Ian 56 Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 I have recently changed satellite reception from Hot Bird (TPS) to Astra 2 (BBC free-to-air etc). The last few evenings there seems to have been a problem with the sound and picture losing synchronisation, ‘creeping synch’, with the sound ahead of the picture. This is not confined to one channel. Is this a regular occurrence? Also sometimes the picture cuts for a second or two, almost as if the satellite is trying to regain synch. This was never apparent with TPS. Could it be caused by being out of the intended reception zone? I am in central Brittany, within the footprint I would have thought. ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazan Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Is this a Sky digibox or some other non-Sky box?What is the signal quality reading?Was the dish moved by a professional? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian 56 Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 It is not a Sky box but a Visiostat digibox and professionally installed. The installer aligned the dish.There appears to be no reading for the signal strength as there was on the TPS box. The only readings are the two LNB frequencies which are 09750 and 10600.Thanks for your interest.ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazan Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 I would be very surprised if there isn't a signal quality (not strength which is of little interest) reading somewhere in the menus of your box. I don't think I've ever seen a digibox that doesn't have one.I suspect that your quality may be low. Due perhaps to incorrect alignment or, more likely, incorrect skew.Or it may just be that that particularly model doesn't work very well. You really can't beat a proper Sky box for receiving the UK channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 [quote]I have recently changed satellite reception from Hot Bird (TPS) to Astra 2 (BBC free-to-air etc). The last few evenings there seems to have been a problem with the sound and picture losing synchronis...[/quote]"....Also sometimes the picture cuts for a second or two, almost as if the satellite is trying to regain synch..." It's not the satellite, it's the box which is freezing.. its running out of syncs and can only buffer for a field or two. When you find the signal quality meter I'm sure you'll find it's showing poor. Agree with Mazan, maybe you were lined up properly but not skewed correctly. As for sound & vision sync disparity: I wouldn't seek to blame either the satellite or the box, there seems to be nobody left in any of the major broadcasters who can detect a sync-slip of fewer than 3 frames!paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 "Also sometimes the picture cuts for a second or two, almost as if the satellite is trying to regain synch"I only get this with the "new" ITV 3 channel, all the others are fine, is it the quality of the upload to the satellite perhaps? The speech on ITV 1 is sometimes out of sync but moving off anf back to it seems to cure it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian 56 Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 Thanks for the advice. I cannot find the signal quality on this box so I am getting the installer back to check out the skew, and possibly show me where it is displayed on a sub menu. I agree with Paul that standards have slipped but getting a live newsreader out of sync. must be a new low!ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 [quote]Thanks for the advice. I cannot find the signal quality on this box so I am getting the installer back to check out the skew, and possibly show me where it is displayed on a sub menu. I agree with Pau...[/quote]Ian,Was that ITV1 by any chance?The other evening (Sunday I think it was) the presenter's sound was so distorted I nearly had to turn it off, and it was certainly the ITV news channel that was several frames out of sync on both studio and inserts a couple of days ago.I can't decide if they don't notice, or simply don't care .paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian 56 Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 No, Paul, it was BBC news on Tuesday. It had to be in sync. on the point of transmission. I can believe that the odd film or video insert might get out of sync. through finger trouble, but not a studio item. I have not noticed any distortion, one of the advantages of being a bit deaf.ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Have a look at the FEQ ( Forward Error Correction) settings on your decoder for each channel. These show up on the Sky Digibox as 1/2 or 3/4 or 5/6 from memory. In order to compress digital TV they code colour areas which remain the same for periods of time, rather than for still images which are compressed by identifying a colour and the cells next to it which are the same.For Classic FM in the UK the sound was in sync if we listened to the radio but when we watched another TV in one room and SAT TV in another the delay varies with channel so is not simply caused by up and down time to satellite.There are various sites which lsit settings for BBC and ITV channels, either search this forum or google or the SATCURE site.NB this is only an idea and not tested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian 56 Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 Anton, the setting controls on the Visiostat are very rudimentary I am afraid, so your solution seems not possible. The annoying thing is that at the moment lip sync. is pretty good and no cutting of picture. The only fault is that when the camera pans the action is jerky. I may have a problem in getting the installer to do anything, certainly not get out his ladder. Just waiting to see if there is a sync. problem when the auctioneer on 'Flog It' taps his hammer. It is maybe a satellite fault after all.ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Would could try borrowing somebody's ( as opposed to somebodies ALA Burke and Hyde) Sky Digibox and checking quality that way. I have only installed one French system but found the menu for signal quality responded far quicker than the SKY box. It simply autosensed all chanels so did not get into adding channels on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian 56 Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 The supplier has just fixed the problem using the installation menu. I am still unclear of the solution, something to do with the 'sortie'. There is indeed a quality of signal indicator tucked away in a sub menu and it is 98%. There was also a picture problem with panning shots appearing jerky and this has been resolved.I am grateful for all the suggestions.ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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