TNT HD Poor Quality?

[swindler]

I have been a Dish Network subscriber since 1997. And I've been a Dish Network HD subscriber since 2003. (I had the original 6000 HD receiver). Of course, there was VERY little content back then, but I'm in Dallas and they were pretty early with the local HD channels, so one way or another, I've been watching HD for years.

I'm a basketball fan and have been watching the playoffs on TNT, abc, and ESPN. The picture quality on TNT HD is TERRIBLE. It is, by far, the worst picture quality I have seen for an HD broadcast EVER. I see all the typical artifacts that one would see on an SD broadcast, although not as bad as some of the SD channels that go with high compression. Where I see it the most is when they switch from a zoomed-in shot to a wide shot. Based on the MPEG compression algorithms, this is when the compression algorithms must switch gears and have some trouble.

Up until recently, the HD quality had been great, with virtually no artifacts. But the recent poor picture quality has me really wondering what's it going to be like long term.

Now I must admit that I'm still on the old 811 receivers (3 of them), and I don't get ALL the HD content currently available on Dish Network because those are only available with the new receivers. And it just might be possible that I'm receiving TNT on a compressed broadcast, and those who are receiving TNT on the new receivers are receiving a better signal with less compression.

But either way, I am very disgusted with the picture quality, and would like to know if anyone can explain why the picture quality has been so poor on TNT this year.

Anyone?

 

[richiephx]

From what I have read on other DBS sites, the poor picture quality is across all providers. I think the problem is with TNT although over-compression by providers compounds an already bad problem. As an afterthought, I watched the SUNS game on a local HD channel a few days ago and the picture quality was quite good. There is a lot of truth to the term "garbage in, garbage out". Unless people continue to complain to programmers and providers, they will continue to feed us the garbage they call HD; and, unfortunately, we continue to pay for it.

 

[Rlanham]

Glad it wasn't just ME!. I have been watching the NBA playoffs on THT-HD also, and noticed the pixelation especially with fast moving action. I thought there was a storm in the area it was so bad.

 

[gadgtfreek]

It is a TNT issue. I have seen so many posts lately berating their provider. I've had Comcast, D* and now E*. TNTHD sucks on all and appears to be getting worse.

 

[thowe21]

When I was deciding to buy a HD set, I went back and forth between Plasma and LCD. One of the drawbacks of LCD was the response time with fast moving screen shots. I went ahead and got an LCD anyway and when I first watched an NBA game on TNT-HD I thought I had made a mistake with my choice, but after watching an NBA game on ABC-HD, I knew it wasn't my set or my 622, it was the lousy compression. I'm all for everyone raising a little hell with Ted and Jane. LOL.

 

[KAB]

I'm all for everyone raising a little hell with Ted and Jane. LOL.

Where have you been? They've been divorced for six years.

 

[swindler]

I sent my complaint to tnt@turner.com a couple of days ago. I encourage everyone else to as well.

 

[ozzy1028]

Yes, i too have noticed the "poor" HD quality on TNT while watching the Pistons games during the playoffs. Never had this problem on TNT until now. To tell you the truth, its only during the playoff games. Dont notice it too much while watching Charmed. Yes "Charmed", you can laugh at me now. The girlfriend got me into that one, no way around it.

 

[jmel]

Frankly, they dont seem to care... many of us have emailed them on numerous occasions to no avail.

 

[Kaydigi]

Yes, i too have noticed the "poor" HD quality on TNT while watching the Pistons games during the playoffs. Never had this problem on TNT until now. To tell you the truth, its only during the playoff games. Dont notice it too much while watching Charmed. Yes "Charmed", you can laugh at me now. The girlfriend got me into that one, no way around it.

Charmed is stretched SD, not SD. Piper looks so stumpy on TNT-HD.

 

[abricko]

The answer to your question is Yep!