Why no SABC HD on OpenviewHD??

Geoff.D said:
You would be better off trying for Constantiaberg and even Tygerberg than behind you on the mountains for the Grabouw gap filler. Look up the frequencies on the Sentech website. If you can't get them there I think I still have a list somewhere.
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I do a automatic channel scan on the tv and it picks up absolutely nothing digital. If this signal is broadcast at between 600 and 750mhz will I be able to pick it up 30 - 40km away. Just comparing it to cellphone signals in my head...
 
Geoff.D said:
No one answered you directly about why no SABC HD on open view?
Simple, Open view have no obligation to deliver SABC HD, so all you get is the SD channels. They are at the moment far more focussed on their own services.
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Thank you for the reply. Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part because it would solve my problem. I also now believe that they don't seem to have a large block of space allocated on the sattelite as even their own recent channel launches were in SD and all their previous channels were in HD so SABC in HD would not be a priority for them
 
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Tector said:
I do a automatic channel scan on the tv and it picks up absolutely nothing digital. If this signal is broadcast at between 600 and 750mhz will I be able to pick it up 30 - 40km away. Just comparing it to cellphone signals in my head...
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Broadcast technology is different from cell phone technology, with far more powerful transmitters used at main sites. The lower the frequency used the better the coverage and reach.
Constantiaberg is on top of the mountains and visible from Gordon's bay over False Bay. Tygerberg is lower down also pretty prominent but a LOS check would be required to confirm. As far as I know, SABC, DStv and e-tv all have their own DTT multiplexes, hence why their services are on different frequencies. Generally, ALL transmissions from a common location will be on the same polarisation. The "braai grid" antenna is an efficient antenna but directional and shows a marked drop in signal level and quality on the opposite polarisation.
 
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Tector said:
Thanks for the reply. I dunno because my previous place and my new place are both estates with appartments plenty. Both use a communal satelite dish and terrestrial aerial. Satelite works great. Terrestrial aerial not so much. I did get myself an signal amplifier from ellies with about 30db gain. Added this between the wall point and tv, also tried it between the indoor antenna and tv (might have blown it because it did work great upon first connection, maybe just look for a stronger one?)
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Signal amplification on a bad input signal does not always achieve any results. It is possible to overload the input of the TV and then it should simply shutdown giving you nothing, or, worst case, blow the TV RF input stages.
Much more important to check on where the reception is really coming from, and then take a few simple measurements before introducing amplification. Most communal antenna system are very badly designed, installed and maintained.
 
Geoff.D said:
Signal amplification on a bad input signal does not always achieve any results. It is possible to overload the input of the TV and then it should simply shutdown giving you nothing, or, worst case, blow the TV RF input stages.
Much more important to check on where the reception is really coming from, and then take a few simple measurements before introducing amplification. Most communal antenna system are very badly designed, installed and maintained.
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Seems to be too complex for me to sort out. Maybe I should just get someone out to have a look. Thanks for all the advice. Don't want to damage the tv though...
 
Geoff.D said:
No one answered you directly about why no SABC HD on open view?
Simple, Open view have no obligation to deliver SABC HD, so all you get is the SD channels. They are at the moment far more focussed on their own services.
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Quit dstv last month and insyalled openview..cpuple of the channels are actually good quality in hd..but yes I.would like to see the cricket in hd on sabc as well..watched the mzansi league and quite enjoyed it
 
At the time when those OB trucks were delivered, they were superior to those used by SS and Telemedia. Not sure if that is still the case, as in this industry, technology changes quite quickly and organisations are always in a "leapfrog" situation, with the one with the most recent purchase having the edge for a while.
 
STORMERSFAN said:
Quit dstv last month and insyalled openview..cpuple of the channels are actually good quality in hd..but yes I.would like to see the cricket in hd on sabc as well..watched the mzansi league and quite enjoyed it
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It is a problem for Openview HD. They need the bandwidth on satellite, but DStv hold FRRs on just about all the transponder capacity at 68.5 degree East. Hence, the last thing we can expect is for e-tv to "waste" transponder capacity on a comeptitors' HD service.
BTW, those of you who have access to the DTT services, no sign of Openview HD on the DTT platfom anywhere?
 
