picture quality - Page 54 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

jumpy27 · 2012-06-26, 11:34 PM

I don't think the reason Bell has a softer HD picture is because they do everything in 720P. I find that the some of the new MPEG4 HD channels look almost as sharp as Shaw Cable, and definitely sharper than their MPEG2 counterparts on Bell. I also find that TSNHD, SNHD, and CBCHD on Bell all look very good when compared to NBCHD, ABCHD, CBSHD and FOXHD. My TV is a 10 foot screen with a front projector.

The reason Bell HD looks soft, even blurry, is because Bell is compressing the HD signal more than they used to a few years ago, and more on some channels when compared to others (see above). The fact that the MPEG4 channels look very good at times tells me that the use of 720P is not the reason--the over-compression is the reason.

On my screen the SD channels actually look better (the SD picture on Shaw has moving lines and a grainy picture, while Bell just looks more blurry) on Bell than they do on Shaw Cable, but I hardly watch SD anymore so it is not a big deal to me.

Try watching the HD MPEG4 channels on Bell to get a better picture: 1011 CTVHH, 1031 CTVMH, 1054 CTV2t, 1057 CHCHH, 1091 CTVWH, and 1106 CTVRH. You can find a discussion of these channels here:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...ighlight=mpeg4

Zack1972 · 2012-06-27, 12:27 AM

Oldschool, What is your current connection from the receiver to the TV, is it HDMI, Component or AV cable. This makes a world of difference. I feel that the HD singnal with Bell is very good. I also have an outdoor antenna and recieve US networks in 1080 HD and the pictures are very comparable on all my TVs, obviouly a little weaker with Bell as they are in 720, but quality is good. Im my area, cable is Cogeco and my parents have it, and their picture is not as good on the HD and SD as Bell and we both have the same model TV. As for the SD channels with Bell, I find them OK as well. The connection is really important and HDMI will give you the best picture possible, even SD looks better with HDMI than AV. In another thread, you mentioned that you were using AV (Yellow, Red and White). 57 asked below and you still have not mentioned how your connecion is made. It is important to know if you want to get answers.

Pinza · 2012-06-27, 07:54 AM

In another thread oldschool said he was connected using Red/White/Yellow, hence the questions by 57 in Post #794.............. As yet this is unanswered by the OP.

Lindsay649 · 2012-06-27, 02:44 PM

This debate has continued since the first days of transmission. It is primarly in the eyes of the beholder....we are currently watching Shaw Cable on Vancouver Island and find the picture quality to be excellent. At home in Ontario we subscribe to Bell TV and find its quality to be excellent also. After a number of years on this forum and many more years of watching television from many different providers a lot of factors determine the quality of the picture.....including eyesight, type of tv and its settings, signal quality to the home etc. Very rarely have I watched someone elses television without finding some fault with their personal settings eventhough they think the picture is flawless. Each to his own viewing pleasure.

Interceptor · 2012-06-28, 03:47 AM

At one time I complained about Bell's picture quality but I think it has improved. I have both Bell and Shaw and on my 40" Sony 3D TV, I can't see any difference in their pictures.

oldschool1 · 2012-06-28, 07:55 PM

2 questions

-why do they compress the picture

-are the 800s any different quality than the 1000s hd, alot of double hd channels, any difference?

JoeLouie · 2012-06-28, 08:09 PM

they compress the picture so they can fit more channels on each satellite.
the duplicates in the 800/1000s are the same.

Blackloz · 2012-06-28, 10:11 PM

After I upgraded to the Sharp Quattron as my main TV, and did the calibration on it Bell looks great, I have no complaints at all.

Pinza · 2012-06-28, 11:36 PM

A calibration works wonders.

oldschool1 · 2012-06-29, 09:41 PM

how do i calibrate my tv? what is that

numba1killa · 2012-06-29, 11:08 PM

on my 6131, I can go to 1080i, but I have everything set as 720p.

57 · 2012-06-29, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldschool1

how do i calibrate my tv? what is that

I already provided you with that information in previous posts, but it appears you rarely take the time to read responses or take the time to answer questions that will help you with your issues. Here's my post with a very pertinent question that you never answered and the link to optimization, which you appear not to have read.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...25#post1424625

joebloggs13 · 2012-08-12, 04:48 PM

I found that the pq on CTVHD and TSNHD to be way better than the American HD channels during the Olympics. Both Canadian channels were excellent. Anyone else notice/experience this?

reidw · 2012-08-12, 05:21 PM

Yes. I think Bell probably bumped up the bitrate for CTV, TSN and RSO not to mention their four special channels. Overall though I felt that PQ across the board on Bell was better than in 2008 in Beijing.

Slightly OT but. I wasn't impressed with multi-channel. It would have been better if there had been some way of choosing which station you wanted to see in the main screen. Interestingly the multi channel revealed something that I'm not sure the stations have ever wanted you to know. Time delays. Even when they were showing the same event there was often a few seconds delay from channel to channel. So much for real live TV these days.

MaxHeadroom · 2012-08-12, 05:24 PM

During Vancouver 2010, Bell had the commercial free Olympic channels going. There was obviously much less compression on those free PPV channels. I could even tell the difference on an old 20" CRT. I'm sure that Bell adjusts compression on various channels depending on what's being broadcast and how popular it might be. Especially on channels they own.

