[wm_cheng]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the place to post this, but I am a fan of Chuck and PVRed the epsiode via FibeTV NBC Buffalo HD station as "record entire series - first run only". Last week I noticed the first 15-20secs of Chuck started out on CHCH, then flipped over to NBC - the quality improvement was noticeable as well as sound (CHCH is only Stereo while NBC was full 5.1 Dolby).

This week's epsiode remained on CHCH the entire broadcast, the picture quality was pretty bad (still better than SD though) and was entirely in Stereo. Did anyone noticed this too? I don't want to watch the entire season through CHCH, what can I do about it? I don't want to record off the NBC Vancouver as it airs 3 hrs later. Is this normal for Bell FibeTV to broadcast CHCH instead of NBC (Rogers didn't do it last year). Is this something I can call Bell about?

A little disappointing. Other than this, I'm lovin' the FibeTV interface!

 

[Jase88]

You could use an antenna to pick up WKBW (ABC) directly from Buffalo in digital...

 

[InMontreal]

I don't want to watch the entire season through CHCH, what can I do about it?

Over here, CJNT (also operated by Channel Zero) is a disaster. Since CJNT is not available in HD, they've cut the sides instead of keeping the 16:9 ratio. The overall image quality is poor, blurry, and dark, and the closed captions are not even working. Unfortunately, CJNT is being simsub over our local Vermont NBC in SD on Videotron system. That didn't affect me since I watch Chuck on NBC HD, simulcast-free.

The simsub requirements says that the canadian feed must be equal or superior quality (visual and audio) over the american one, 95% of content (other than commercials) must be identical, and off course, same show same episode same time.

In the case of FibeTV in Toronto, the simsub should have ended since the audio track was inferior. They have a technical support hotline, so it's in your best interest to call and tell them your dissatisfaction. Also try to contact Channel Zero and tell them your dissatisfaction. Normally, smaller companies listen, CHCH seems to be interactive enough (see Facebook), but CJNT's Facebook has been abandonned since the end of august and they don't have any contact info, heck they don't care about their Montreal market.

 

[whitbyterry]

CHCH will request it because, in their minds, they are airing the identical program.

See this message for more details on how to complain:

http://www.digitalhome.ca//forum/showthread.php?t=58228


Basically, you can:

1) Watch over the air as Jase88 says
2) Record the time-shift version
3) Find it online after it airs
4) Complain to CHCH, Bell and the CRTC

If you go with option #4, it might not help you but it will help to show the CRTC what we are all facing when Canadian stations substitute their broadcasts for better quality US broadcasts.

 

[wm_cheng]

Last week's episode "clicked" over after 15-20 seconds. So was this an isolated incident or is it going to be CHCH from now on? If this is the way from now on, then this is definitely a minus for FibeTV - as Rogers always had the better quality Buffalo station last season!

I'm not going to pay Bell AND get over the air - it's one or the other.

Thanks, I will try to complain - or at least add my voice.

It's going to be hard to wait the next day to watch it - one of my favourite shows, didn't figure on this when switching from Rogers to Bell.

 

[whitbyterry]

If CHCH is airing the program this year, chances are that Rogers will also substitute for the American version. They are required by CRTC regulation to do that, if CHCH requests it.

 

[ScaryBob]

CHCH must supply the same quality of signal. That means a HD signal (1280x720p or 1920x1080i.) Upconverted SD or 480p widescreen are not acceptable. The sound must also be the same, DD 5.1 if that is the original content. Simsubs by Global were successfully blocked due to sound problems when it first converted to HD. I suggest you file a complaint to both CHCH and Bell through the CRTC. That won't stop simsubs indefinitely but it might stop them until CHCH gets the right equipment.

 

[Dr.Dave]

You may want to look at the Faulty HD Simsub Log:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=58228

 

[wm_cheng]

Yes, I just learned that this was not systemic to FibeTV or "Chuck" and was just introduced to the term "simsubbing" from Cyclism which I will endeavor to learn more about now.

