I Hate Digital Cable And Their Slow Channel Changing System

[tvwatchingdude]

i know any one with digital cable has a problem with changing channels. Sometimes it takes 2 seconds, and sometimes it takes 4 seconds. I have a scientific atlanta 8300hd, and i have tried the other non dvr cable boxes and it is still slow. THIS IS SO HORRIBLY ANNOYING.

I was wondering if anyone opted to use a cable card with their tivo system, and if this made the channel changing any faster?????????? if so by how much???????

also verizon channels take about 1 second to change. if you count "1 missisipi" slowly, thats about how long it takes. Its better then cable but still too slow.


CHANNEL SURFING IS DEAD!

 

[jessshaun]

Channel surfing died with the implementation of the guide. It is your friend.

 

[Hall]

One thing that might help is to set your receiver to only output one resolution, i.e. 480i or 480p or 720p or 1080i (this depends on your TV).

On my rear-projection TV, with that box (a couple of years ago), if it was outputting all (4) resolutions and I changed from a 480i channel to a 1080i, my TV would snap-crackle-pop while it adjusted itself. Setting it to 1080i only completely eliminated that.

 

[vurbano]

Directv's channel changes are no faster. its at least "one one thousand four" before you get the next channels picture. Even Verizon takes a second to change. I guess digital is just slower.

 

[stevenl]

This is specially prevelant when using a DVR, for obvious reasons. The delay in the digital has mainly to do with the obvious conversion of the signal from digital to analog for your tv to read it. Once all TVs are digital, and the box is sending a digital signal to your tv instead of analog this delay should be cut down alot.

 

[Andrewwski]

Then why does my digital cable (SA3250 HD) take so long to change when I have it connected through DVI?

 

[Hall]

What TV ?

 

[stevenl]

Long compared to what? Normal analog channel changeing? There is still the delay in coverting the 01010100's into stuff your Eyes can see on screen.

 

[tvwatchingdude]

yeah and it sucks, im seriously thinking of getting rid of cable just because of that stupid delay. who needs all those stupid channels, and that delay in changing channels, it pisses me off. I thought technology is supposed to be faster and better not slower and crapier.

 

[Van]

Sounds like your expectations are to high for modern technology but I can agrea that the delay atleast in the dvr units can be a tad bothersome. There could be more going on such as a inhouse powergrid issue or the coax/cables used in your set up as well as the size of the tv or the signal coming to you from the tap.

 

[Pepper]

yeah, put up a TV antenna and watch analog over the air.

For 15 more months.

or, learn how to use the guide and really watch tv instead of "flipping channels"

 

[yourbeliefs]

My dad has Comcast HD, and I haven't noticed that its THAT slow.. I don't know about the whole native resolution thing. I know that that causes delays on my D* H20, but that's because it changes to the Native resolution whenever it changes.
All I can say is if inDemand ever signs up with satellite, it will be the end of cable..
Well maybe not for everyone but for me it will be. ;p

 

[stevenl]

Sounds like your expectations are to high for modern technology but I can agrea that the delay atleast in the dvr units can be a tad bothersome. There could be more going on such as a inhouse powergrid issue or the coax/cables used in your set up as well as the size of the tv or the signal coming to you from the tap.

Well the signal really doesnt play that big a role, With DVRS the reason its slower is because by default when you tune a channel it starts recording that channel, at the same time it deletes the buffer from the previous channel so their is that delete/record that takes a bit longer to process... Which is also why you will notice a delay in the program vs say a regular digital box or even an analog. You will typically expect to be 1-2 seconds behind using a DVR vs say digital nad perhaps 3seconds behind or so vs regular analog broadcast.

 

[babyj]

but i heard ATT U-Verse is wayyyy faster. almost instant

 

[Tyralak]

yeah and it sucks, im seriously thinking of getting rid of cable just because of that stupid delay. who needs all those stupid channels, and that delay in changing channels, it pisses me off. I thought technology is supposed to be faster and better not slower and crapier.

