Had problems this morning in my area of Richmond, affecting everything - analogue, digital, HD. Seems to be resolved now though - Global BC HD (CHAND) has a funny ID set of text in the upper-left corner though.

Both hockey games on TSN and CBC tonight were noticeably worse than before - lots of macroblocking and I noticed a drastic increase of "white flashes". This is getting a bit ridiculous.

I dont buy that its a Mpeg-2 limitation.You misunderstood me. I was just explaining why Shaw can't use that as "proof" the problem is at the source.

I'm positive that Shaw is degrading our HD with extra compression. In fact, I filed a complaint with the CRTC about it. You can too. See the thread here:
HDTV must not be degraded: CRTC (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=84230)

Dont need to, I gave up on shaw and moved across the street to bell;)

Had problems this morning in my area of Richmond, affecting everything - analogue, digital, HD. Seems to be resolved now though - Global BC HD (CHAND) has a funny ID set of text in the upper-left corner though.
The "funny ID" is mandated by Industry Canada (they regulate the technical side of broadcasting). It must be displayed for two weeks once a new broadcaster officially signs on. I believe the Global engineers have turned down the luminance a bit to lessen the burn in factor.

These guys at Shaw are pathetic. A guy phones me to tell me that the sound drop-outs are fixed, and when I say that I would really like to see an end to the pixelization, acts as if he doesn't know what I'm talking about. Then, after a pause, says ominously: "Yes, well, that's another problem.". What's up with that?!

And, of course, the sound drop-outs are not fixed! Did their engineers get their credentials out of a Cracker Jack box?

I would really like to see an end to the pixelizationI agree with you about this problem, and Shaw is causing it or at least making it worse (see this thread (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=84230) for further info).

But I thought it might help if we clarify the terms we use to describe it.

When you see blocks in a low resolution image, it is called pixelation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixelation). When it is done intentionally to obscure something (or for artistic effect), it is called pixelization (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixelization).

But when you see unintended blocks in a moving image (like Shaw's HD), it is a compression artifact generally known as macroblocking (http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/VideoArtefacts/VideoArtefactsMacroBlocking.html).
Video compression (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_compression) typically operates on square-shaped groups of neighboring pixels, often called a macroblock. These pixel groups or blocks of pixels are compared from one frame to the next and the video compression codec (encode-decode scheme) sends only the differences within those blocks. This works extremely well if the video has no motion. A still frame of text, for example, can be repeated with very little transmitted data. In areas of video with more motion, more pixels change from one frame to the next. When more pixels change, the video compression scheme must send more data to keep up with the larger number of pixels that are changing. If the video content includes an explosion, flames, a flock of thousands of birds, or any other image with a great deal of high frequency detail, the quality will decrease, or the bitrate must be increased to render this added information with the same level of detail.
I'm sure the fellow at Shaw knew exactly what you were talking about, but in future you could more accurately refer to it as "macroblocking".

I always assumed it was the other way around, as the root word, blocking, implies intent. Oh well, it's good to have that clarified. I also thought that it was a motion-artifact, not a compression effect; or are they the same thing?

The block part refers to the square groups of pixels. It is considered a "compression artifact" because it shows up when the image is over-compressed... meaning there are not enough data bits to adequately render the details of the image, so you end up with coarser blocks instead of fine details.

This is illustrated here (http://moat.nlanr.net/JPEGCompr/) (using JPEG, but the concept is the same with MPEG-2).

The reason you think of it as a motion-artifact is because this problem tends to show up when a lot of pixels are changing at once (eg. during high-action scenes). That requires more data bits than scenes with less motion. If too much compression has been applied then those extra bits needed for the motion just aren't available, so you get macroblocking instead.

Finding the right compression level is a balancing act. Most people have no objection to compression so long as it is not noticeable to them. But there are several variables (like size/type of screen) that effect how noticeable it is, and individuals also have different thresholds of how much image degradation they will tolerate.

And sometimes, as with Shaw, finding that balancing point is less important than practical considerations like fitting 3 HD signals into the space of 2. In which case they add as much extra compression as needed to make it fit, and just hope that it is still tolerable to most people.

Had horrible picture quality issues on the last Lost episode on HDABC. The screen was divided into 6 rectangles and was completely tiled up. It came in episodes of about 5mins long and then would be fine for a bit. Saved the PVR recording for my next service call.

I had the same problem here in Victoria. I was going to call shaw and complain. I think shaw should give me some compensation for all the picture and sound quality problems I've been having.

I called Shaw over the weekend to complain about the decrease in picture quality ever since the new HD channels were added last week. The rep I spoke with said the signal strength going to my terminal probably just needed to be increased, so he did something on his end, and for a while after that, the picture quality seemed to be better (not quite back to where it was prior to the new channels being added, but pretty good). That was on Saturday. By Sunday afteroon, the poor picture quality was back (no longer is there a vivid/realistic looking picture on the HD channels, the picture quality now seems to be only of standard definition quality). As mentioned, the poor picture quality started occurring only after the new HD channels were activated. I'm not sure what my next step is, but this is getting to be extremely frustrating.

How's the Habs-Flyers game look to you guys?

It's terrible for me. Looks like upconverted SD to me, lots of pixellization and signal noise.

I went to my bedroom to look at my CRT and it looks like freaking youtube video in there.

Aside from the final outcome of the Flyers winning looking good, haha, the picture quality of the Flyers-Habs game was very sub-par. In addition to pixellation & less than sharp picture during the play, the poorer PQ was especially noticeable for me during the intermission segments. Prior to the 2 new HD channels being added here in Calgary last Wed., the intermission segments of HNIC left you feeling like you were almost in the studio with McLean/Hrudy/Cherry, etc. For each of the HNIC broadcasts since the addition of the 2 new channels (and subsequent degradation of the PQ on all channels), the intermission segments leave you feeling as though you were watching it on an SD set, rather than in HD. :(

Lots of pixelation on the Detroit game tonight on TSN, its really annoying.. I wonder if theres something wrong with their signal. They can't seem to make it from one side of the ice to other with out it pixelating.

I watched the game all the way through (Go Wings) and there was no pixelation for me at all. Had a couple audio drops but that was it.

All of my HD channels look like overly compressed MPEGs on youtube now.

I found the Wings game looked ok, not as good as TSN looked even a few weeks ago, but still ok.

The Stars game to me had a ton of artifacting and pixellization. It looked as if I was watching on Vivid mode..but I wasn't.

Rangers-Pens looked good too.

Later I was watching some snake hunting show on NGHD and the video quality went from atrocious to good three times during the same show.

Both hockey games on TSN and CBC tonight were noticeably worse than before - lots of macroblocking and I noticed a drastic increase of "white flashes". This is getting a bit ridiculous.
I'm watching the SJ v. Dallas game on TSN right now and the 'flashing' is really bad. I thought this was previously only on CBC?

I'm watching the SJ v. Dallas game on TSN right now and the 'flashing' is really bad.Agreed, at times it was flashing every few seconds!