ABC HD question-Blurry

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dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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Anyone else notice that when ABC is broadcasting in HD the picture usually starts out blurry for the first few seconds. I assume it's not my TV since it happens on both my hd TV's.
 

thunderdave

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Apr 14, 2006
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I've seen the same situation, can't remember if it was only ABC, I always figured it was my tv.
 

dmclone

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It doesn't always happen and it's always during the game not the HD commercials. Must be something wiht their cameras.
 

Jer

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Feb 28, 2006
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It's like that all the time on ABC HD for Saturday night football, at least it always has been this season.

On a side note, I'm really impressed with DirecTV's local HDs - I really expected to be able to notice a major drop-off from the OTA quality.
 

dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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It's like that all the time on ABC HD for Saturday night football, at least it always has been this season.

On a side note, I'm really impressed with DirecTV's local HDs - I really expected to be able to notice a major drop-off from the OTA quality.

I agree and I have a pretty large screen where you can tell the difference if it's there.
 

vmbplayer

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yea I have the same issues. Bugs the crap outta me.

I also am sick of watching local news cut in to scroll something at the bottom of the screen and cut my HD signal into Analog for 5 or 6 scrolls about stuff. This morning CBS wanted to let me know teen kids news would be seen next week, then CBS all evening keeps cutting in about the double murder info. then ABC tonight cut in to let me know the news would be on after the game.

Does this happen everywhere or is just that the locals in DSM haven't bothered to upgrade their equipment yet? Any of you in bigger markets not lose HD when the local news cuts in?
 

superdorf

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Oct 1, 2007
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I've noticed it ever since I went to HD... usually on ABC and CBS.

Its almost like some kind of auto focus just kicks in late.

Just spent a couple of minutes google searching and couldn't find anything.
 

dustinal

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Nov 14, 2006
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I think it has something to do with compression. It usually happens when there's a lot going on in the picture. A large crowd shot or something like that. I think it's just the compression codec having trouble handling all of the information in the picture. Whether that's a problem on ABC's end or WOI's, I'm not sure.
 

SeattleClone

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Aug 15, 2006
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I can't say I've noticed that, but now I'll start paying attention the next time I watch something on ABC HD. Hmmm... not sure when that will be since football is over except for bowls... I'll probably forget by then.

On another, certainly unrelated note, I used to have a problem watching golf on CBS HD in the summer. It seemed like one of their cameras was a little blurry, but it didn't get better after a few seconds. They would show a nice clear aerial shot, then the camera would switch to a ground shot behind the golfer at the tee box and it was all blurry. Then the golfer would tee off and as soon as it switched to an overhead camera to follow the drive, it was clear again. Not sure what the deal was with that, and I'm sure it's unrelated to your ABC problem.
 

brianhos

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It is the national broadcast, but yeah i have noticed it coming back from commercial breaks on ABC.
 

dustinal

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I can't say I've noticed that, but now I'll start paying attention the next time I watch something on ABC HD. Hmmm... not sure when that will be since football is over except for bowls... I'll probably forget by then.

On another, certainly unrelated note, I used to have a problem watching golf on CBS HD in the summer. It seemed like one of their cameras was a little blurry, but it didn't get better after a few seconds. They would show a nice clear aerial shot, then the camera would switch to a ground shot behind the golfer at the tee box and it was all blurry. Then the golfer would tee off and as soon as it switched to an overhead camera to follow the drive, it was clear again. Not sure what the deal was with that, and I'm sure it's unrelated to your ABC problem.

Actually, I think that probably is related. I'm certain it has something to do with compression, encoding, and/or decoding, but beyond spouting out those words, I don't quite understand it myself and thus can't explain it. Somebody out there has to know. jbhtexas? You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about HD broadcasting.
 

SeattleClone

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Aug 15, 2006
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Actually, I think that probably is related. I'm certain it has something to do with compression, encoding, and/or decoding, but beyond spouting out those words, I don't quite understand it myself and thus can't explain it. Somebody out there has to know. jbhtexas? You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about HD broadcasting.

You're probably right. I always just chalked it up to one camera sucking, but that's probably not the case.
 

SmokinH2O

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Oct 10, 2008
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Good to know. I thought maybe it was just mine.

On another HD question do you notice that when they show people getting their picture taken and the flash goes off the screen pixilates really bad. I don't know if it's my TV (software) or if others see that as well?:confused:
 

dustinal

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Nov 14, 2006
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Good to know. I thought maybe it was just mine.

On another HD question do you notice that when they show people getting their picture taken and the flash goes off the screen pixilates really bad. I don't know if it's my TV (software) or if others see that as well?:confused:

Same idea as what I described above. Contrary to popular belief, digital and HD broadcasting are not always better than analog broadcasting. Some compression codecs have trouble working fast enough to reproduce an image. Or at least that's my understanding. Again...I'm not an expert.

That said, I love HD.