I have my HDTV receiver connected via component video to my projector. Anyone know if Bell Expressvu has any channels with test patterns to tweak my settings? Apparently in the US, INHD's Saturdays 4:00am INDH (Tune Up), runs a 30 minute run of various patterns.

Edit by 57: Link to list of patterns:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=270762&postcount=47

Second Edit by 57;

The set of test patterns above a not currently running, however, there is another set running. See posts 163, 159.

http://digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=357404&postcount=163

http://digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=357160&postcount=159

CBC-HD will begin broadcasting 24/7 in the fall, so these test patterns will be gone then. Do your tweaking this summer.

CBC puts up colour bars after sign-off, every night.

CBC puts up colour bars after sign-off, every night.

Oh, ok. Thanks, I'll take a look.

Oh, ok. Thanks, I'll take a look.The CBC test pattern is in SD unfortunately. Some time ago I asked our resident CBC HD DHCer if he could ask his employer to put up HD test patterns but he wasn't able to get a commitment:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=182246&postcount=294

You could go to the official CBC HD thread here at DHC and ask Marc the same question. He replaced the original guy here.

I havent tried this, but you could display DVE through PIP.

Set your tv to the input for viewing cable, then activate a split window so you can see dve.

Might work ok.

You could go to the official CBC HD thread here at DHC and ask Marc the same question. He replaced the original guy here.

Is there any interest in this?
I could arrange for some HD bars early Tuesday morning. I'm not sure what good they would do in a consumer environment. Those setup DVDs have more useful stuff.

Is there any interest in this?
I could arrange for some HD bars early Tuesday morning. I'm not sure what good they would do in a consumer environment. Those setup DVDs have more useful stuff.

Unless you have an upconverting DVD, you can't calibrate your HD input with a DVD.
I would certainly set my HD PVR to record any HD test patterns that could be provided.

Thx - Greg

Is there any interest in this?
I could arrange for some HD bars early Tuesday morning. I'm not sure what good they would do in a consumer environment. Those setup DVDs have more useful stuff.


I would definitely like some HD test patterns. I quick guide to what to look for would be great too. My DVD displays 848x480p over DVI. My receiver displays 720p or 1080i over component. Calibrating my DVD won't help for HDTV.

Unless you have an upconverting DVD, you can't calibrate your HD input with a DVD.Exactly, its all about the TV's inputs. Some HD bars would be terrific Marc!

SMPTE HD colour bars will air between sign off (00:30) and sign on (05:30) Eastern time TONIGHT on CBLT-DT Toronto and CBMT-DT Montreal.

Awesome, thanks Marc

Question for all: I will only be able to use the CBC test bars over Bell CompressVu :mad: so I'm wondering how far off the true colour/hue might be due to this. Any guesses/info/experiences?

I was comparing OTA CBC-HD Star Wars and ExpressVu last night and really couldnt see a difference it the picture. Bell did not have Dolby 5.1 which was a big disappointment though.

I will record both test patterns tonight and see if I can see a difference.

- greg

The fact that the audio was different shows concretely that they are re-encoding the signal.

The fact that the audio was different shows concretely that they are re-encoding the signal.

They could have just resampled the audio?

I suppose there's a way*, but it would be a lot more work then just decoding and re-encoding the transport stream. What would be the point to just resampling the audio?

*It's no problem extracting the audio without affecting the video, but I have no idea how you'd re-insert the "new" audio in real-time, without affecting the sync.

Resampling just the audio can bring the Mb/s down.

How can they re-encode the video real time?

I was assuming they had a copy of the master which they did whatever they did.

If they can encode video in real time they should be able to do audio as well.

The first half hour had upconverted SD bars due to a switching problem. It was corrected just before 1:00am. In case somebody missed it, we'll run HD bars again Wednesday morning 1:30 to 5:30 am (approx.) Eastern time.

The first half hour had upconverted SD bars due to a switching problem. It was corrected just before 1:00am. In case somebody missed it, we'll run HD bars again Wednesday morning 1:30 to 5:30 am (approx.) Eastern time.

Thanks Marc will the test patterns be run regularly or will this just be a one time thing? My HD PVR doesn't come in until Thursday. =(

What am I supposed to see? I recorded between 1:00 and 1:30 and I only see something like the following:

http://www.high-techproductions.com/colorbars.htm