby Pro logic works by directing certain ranges of sound to certain channels therefore because NTL just doesnt seem to broadcast the same level of detail or the same range (as in as low or as high) as you get with nicam, sky or freeview, the sounds are all rather flat and midrange and therefore the processor will direct them to the centre channel where flat midrange speech is produced.

As I've already said once the majority of channels are recieved from satellite or DTT and hence have exactly the same audio.

Prologic does not steer sounds by their frequency components, it uses phase differences between the left and right channels to do the steering.

[tkiely]

I have to agree with swipe, the ntl stereo is just wrong!

Last week I moved my tv (nicam stereo) from one room to another. After 4 years plugged into the ntl box (pace 4000) via fully wired RGB scart I pluged in an aerial and I have to say the whole family was shocked at how the sound 'came alive'!

The difference was amazing, tonal quality, clarity and depth (width) of the soundstage has made us feel like we have a new telly

Never mind, Sky is coming next week, it would be Sky+ but you cant get an install until march at the mo as it is SOOOOOOOOOO popular!

[magpie]

Originally Posted by tkiely

Never mind, Sky is coming next week, it would be Sky+ but you cant get an install until march at the mo as it is SOOOOOOOOOO popular!

How many times does proppin' have to say it - THE SOUND ON SKY IS THE SAME AS NTL FOR MOST CHANNELS.

[tkiely]

Originally Posted by magpie

How many times does proppin' have to say it - THE SOUND ON SKY IS THE SAME AS NTL FOR MOST CHANNELS.

so when they install Sky they must secretly fill your room with air that conducts sound better then

perhaps I (and the ntl eng) connected both my stb's wrongly but terestrial and my brother's Sky just blows away that wet dishcloth sound that claims to be stereo when it leaks out of the stb.

I'm not really fussy, I don't want 5.1 dolby or whatever. I just want stereo with a good realistic soundstage and a full freq. range.

All I know is that nicam through the aerial makes my ntl sound like an AM radio.

Originally Posted by tkiely

so when they install Sky they must secretly fill your room with air that conducts sound better then

perhaps I (and the ntl eng) connected both my stb's wrongly but terestrial and my brother's Sky just blows away that wet dishcloth sound that claims to be stereo when it leaks out of the stb.

I'm not really fussy, I don't want 5.1 dolby or whatever. I just want stereo with a good realistic soundstage and a full freq. range.

All I know is that nicam through the aerial makes my ntl sound like an AM radio.

All channels or just certain ones?
Are you Langley or Bromley platform?

[MikeyB]

Originally Posted by magpie

How many times does proppin' have to say it - THE SOUND ON SKY IS THE SAME AS NTL FOR MOST CHANNELS.

It may come from the same source, and therefore be the "same" but I can tell you it does not sound the same once it comes out of the STB as Sky does.

I know this from personal experience.

Originally Posted by MikeyB

It may come from the same source, and therefore be the "same" but I can tell you it does not sound the same once it comes out of the STB as Sky does.

I know this from personal experience.

Again, is it all or just some channels?

[MikeyB]

I would say pretty much all the channels I used to watch, BBC1,BBC2,C4,Sky1,Paramount,music etc

The difference was noticable straight away, definatly more stereo seperation (and thus more noticble Pro Logic) on Sky than NTL, and seemed somewhat clearer sound.
And the only thing that changed when going from NTL to Sky was the STB, same tv, same scart cable, same sound system.

But I've not had NTL for 3 or 4 years now, didnt stay with NTL for long once it went digital, parents had Sky and was jelous by how good theirs was!

Originally Posted by Tod

I take it you are implying that freeview is not free because you have to buy the equipment to receive it?
On that basis normal analogue is not free either as you have to buy a TV! lol

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds13217.html :p

[altis]

I'm not saying this is the problem - it's just a possibility. I know about this 'cos it happened with my PC's sound card!

It is possible that the hardware designer had a Friday afternoon moment and one of the audio channels ended up inverted - so that one of the speakers sucks instead of blows. When this happens you can hear there is a stereo signal but it's impossible to 'locate' the sound.

This problem is easy to identify. With the amp switched off, swap the two wires on one of the speakers. Then fire everything up and see if it sounds better.

Originally Posted by altis

I'm not saying this is the problem - it's just a possibility. I know about this 'cos it happened with my PC's sound card!

It is possible that the hardware designer had a Friday afternoon moment and one of the audio channels ended up inverted - so that one of the speakers sucks instead of blows. When this happens you can hear there is a stereo signal but it's impossible to 'locate' the sound.

This problem is easy to identify. With the amp switched off, swap the two wires on one of the speakers. Then fire everything up and see if it sounds better.

Thats not bad thinking Altis! That would definitely have the effect of removing the stereo spread. No easy way to check or swop over the connections if using a scart straight into a TV tho. You could cannibalise a scart lead and swop them over yourself but its not soemthing I would encourage.

[ccursons]

He has already said that he only changed the box nothing in his cabling or other equiptment. Its not just one person thats heard the difference anyone who compared sky or freeview back to back with NTL can hear it

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by ccursons

He has already said that he only changed the box nothing in his cabling or other equiptment. Its not just one person thats heard the difference anyone who compared sky or freeview back to back with NTL can hear it

Altis pointed out that the wiring inside the NTL box could have that friday feeling and be a bit backward. This can be remidied by changing the box, or putting a crossover fix in the wiring.

Could be a batch of boxes? Mine certainly gives as good sound as NICAM.