You need to understand how the technology works. Your expectations are a bit unrealistic. Standard analog tv tuning operates differently. It's essentally taking a radio signal and tuning it directly, so channel changing is instantanious. Digital is a data stream which has to be decoded. Some boxes are faster at decoding the stream, but in all cases the decoder must wait for a start bit in order to begin to decode the stream. This will be the same if you had an off-air antenna connected to an HDTV and were watching OTA HD It still has a slight delay to decode the stream. This is the trade-off you have in order to get the superior picture and sound digital offers. This is why most people depend on the guide.

 

[tvwatchingdude]

Well...........

well........ i figure if they can put a man on the moon, they can surley make the channels change instantaneously.

 

[Tyralak]

well........ i figure if they can put a man on the moon, they can surley make the channels change instantaneously.

The two things have nothing to do with each other. Completely different scientific disciplines. The type of technology involved in space travel is totally different than that involved with digital audio/video.

 

[tvwatchingdude]

You need to understand how the technology works. Your expectations are a bit unrealistic. Standard analog tv tuning operates differently. It's essentally taking a radio signal and tuning it directly, so channel changing is instantanious. Digital is a data stream which has to be decoded. Some boxes are faster at decoding the stream, but in all cases the decoder must wait for a start bit in order to begin to decode the stream. This will be the same if you had an off-air antenna connected to an HDTV and were watching OTA HD It still has a slight delay to decode the stream. This is the trade-off you have in order to get the superior picture and sound digital offers. This is why most people depend on the guide.

All i am trying to say, is that, if they wanted to, im sure they could make the channels change faster. I figured its because all these stupid cable companies are monopolies in their geographic areas, so they dont have to do sh*t. I hoped verizon fios would change this, but sadly they also take a while to change channels. If fios is all about this super fast fiber optic stuff, why cant they be instantaneous. And I know every one says channel guide, channel guide!!!! but you know what? channel guide sucks. I like flipping through the channels. Reading what a program is about sucks, i want to see and read. When you change the channel you get the little information bar about what the show is about, and you also get a visual.

And also i have a free to air dish, and the channels are all digital also. And it is much faster in changing channels then FIOS, DIGITAL CABLE, and dish network/direct tv.It is about a full second, and while its not my ideal, it is a million times better then cable or the dish, or fios. Why is that possible??? why is it possible that free channels on a fta dish that are all digital change channels better then the fricking 90+ dollars i spend on cable??? Please explain that to me sumone, thank you!

 

[skottey]

i know any one with digital cable has a problem with changing channels. Sometimes it takes 2 seconds, and sometimes it takes 4 seconds. I have a scientific atlanta 8300hd, and i have tried the other non dvr cable boxes and it is still slow. THIS IS SO HORRIBLY ANNOYING.

I was wondering if anyone opted to use a cable card with their tivo system, and if this made the channel changing any faster?????????? if so by how much???????

also verizon channels take about 1 second to change. if you count "1 missisipi" slowly, thats about how long it takes. Its better then cable but still too slow.


CHANNEL SURFING IS DEAD!

I have two 8300HD units with Bright House Cable, St. Petersburg, FL, and I don't have such a delay when changing channels. I mean, there is a slight delay, but it is certainly bearable and after years of having digital cable (9-10) I never even noticed it, as it is so slight. I just did a comparison between digital cable with my 8300HD and my Dish VIP211. The Dish box actually has more of a delay when changing channels.

One thing you need to remember too is that the 8300HD is a DVR and it is always recording whatever channel you are watching, up to one hour back. So remember, when you change channels, it is resetting the continuous recording on a new channel. That could bring a slight delay.

But seriously, the other guy is right, who channel surfs anymore with a guide?

Edit: I must also mention that my Dish VIP211 is not a DVR... only an HD receiver, and it still has more of a delay than the 8300HD with cable that is a DVR and starts recording the channel immediately.

 

[tvwatchingdude]

why is it possible that free channels on a fta dish that are digital change channels

i have a free to air dish, and the channels are all digital also. And it is much faster in changing channels then FIOS, DIGITAL CABLE, and dish network/direct tv.It is about a full second, and while its not my ideal, it is a million times better then cable or the dish, or fios. Why is that possible??? why is it possible that free channels on a fta dish that are all digital change channels better then the fricking 90+ dollars i spend on cable??? Please explain that to me sumone, thank you!