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Audio Drop-Outs on Shaw Direct

20K views 110 replies 25 participants last post by  NovaMan 
#1 ·
CNN has lots of audio drop-outs.

We were watching THE FLASH on DVR from several weeks from WPIX HD - the picture went all blocky at times.

NBC evening news on Detroit HD has always had audio drop-outs, but CNN seems to be getting quite bad.

Is Shaw Direct trying to cram too much into less bandwidth? :surprise
 
#5 ·
Here in Kelowna with Shaw cable and finding brief audio dropouts on CNN HD (Local channel 220). Has been occurring for at least a week. Usually just a second or two. I was going to phone Shaw and ask whether they were aware of it. On the expectation of a long wait on the phone, I haven't made the fffort yet but if it continues I will as I am obviously not the only one with a problem with CNN but I wonder if it is different problems.

Alan
 
#9 ·
I had some audio glitches, stutters, digital hash on CBC News Network last night (recorded program), there was some heavy rain but the video didn't pixelate. I attributed it to the rain but as others have reported the issue I thought I would report my issue as well as it may be related. The signal strength was somewhat reduced because of the rain.
 
#12 ·
A Fake SD Trouble Shoot

:devil Sarcasm:

We've had no reports of these dropouts. If you have time I will help you troubleshoot YOUR receiver.

1. Are your connections tight. I'll hold while you check.
2. Go to the menu - blah blah blah. Do you have blah blah blah
3. Remove the power cord from the wall and count to - blah blah blah
4. I'll refresh your receiver - blah blah blah
5. I will wipe your drive and reinstall the firmware - blah blah blah
6. I will escalate this - blah blah blah

This conversation never took place, just a little devilish poking fun.
 
#13 ·
While I don't have CNN nor am I getting dropouts, I am getting a nasty audio issue on at least a couple of channels, the volume levels change dramatically, not unlike when using a condenser microphone and bump it. Channels are SHOWCASE and ACTION. While I don't generally actually watch the commercials, I don't recall the issue occurring during them, only during the movies themselves. At first I thought it could be due to some old software used to compress the movie, but I noticed the same issue during brand new Mr Robot episode. At some point I plan to ask Shaw tech about this, but I expect the same cowardly response for such matters as I have received from the likes of HP and Rogers, the whole playing dumb and innocent routine.
 
#14 ·
I noticed the other day that HIFI channel handles this apparent (and silly) form of copy protection differently. On this channel, rather than effectively destroy watchability by randomly blowing out the audio level (which by the way is dramatically less intrusive when the audio is played through 50 cent TV speakers, rather than $1000 amp/speakers), the HIFI channel simply has complete sound dropouts at scene changes, which I am finding tolerable because it doesn't 'shock' me, and doesn't interfere with the dialog.

I watched 'Interstellar' today, but the audio was switching from inaudible to painfully loud, so I thought to do an HDMI bypass on the stereo, and try watching using the TV speakers, which made it tolerable.
 
#16 ·
Just to echo the OP, I get picture break ups all the time on WPIX HD. I try to record the shows on Canadian channels instead, since I get several picture break ups an hour on WPIX HD. I actually get better signal strength (ecbno) on WPIX HD than on some of the Canadian channels, but I still get breakups on WPIX HD.

I also get the strange audio volume fluctuations on Showcase that someone else mentioned. It's not really an audio dropout, it's more of a sudden decrease of sound (if that makes sense).

I don't watch CNN very often, so I can't say if I've had any audio issues there.

I can't think of any other channels that I have consistent problems with. Just WPIX HD and Showcase HD.
 
#18 ·
Yep, in fact you can experience this wonderful audio level crap-out on many Corus (owned by Shaw) channels, like SHOWCASE, ACTION, and MOVIETIME. It will be there even on brand new episodes of TV shows like MR ROBOT. The value added feature is much different than an audio drop out, in fact it appears to be being done intentionally. You will NOT experience the effect during a commercial EVER. You probably wont even notice if using the speakers built in to the screen, but on a proper HiFi setup, it ranges from mildly distracting to downright catastrophic. These channels are ghetto class anyways so I'm not sure it even matters honestly. If you detected some frustration in my post, you win the interwebs!
 
#19 ·
I'm getting lots of dropouts as well, except the video is going with it...the "blocking" is getting worse over the last few weeks, mostly watching stuff off the DVR. It's getting to the point where I have to do a power button restart to get it going again. The last few times it has completely dropped the HDMI signal...the tv (not the 630) reports a signal loss.
 
#23 ·
CBS Seattle has always been a problem channel, both on Shaw Direct and on Rogers. (They probably share the same feed from Shaw.) It was also a problem station on Bell TV when I had that. The station itself is a large part of the problem and I when it doen't mess things up it seems Shaw or Rogers manage to introduce even more problems. Shaw has never had good feeds from some US stations, probably due to misconfigured or lackluster head end equipment. Weather probably plays a role as well.
 
#27 ·
Or it could be that Shaw has an issue they are not addressing. Most customers won't notice the problem since it only affects Dolby sound. It was a very common issue with HD on all BDUs about 10 years ago. It's been cleaned up for the most part now that HD is mainstream.
 
#28 ·
So if that is the case, then SHAW has more than one feed from the satellites? One that they themselves pickup in various communities to retransmit over cable, and the other one that we pickup with our dishes? That seems strange but then again everything in this topsy turvy mixed up world does also. :)

I happen to watch a bit of the Star Wars broadcasts on SHOWCASE this weekend and noticed the audio level issue was not happening at all.
 
#29 ·
It's the same feed. At one time, almost all the cable systems in Canada used Shaw Direct for at least some of their channels. That started to change with HD, Shaw's notorious delay in adding a full HD lineup and as fibre was rolled out to most major cities. Some cable systems in eastern Canada get their feeds from Bell. (Ironic since Shaw Direct started out as Star Choice in Lincoln, New Brunswick) When Shaw Direct first added HD, their channels were riddled with audio and picture dropouts plus other technical issues. There were typically dozens of audio dropouts in every program. With the possible exception of TMN, I don't remember ever watching a HD show or movie that didn't have any audio dropouts. When Bell satellite started to expand their HD lineup, I switched to them.
 
#30 ·
Audio hiccups: I am noticing recurring audio hiccups on many channels. Mostly channels coming from G1, CBC News Network HD, gusto HD, BBC Earth, CBC Halifax HD are ones that I have noticed it most often of late. Not sure if its a G1 issue or an MPEG4/G1 issue but for the most part the video does not get interrupted by get a brief audio dropout.

Anyone else seeing this. My signal strength seems fine in clear and light to moderate rain conditions.
 
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