[tormike]

My service has been flawless until 2 weeks ago. I noticed that there was flickering on the screen while watching NHL or NBA basketball. This only happens during game action and not when the camera focusses on the bench or a closeup of the players. This is the only times where I have experienced this

The flickering is on all my TV sets (different brands and types). I changed the HDMI and still have flickering. Bell changed all my equipment pvr, Vap and wireless receivers. The signal is clear coming into my house and my coax to the pvr is clean. Coax ruled out as the pvr was hooked up vie ethernet to modem and still showed flickering. both field techs and cable techs confirmed that everything is clean and fine with the signal from the box on the street to my home and to the receivers. pot splitter was changed also. Basically a new install was performed.

I believe the issue is on the Bell end but not sure where it may be. All the techs that have been dispatched have never seen the screen flickering on only sports. As my main programming that I watch is Sports, it is a annoying watching the flickering on the screen

Any input would be appreciated. Love FibeTv, but it is getting unbearable watching and dont really want to switch to Rogers.

Thanks in advance,

 

[57]

Is it possible that this is related to camera flashes at the game? Here's a thread on that topic. Someone brought that older thread to life again recently - Post 44 onwards.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/160-whats-sports/86801-flashing-tv-during-hockey.html

 

[tormike]

I thought the same thing but the flashes are only during basketball and hockey games. No flashes during soccer and football games. The flashes appear on all 3 tv's of mine (2 calibrated - plasma and LED, also non calibrated LCD)

 

[57]

Basketball and hockey - indoor games - cameras (TV and picture taking) usually much closer.

Soccer and football games - outdoor games (or very brightly lit if nighttime) - cameras usually farther away.

A couple of additional items - I believe for hockey the professional (press) cameras that are taking pictures are not using their own flash attachments, rather a strong strobe that's permanently attached to the facility? Also for the outdoor sports, the main background is fairly dark and unreflective (grass or turf), whereas the background for hockey is fairly bright (cream coloured ice). Hardwood for basketball is also quite reflective, even if not quite as bright as for hockey.

 

[tormike]

I have had Fibe for just over 3 years. This has never happened until the last 2 weeks. If it was the cameras, wouldnt it have always appeared?

 

[57]

Yes, it would have always been there, but perhaps you're just noticing it now? I know that when a picture is flawed, some people notice, some don't. Then as soon as you do notice, you'll always be seeing it. Same for other picture artifacts like macroblocking, halos, etc.

It is possible that Fibe has changed something in their distribution system that has exacerbated the flashing. It's also possible that the strobes have been changed - more powerful, different positioning?

 

[Hairball]

57 is right on the money . Once you notice the flashes you always will. They have always been there. I worked in the broadcast industry for almost 40 years. Retired now. Hockey and basketball have one thing in common. They both are played in an arena.
All arenas that host professional sports have big strobe lights through out the venue for use by magazine and newspaper photographers.
They are usually triggered by a small transmitter that the photographers connect to their cameras flash trigger. The photographers shot thousands of shots in a game. They are constantly shooting photos of players trying to get that one stop motion money shot. If you think it's bad now, wait till playoffs.
I first noticed this about 30 years ago. I hear that complaint from people all the time. They all claim it was not there before. It has always been there. If your TV is correctly set up , contrast and brightness setup correctly the effect will be less visible.
I used to think that once they got away from film to digital cameras things would improve. In fact they have gotten worse. They can now shot to their hearts content and not worry about film and processing costs. Nobody wants motion blur so they shot at fast shutter speeds. That means they need a lot of light. So for now the strobes are here to stay.
If you don't believe me. Go to a friends house , someone who claims they don't see problem, and watch a hockey game. The problem is their they just haven't noticed it.

 

[CamDAB]

I'm wondering if the problem is exasperated by the transition to 4K for the source broadcast and downconverted to HD?

Cameron

 

[tormike]

I will be heading to a friends house tonight to watch the hockey game and see if I catch the flickering on their tv. issue started approximately the 24th of January. Thanks for the input

 

[waterug]

If you do, don't tell them what you see. If they claim they don't see anything unusual, then it's got to be you. This has been a problem mentioned several times before as 57 has pointed out. I'm surprised no one from Bell had ever heard of this problem.

