Audio Video Quality today: over compressed signal?

[hvarma2008]

Does anyone else notice that the video and audio quality has degraded tonight?
The SD channels look worse than before, and the HD ones look like what used to be good quality SD transmission just yesterday. The audio is much lower and when you turn the TV volume up, the sound is not that clear, as if it has been compressed more than normal. Reminds me of what used to happen when I had cable. Are we getting shortchanged on quality now?

 

[JEFFinINDY]

Does anyone else notice that the video and audio quality has degraded tonight?

Nope. Everything looks fine here.

 

[hvarma2008]

Could it be the Receiver or the HDMI cable doing it? What is the lifespan of a HDMI cable? I put it in 2 years ago.

 

[sam_gordon]

Are you noticing this on multiple channels, or just a few? Are you sure the content originated in HD and was not just an SD program upconverted to HD by the programmer?

 

[KAB]

Do you have any OTA going through it? How do they look/sound?

 

[hvarma2008]

I was noticing that on most channels yesterday, the quality is slightly better this morning. I removed my OTA antenna when we got HD locals, so I don't have anything to compare. If this keeps up, I might bring back the OTA antenna just to compare to make sure it is not the cable or receiver.
Or it could just be my TV that is now 4.5 years old ( Sony LCD Projection TV).

 

[KAB]

You should put back your OTAs if for nothing more than recording options.

 

[JEFFinINDY]

Can you describe the problem a little more, or maybe take a good picture? Did you check your receiver's resolution settings and make sure it's correct (i.e. 720p or 1080i)?

 

[gadgtfreek]

I watch a lot of OTA and Blu-ray so Im happy, but the Dish HD channels are pretty good for the most part. Some issues are channel, some are just that Dish compresses a bit much IMHO. I say this as an ex directv customer who feels Directv had a little better PQ. Wouldnt trade my 722k for the world though.


I have a Denon rcvr, Klipsch sub and Def Tech speakers and audio sounds great to me. Some channels are not as good as others, but most seem fine.

 

[DishSubLA]

Well, it could be the CONTENT that is the problem. I have seen some very sorry HD transfers on quite a few channels, especially on HBO as they use a fair amount of their old analog HD transfers that are pretty messy. Now, if it is a very recent film, it has been digital HD transferred with great care, and it shows.

So, an HD channel really does have great quality until it airs a TV show or movie that was not transferred with care--lower cost for them. Then the next TV show of movie looks GREAT! Often HMC has some sorry HD transfers. Sometimes, great transfers are so good that the grain on the film is far too visible. But this is a subjective choice made by the transfer house or technician, as some say show the grain as it provides the greatest detail, while other say soften some as the grain is "noise" and the subtle lack of detail without the grain is more aesthetic. I find that Starz and even HDNET Movies have the most consistently good HD transfers of all the HD channels that show film content.