Geoff.D said:
It is a problem for Openview HD. They need the bandwidth on satellite, but DStv hold FRRs on just about all the transponder capacity at 68.5 degree East. Hence, the last thing we can expect is for e-tv to "waste" transponder capacity on a comeptitors' HD service.
BTW, those of you who have access to the DTT services, no sign of Openview HD on the DTT platfom anywhere?
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I can totally understand that. When I had DTT working only ETV's main channel was in HD but it had the extra OVHD exclusive ETV channels as well although in SD. SABC were broadcasting 1,2,3, news and a standalone sport channel. All of them in HD except the news channel. All the SABC radio channels were also broadcast including 5FM and the likes. I could also pick up some DSTV channels but these were locked from viewing
 
Geoff.D said:
At the time when those OB trucks were delivered, they were superior to those used by SS and Telemedia. Not sure if that is still the case, as in this industry, technology changes quite quickly and organisations are always in a "leapfrog" situation, with the one with the most recent purchase having the edge for a while.
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SuperSport started upgrading to 4K in late 2014, a process which can take years. OB Vans cost 100's of millions of rands (nevermind the backend), so there is a massive financial investment.

SABC's equipment is only a few years old, and uses (in most cases) the latest HD tech available.

I used to be a cameraman on live OB broadcasts, but have since left the television industry and now work predominantly in TV commercials.

Got many friends who still work at SABC, E-TV and SuperSport, and some are freelancers who are only employed for a specific production and swap between SABC and SuperSport dependant on the job. You'll find the same cameraman shooting a job for rugby on SuperSport, then be on the next job for cricket on SABC.

SABC is not a technical dinosaur, that I can guarantee you... Management wise is a different story.
 
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To put it into perspective, One single 4K television camera for sports broadcast can cost millions.

The new Sony 4K 4800 camera (which replaces the HD slo-mo Sony 1500) costs € 145,000 (R2,34 Million).
Slap on a Canon 86x Digisuper 4K lens @ (US $223,000) R3.12 Million, then you looking at one TV camera that costs over R5 Million (excluding accessories).

Most sports games have 18 TV cameras (granted not all cameras have massive zoom lenses).

All cameras are fibre optically connected and can only run off expensive fibre optic camera control units. Television isn't cheap. There's a reason sports broadcasting rights are so expensive. It isn't cheap to produce.
 
genetic said:
SuperSport started upgrading to 4K in late 2014, a process which can take years. OB Vans cost 100's of millions of rands (nevermind the backend), so there is a massive financial investment.

SABC's equipment is only a few years old, and uses (in most cases) the latest HD tech available.

I used to be a cameraman on live OB broadcasts, but have since left the television industry and now work predominantly in TV commercials.

Got many friends who still work at SABC, E-TV and SuperSport, and some are freelancers who are only employed for a specific production and swap between SABC and SuperSport dependant on the job. You'll find the same cameraman shooting a job for rugby on SuperSport, then be on the next job for cricket on SABC.

SABC is not a technical dinosaur, that I can guarantee you... Management wise is a different story.
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Absolutely correct. there is generally nothing wrong with the technology at their disposal.
 
What I have noticed lately, is that the SABC is suffering a bit on a drop in in-studio quality. Clearly, in their attempts to cut operational costs, too few people are available at times and, on the lighting of studios, you can see an increase in shadows across presenters faces at times.
 
Geoff.D said:
What I have noticed lately, is that the SABC is suffering a bit on a drop in in-studio quality. Clearly, in their attempts to cut operational costs, too few people are available at times and, on the lighting of studios, you can see an increase in shadows across presenters faces at times.
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They don't switch off a light or two to save costs.

Studio lighting is dependent on subject movement. Our biggest gripe is presenters moving between 'zones' as we haven't lit for those areas. We light for a camera position. Generally each broadcast is rehearsed which isolates these problems. Live television does not allow for this, and this usually falls upon the Technical Director to predict movement, but isn't an exact science.
 
I guess us viewers "see" these issues more easily in HD than we did with SD then? Do you know if all the studios are now converted to HD?
 
Geoff.D said:
I guess us viewers "see" these issues more easily in HD than we did with SD then? Do you know if all the studios are now converted to HD?
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In SABC? Yes. The last full studio camera upgrade happened in 2015 (which was their isiZulu news). They are all HD now. SABC has even forced 3rd party Soapie suppliers to convert to HD. (Isidingo, Generations and 7de Laan). 7de Laan were the last, as they were totally external, run by Danie Oodendal Produksies out of Lonehill.

Isidingo and Generations operate out of SABC studios in Auckland Park.
 
STORMERSFAN said:
Would this device give the same channels as an openview decoder(all the etv channels specifically)
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Assuming it does work you will get all SABC radio stations, SABC 1,2,3,sport in HD, SABC News, ETV HD, ETV SD channels: eextra, emovies+, etoonz, ebella. Not sure of the new Openview additions such as ereality, eforce, open news. Also all of those available are in HD on openview except etoonz and the new additions. Also if I recall correctly some comunity channels and the parliament channel you get as well. You need to have a digital tuner in your tv though
 
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