 

[17671]

I do not watch too much hockey, but I do follow basket ball. So far I have not noticed white flash/flickering, but I also do not have Bell's FIBE tv system either, I am only using their Satellite TV service so there could be a difference or not? I do not know, but after reading this I will pay close attention on the next game I watch to see what this flash/flicker is all about.

 

[tormike]

Last night watched the Leafs on Rogers and noticed the flickering.

Tonight, there was no flickering on hockey (Sportsnet - Montreal game and Centre Ice - Detroit). There was flickering for basketball on TSN.

Go figure.

 

[tormike]

I thought I was in the clear, but the flickering came back again last night.

 

[Nighthawk 1]

I agree with the cause of the problem, I'm just wondering if something recently changed to make it worse, or just because I'm now viewing on a larger screen, it's something to live with. I was the one who posted in another thread regarding this. I'm on shaw. I watched a bit of the chl game yesterday and still flashing, sometimes every few seconds. I'm not sure if it's arena dependant. Either way, very annoying, some games I just don't watch because of this. If you ever get the chance, slow down the flash so you can see frame by frame, the entire rink is a white blinding flash of light as the strobes reflect of the surface.

 

[rperetz]

flickers and Flashes during NBA games on 4K and HD

Got my 4k Tv and Bell Fibe 4k receiver but disappointed from all the flickers and flashes I see in a game.
Its due to pictures being taken in the actual game. I manage to capture the difference in the picture while a picture is taken.
Anyone else having this issue?
With my old LCD TV I don't have this problem.
View these pictures to see the madness:

https://goo.gl/photos/Gg1B8dCWStwigPKE6

Guys the screen flickers every 30 seconds, there is no way I can watch a game this way.
I love 4K but not for this price.
My TV is new I will return it and use my old TV to watch NBA games if this can't be corrected.
But it's a major issue that need to be address by Bell.
I have open a ticket with Bell on this issue, I will update this post with what they tell me.

am I alone?

 

[57]

Got my 4k Tv and Bell Fibe 4k receiver but disappointed from all the flickers and flashes I see in a game.
Its due to pictures being taken in the actual game. I manage to capture the difference in the picture while a picture is taken.
Anyone else having this issue?
With my old LCD TV I don't have this problem.
View these pictures to see the madness:

https://goo.gl/photos/Gg1B8dCWStwigPKE6

Guys the screen flickers every 30 seconds, there is no way I can watch a game this way.
I love 4K but not for this price.
My TV is new I will return it and use my old TV to watch NBA games if this can't be corrected.
But it's a major issue that need to be address by Bell.
I have open a ticket with Bell on this issue, I will update this post with what they tell me.

am I alone?

1. I've moved your post to this existing thread.

2. This has been noticed by many people. This has nothing to do with Bell or your TV.

3. Hmm, you posted a few years ago that you saw this in the following thread, so it must have affected your old TV too. Perhaps it's more noticeable now with the new TV, which may be larger, or the settings exacerbate the issue - see my point 4 below about proper TV optimization.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/160...ring-sports-camera-strobes-3.html#post2072673

4. A proper optimization of the TV may minimize, but not eliminate, the effect. See link below on that topic.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/160...ring-sports-camera-strobes-4.html#post2694257

 

[Jishan]

Can you get a free trial for Rogers and see how did that go? If that works then you might need to reconsider how much you love your FibeTV. Hope everything goes normal and stay out of flickering and you can keep watching FibeTV

 

[rperetz]

I took a video of the madness.
Check this out.

https://goo.gl/photos/Bw485ZnxLMn1s1VM8

I did an experiment, I got NBA pass to see if I see the flashes using by Apple TV.
It's there but not as crazy when you have a 4K receiver from Bell.

 

[57]

Proper optimization of your TV, as I mentioned in my previous post may help the issue for various inputs. Each device sends different signals to the TV and each input needs to be optimized for that device. Although I have not seen huge differences between devices when they all use HDMI, the differences can still be present and require different TV settings - especially say in white level (contrast) and perhaps some of the auto settings.

 

[EB]

Flashing while watching hockey games

Can anyone tell me what the flashing is or is caused by while watching hockey. It occurs most when it is in a fuul shot of the left end of the ice but still occurs during other full shots and some others as well. Never have I noticed it during any other sporting event or movies...