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2012-06-26, 11:34 PM	#796
jumpy27 Veteran Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,225	I don't think the reason Bell has a softer HD picture is because they do everything in 720P. I find that the some of the new MPEG4 HD channels look almost as sharp as Shaw Cable, and definitely sharper than their MPEG2 counterparts on Bell. I also find that TSNHD, SNHD, and CBCHD on Bell all look very good when compared to NBCHD, ABCHD, CBSHD and FOXHD. My TV is a 10 foot screen with a front projector. The reason Bell HD looks soft, even blurry, is because Bell is compressing the HD signal more than they used to a few years ago, and more on some channels when compared to others (see above). The fact that the MPEG4 channels look very good at times tells me that the use of 720P is not the reason--the over-compression is the reason. On my screen the SD channels actually look better (the SD picture on Shaw has moving lines and a grainy picture, while Bell just looks more blurry) on Bell than they do on Shaw Cable, but I hardly watch SD anymore so it is not a big deal to me. Try watching the HD MPEG4 channels on Bell to get a better picture: 1011 CTVHH, 1031 CTVMH, 1054 CTV2t, 1057 CHCHH, 1091 CTVWH, and 1106 CTVRH. You can find a discussion of these channels here: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...ighlight=mpeg4

2012-06-27, 12:27 AM	#797
Zack1972 Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 57	Oldschool, What is your current connection from the receiver to the TV, is it HDMI, Component or AV cable. This makes a world of difference. I feel that the HD singnal with Bell is very good. I also have an outdoor antenna and recieve US networks in 1080 HD and the pictures are very comparable on all my TVs, obviouly a little weaker with Bell as they are in 720, but quality is good. Im my area, cable is Cogeco and my parents have it, and their picture is not as good on the HD and SD as Bell and we both have the same model TV. As for the SD channels with Bell, I find them OK as well. The connection is really important and HDMI will give you the best picture possible, even SD looks better with HDMI than AV. In another thread, you mentioned that you were using AV (Yellow, Red and White). 57 asked below and you still have not mentioned how your connecion is made. It is important to know if you want to get answers.

2012-06-27, 07:54 AM	#798
Pinza Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: GTA Posts: 8,583	In another thread oldschool said he was connected using Red/White/Yellow, hence the questions by 57 in Post #794.............. As yet this is unanswered by the OP.

2012-06-27, 02:44 PM	#799
Lindsay649 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodstock, Ontario Posts: 1,058	This debate has continued since the first days of transmission. It is primarly in the eyes of the beholder....we are currently watching Shaw Cable on Vancouver Island and find the picture quality to be excellent. At home in Ontario we subscribe to Bell TV and find its quality to be excellent also. After a number of years on this forum and many more years of watching television from many different providers a lot of factors determine the quality of the picture.....including eyesight, type of tv and its settings, signal quality to the home etc. Very rarely have I watched someone elses television without finding some fault with their personal settings eventhough they think the picture is flawless. Each to his own viewing pleasure.

2012-06-28, 03:47 AM	#800
Interceptor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sunshine Coast Posts: 593	At one time I complained about Bell's picture quality but I think it has improved. I have both Bell and Shaw and on my 40" Sony 3D TV, I can't see any difference in their pictures.

2012-06-28, 07:55 PM	#801
oldschool1 Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 31	2 questions -why do they compress the picture -are the 800s any different quality than the 1000s hd, alot of double hd channels, any difference?

2012-06-28, 08:09 PM	#802
JoeLouie Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 890	they compress the picture so they can fit more channels on each satellite. the duplicates in the 800/1000s are the same.

2012-06-28, 10:11 PM	#803
Blackloz Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Regina,SK & Plentywood MT Posts: 855	After I upgraded to the Sharp Quattron as my main TV, and did the calibration on it Bell looks great, I have no complaints at all.

2012-06-28, 11:36 PM	#804
Pinza Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: GTA Posts: 8,583	A calibration works wonders.

2012-06-29, 09:41 PM	#805
oldschool1 Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 31	how do i calibrate my tv? what is that

2012-06-29, 11:08 PM	#806
numba1killa Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SSM Canada Posts: 266	on my 6131, I can go to 1080i, but I have everything set as 720p.

2012-08-12, 04:48 PM	#808
joebloggs13 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 52	I found that the pq on CTVHD and TSNHD to be way better than the American HD channels during the Olympics. Both Canadian channels were excellent. Anyone else notice/experience this?

2012-08-12, 05:21 PM	#809
reidw Veteran Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stratford, PE. Posts: 2,468	Yes. I think Bell probably bumped up the bitrate for CTV, TSN and RSO not to mention their four special channels. Overall though I felt that PQ across the board on Bell was better than in 2008 in Beijing. Slightly OT but. I wasn't impressed with multi-channel. It would have been better if there had been some way of choosing which station you wanted to see in the main screen. Interestingly the multi channel revealed something that I'm not sure the stations have ever wanted you to know. Time delays. Even when they were showing the same event there was often a few seconds delay from channel to channel. So much for real live TV these days.

2012-08-12, 05:24 PM	#810
MaxHeadroom Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Russell, Ontario Posts: 301	During Vancouver 2010, Bell had the commercial free Olympic channels going. There was obviously much less compression on those free PPV channels. I could even tell the difference on an old 20" CRT. I'm sure that Bell adjusts compression on various channels depending on what's being broadcast and how popular it might be. Especially on channels they own.