 

[Classof83]

Complain to the CRTC! This BS has got to stop. We continue to have to put up with the technical incapabilities of inferior Canadian re-broadcasters when we shouldn't!

 

[wm_cheng]

I've just filed a complaint with the CRTC and Bell (however it was Bell Satellite - there doesn't seem to be an e-mail complaint form for FibeTV yet, unless someone can help me find it). There isn't anyway of contacting CHCH via e-mail, their website only has the press release of ChannelZero purchasing CHCH and the facebook page has no option to leave them a message (other than phone calling it in).

Well, this is my introduction into the world of simsubbing - what a wake-up call!

 

[Classof83]

CHCH Contacts:

Advertising: [email protected]
Programming information: [email protected]
Community events: [email protected]
News tips: [email protected]
You Asked: [email protected]
Live at 5:30: 5:[email protected]
Morning Live: [email protected]
Best Wishes: [email protected]

Did you contact Bell TV as well and ask whey they didn't pull the inferior simsub as per CRTC regulations?

 

[wm_cheng]

Complaint sent (don't know what good it will do...)

Thanks so much Classof83!

Hey, any other fans out here to send them complaints?

 

[Classof83]

No problem. You have to be persistant with your complaints. I've gotten some things sorted out with Rogers due to simsub issues, but it's still far from perfect.

 

[magnet]

Updated thread title to reflect the correct US broadcaster.

 

[Jase88]

I don't have FibeTV to compare CHCH to...but I did catch Chuck on CHCH over the air, and didn't notice any visual difference compared to WKBW. I didn't check the audio aspect....

It could be that Bell is somehow hampering the quality. I'm not sure how the receive and process these signals.

Rogers, incidentally, receives the 4+1 networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX and PBS) over the air from Buffalo and injects them into their cable network.

 

[wm_cheng]

Woohoo!! Chuck was initially broadcast from CHCH this Monday, but then rather abruptly clicked over back to NBC. When that happens, the quality difference was quite noticeable. Hope this keeps up!

 

[wm_cheng]

After filing a complaint with the CRTC which forwarded my complaint to Bell, I got a reply from Bell Customer Relations regarding the matter;

"Dear Mr. Cheng,

This is to acknowledge receipt of your email dated September 28th 2010,
addressed to CRTC regarding your disappointed with the picture quality
as well as the sound of the sim-subbed version of "Chuck" on September
27th 2010.

First, we would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any
inconvenience this situation may have caused you. Please let me assure
you what happened to you is not typical of Bell?s level of customer
service. We continue to be committed to providing you and all of our
customers with the highest standards of service in the industry.

Pleae read below the explanation from our technician specialist
regarding the issues that you referred.

*Our Master Control monitors both the US and Canadian feeds for
sim-subbed programs such as ?Chuck?. We remove substitutions if the
Canadian broadcast is not of equal or greater quality of the American
broadcast.

In this case, where the customer describes seeing ?the first 10-20
seconds of the same program, and I thought it was in SD - then it
"clicked" over to the NBC Buffalo HD broadcast and the picture quality
and sound was remarkable?, Master Control noticed the inferior quality
of the Canadian feed, and therefore pulled the substitution.

For the episode on September 26th, I would assume that the quality of
the Canadian and American feeds were equal (video/audio), therefore the
substitution was left in. It?s not uncommon for us to see the video
and/or audio quality change from week to week from an American
Broadcaster (5.1 audio one week, 2.0 the next).*

Hoping the above is to your satisfaction,

Mr. Cheng, Bell values your business and is committed to providing
excellence in customer service.

Should you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate
to contact me at 1-888-673-4039.

Regards,

XXXX
Adjoint en Relations Clients/Customer Relations Associates.
Centre de Relations clients, à la Haute Direction de Bell
Customer Relations Centre, Bell Executive Office.
514-495-7587/1-888-673-4039."

Well, I'm just happy that for the last 2 episodes we've seen the better quality NBC feeds - I just hope it keeps up.