mssing a syllable here and there, OTA TV

Is it possible that, when watching live digital over the air tv that occasionally a syllable will be missing from the words people speak?

I think this has happened but I don't watch live so much anymore and I'm not sure.

It's definitely true, if I record tv shows on the harddrive of my DVDR, that during replay, even when the picture shows not a blip, not the slightest problem, the sound is often missing a syllable. Sometimes maybe even two in a row. When I rewind and replay, it sounds no better.

There are several "densities?" at which I can record tv shows. LP, SLP that sort of thing. I tried and used a "slower" recording speed for maybe 20 hours of recording, but it seemed to make no difference.

Do you think a slower, that it, more space-consuming recording is less likely to omit syllables, or is it likely that the OTA signal itself is missing a trifle, or some third cause?

I watch tv on analog tv's using an RF modulator. That can't be the problem, can it?

Because it goes 10 to 30 minutes without missing a syllable, and then misses just one usually.

Thanks.

Reply to
mm
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A simple lost syllable with no macroblocking or freezing of the video? I would say your VCR and analog TV is not at fault. I record 20 hrs a week OTA using PCs and tuners (3 units) and have no issues with breakup. When there _has_ been a problem the audio is typically last to go. Is this only with down-converted 1080/720 or does it happen with 480i channels? I'm leaning towards a faulty OTA box that isn't handling the down-conversion to std def. Do you have access to another converter box or alternatively could you install a digital tuner into your PC? My first TV recorder in 2004 was a Sempron 2500 with 512 megs RAM so you don't need the latest rocket computer. Tuners can be had pretty cheap. A couple weeks back Frys had an ATI USB tuner for $30.

G=B2

Reply to
stratus46

You're missing a brain cell here and there, troll.

Reply to
Meat Plow

mm's not a troll, Meat. Slightly eccentric, but a regular elsewhere and a moderately frequent visitor here.

Reply to
Smitty Two

How does one "rewind" a harddrive?

That sounds like a DVD thing. Are you recording on to a DVD or to a HDD?

Reply to
UCLAN

I forget the non-VCR word. Reverse and replay?

Always to the hard drive. It's a Philips DVDR 3576H/36

Reply to
mm

On other occasions I have that too. I have checkerboarding, freezing, and total blanking sometimes, even on a local station. But I don't expect the sound to work then. It's cases where I see nothing wrong with the video that I'm trying to alleviate here.

I've had that too, often, where the picture goes and then sometimes the sound does.

I don't recall losing syllables during any of those cases, but I figure it's just that I don't have high expectations then.

I don't know. How do I tell one from another? I would like to check that out and keep a record of which kind of channel does this.

I don't recall tvfool.com saying what a given station is. Should some function/button on the DVDR or set-top box show what is being received?

I'm using a DVDR with a built-in digital tuner, then a RF modulator and an analog TV. So is what you say here equivalent to saying the DVDR is faulty?

I have one set-top box connected to another tv, but I'm not sure if I miss syllables there or not, because there is no way to record or playback.

I suppose I could connect a VCR and record the same programs recorded on the DVDR in the other room, but the VCR is sort of buried now and might need some repair too. IOW, I can't do this for a while.

That's worth it, although I have the better antenna at the DVDR, and I only get the strong stations at the settop box, and that would be the case at the computer too, only the strong stations.

Thanks.

Reply to
mm

Yeah I know He's eccentric alright. I do see him in other groups like alt.home.repair and he asks the same kind of questions. I will try to be more understanding in the future and maybe even kill filter him since a lot of what he asks is general knowledge and not repair specific.

Reply to
Meat Plow

Try building this:

formatting link
- it has given be awesome reception.

Is there a way to check signal strength using the hardware you have? Usually the converter box has a screen somewhere, then you can see if it's a moderately strong, fluctuating signal. I've had to keep the signal well above 90% to prevent any glitching from occurring. I am going direct digital (not using the converter box), but in both cases I've had to keep the signal high.

Reply to
Eli Luong

On Fri, 14 May 2010 02:11:58 -0400, mm put finger to keyboard and composed:

I don't watch much TV anymore, but I noticed a few dropped syllables last night on Australian free-to-air DTV. Picture was perfect AFAICT. I also notice the occasional lip-synch problem.

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

AH! This might be the problem. I must be watching Australian TV!

I've been watching another tv live in the other room and haven't noticed the problem, but this is the room with the computer, so my mind is often not totally on the tv.

But since you weren't replaying through a harddrive recording, that's an indication that's not my problem either.

Thanks.

Reply to
mm

I was watching Greek TV last night and the audio was so bad I couldn't understand what anyone was saying.

Reply to
Meat Plow

It's a 4 bay bowtie similar to commercial units from Channel Master, Winegard and others. It works OK on UHF but if you have high band VHF like LA it won't be much help. It's nearly useless for low band VHF.

Signal strength by itself won't tell you much as a strong signal with significant multipath (ghosts) will be poor for North American 8-VSB DTV. A clean weak signal is much preferred over a strong 'dirty' one. The ATI tuners register 66% signal on some channels with no breakup at all. For multipath rejection an antenna with a high front-to-back ratio helps and narrower front lobes (generally 'high gain' ) may be needed in some places.

G=B2

Reply to
stratus46

On Sun, 16 May 2010 12:44:18 +0000 (UTC), Meat Plow put finger to keyboard and composed:

Oddly enough, it was a British program, "Midsomer Murders". Stranger still, unlike "The Biw", it's one of the few British shows where I can actually understand all the words. Cockneys appear to eat most of their consonants. At least the Greeks bother to pronounce the "th" in words such as "vat" and "fink". That said, Strine shows probably sound just as unintelligible to British viewers.

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

That explains the lip-synch problems. They must have dubbed the British into Australian.

There's a "th" in "fink"?

Oh, think.

Reply to
mm

It sure is possible, and very common. The problem is your receiving antenna system. Your signal quality is lacking. It's been a nightmare since the digital conversion.

Checking the signal with a spectrum analyzer (a DisplayMax 800 or the like) is the best way to isolate and resolve your problem. You may need to alter or replace your antenna. You could have, as one poster pointed out, too much signal. I'm betting your problem is more pronounced on one or more channels and OK on others. There are many possibilities, but the antenna system is the guilty party.

David, on the Illinois prairie.

Reply to
dharrisfc

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