DSTV saving on SAT bandwidth?

[antowan]

Their video quality has deteriorated somewhat. Especially in scenes with low lighting it is very obvious when the picture dithers quite badly. Are they cutting down on sat bandwidth?

 

[Skeptik]

Their video quality has deteriorated somewhat. Especially in scenes with low lighting it is very obvious when the picture dithers quite badly. Are they cutting down on sat bandwidth?

Depends which channel are you referring to. Some, like Fashion TV, are very low resolution.

 

[PeterCH]

It's not the resolution but the MPEG2 bitrate they're fooling with. It's the same with DVD encoding. You can set the bitrate to 2000bps and have crappy, blocky, picture or set it to 7/8000bps and see no artefacts at all.

 

[GTi]

Yes I agree, DSTV looks crap on a LCD.

 

[JTech]

Yip, they're doing it on the SABC channels on the sattelite aswell. The other day was at the vaal, they tuned into 7de laan, it looked like a cheap mpeg downloaded from the internet, full of artefacts. The analog signal via normal TV antenna looks far better.

And indeed, it's to save bandwidth, so that media24 execs can get even thicker pocket linings. Its April... they all wanna get new Mercs and Ferrari's

 

[zeb]

It started on Monday. And to think they charged us R20 more from April.

 

[Merlin]

Yes I agree, DSTV looks crap on a LCD.

Is this a common issue with LCDs?

We've just gotten a 42" LCD (Sansui)...all the bells and whistles, and the quality is absolutely ****e!

I changed the picture from 'Full' to 4:3, but then why get a big screen anyways? This did help slightly though, but still, it's terrible!

Cheers, N.

 

[qdada]

its all the crappy channels they keep adding.

anyone noticed a new music channel on channel 37?

with go moved to 10, there is a notice on 84 for yet another channel. Exactly how much bandwidth do these ppl think they have ?

 

[GTi]

its all the crappy channels they keep adding.

anyone noticed a new music channel on channel 37?

with go moved to 10, there is a notice on 84 for yet another channel. Exactly how much bandwidth do these ppl think they have ?

Are you refering to Trance (I think).Great music video channel,better than channel O.

 

[GTi]

Is this a common issue with LCDs?

We've just gotten a 42" LCD (Sansui)...all the bells and whistles, and the quality is absolutely ****e!

I changed the picture from 'Full' to 4:3, but then why get a big screen anyways? This did help slightly though, but still, it's terrible!

Cheers, N.

I have a 37" Mecer and I think the bigger the LCD the crapper the picture,but when HD reach us, we will have the best picture in town.Can't wait.

 

[Merlin]

What BS.

In this country we'll wait 20 years.

N.

 

[RichardP]

Welcome to DSTV.. go buy your own vaseline. the SABC channels on VIVID are 40% higher resolution than the same channel on DSTV. Hallmark is unwatchable

 

[stoke]

I noticed the degradation back in 2006 July, even back then you could switch to E-TV on the aeria, and it would be brilliant and beautiful, where the DSTV version was downright yukky.

I have since cancelled, and am quite happy without it.