JonP01 Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 I'd be interested to know as well. The Formula 1 telecast over the weekend was woeful. It got so bad at times that people's faces showed terrible signs of severe compression (as in faces were made up of obvious blocks of pixels) and in overhead shots the trees just turned into green blobs. Even in some shots with relatively little motion you could see parts of the image simply blur up in the same way computer games might access much lower quality mips to keep up a frame rate. And that is on top of the usual plasticine faces and lifeless "2D" image that seems to have pervaded Foxtel in recent years. I'm not exaggerating when I say that a decent HD YouTube video these days looks miles better. On the other hand, I switched over to a live football telecast an hour or so later on channel 502 and it looked reasonably OK considering what you could reasonably expect from moderately compressed interlaced video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckent Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 I too am very interested in the latest bitrates. We haven't had a new HD transponder for years, not since HD went mainstream and got a load of simulcast channels. Ever since then it's been a cramming of H.264 into the same total bitrate, once or twice improving the encoder quality along the way. The only exception has been Sky Thoroughbred HD on the vertical. Not even sure if it's on a DVB-S2 or just sharing one of Foxtel's few vertical S1 sticks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckent Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Another tragedy is that Sky News and Sky Business occupy two HD slots while 80% of their content is not HD, including 100% of their field reports that would actually benefit from HD. Meanwhile, in an irony that most of you won't have missed, we have Fox News and CNN and BBC World News downscaled to SD even though 90% to 99% of their content is HD originated and even available here in HD on scrambled feeds that Foxtel ask to have scrambled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckent Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Even more craziness: Now Sky News Election channel (pop up channel replacing A-PAC for a few weeks) has gone HD, and it has zero percent HD content; not even the graphics are HD. In particular all the CBS and ABC USA programming is in SD downscaled from HD and then upscaled again by Foxtel. Which reminds me —Sky News UK is entirely HD sourced now, but Sky News Australia "HD" just shows a particularly blurry SD version, must be running through a composite cable surely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miata Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Even more craziness: Now Sky News Election channel (pop up channel replacing A-PAC for a few weeks) has gone HD, and it has zero percent HD content; not even the graphics are HD. In particular all the CBS and ABC USA programming is in SD downscaled from HD and then upscaled again by Foxtel. Which reminds me —Sky News UK is entirely HD sourced now, but Sky News Australia "HD" just shows a particularly blurry SD version, must be running through a composite cable surely. Even more craziness: Now Sky News Election channel (pop up channel replacing A-PAC for a few weeks) has gone HD, and it has zero percent HD content; not even the graphics are HD. In particular all the CBS and ABC USA programming is in SD downscaled from HD and then upscaled again by Foxtel. Which reminds me —Sky News UK is entirely HD sourced now, but Sky News Australia "HD" just shows a particularly blurry SD version, must be running through a composite cable surely. That would explain the GT3 Racing from St. Petersberg on CBS over the weekend, I think it was on 203, very different to all the other Sports channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckent Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 That would explain the GT3 Racing from St. Petersberg on CBS over the weekend, I think it was on 203, very different to all the other Sports channels. Why would that explain it? I said CBS produces in HD, 1080i60 if I remember correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miata Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Why would that explain it? I said CBS produces in HD, 1080i60 if I remember correctly.Because you said it was downscaled then upscaled again. It was bloody awful. "In particular all the CBS and ABC USA programming is in SD downscaled from HD and then upscaled again by Foxtel." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davmel Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 (edited) I too am very interested in the latest bitrates. We haven't had a new HD transponder for years, not since HD went mainstream and got a load of simulcast channels. Ever since then it's been a cramming of H.264 into the same total bitrate, once or twice improving the encoder quality along the way. The only exception has been Sky Thoroughbred HD on the vertical. Not even sure if it's on a DVB-S2 or just sharing one of Foxtel's few vertical S1 sticks, Foxtel did start using a brand new transponder (11845H) for the new batch of HD channels (beINSports & Sky Election etc) so now they finally have 6 dedicated DVB-S2 transponders for HD channels. Transponder 11845H hasn't been used before and I suspected it may have been faulty due to never being used until 6.5 years after sat launch, but it's working fine. Sky Tbred HD is on a regular DVB-S transponder mixed in with the ethnic news channels possibly due to the ownership of the channel and their preference to be on an independently leased transponder. Anyway, here are the latest average bitrates for all transponders with HD Foxtel sports channels: PID Channel Name 27/05/2016 Transponder 11721H: 1011 Fox Sports 3HD 8.79 1021 Nat Geo HD 6.8 1031 BBS First HD 3.71 1041 SoHo HD 3.51 1051 Action HD 3.91 1061 Main Event HD 5.7 1071 FX HD 6.24 1081 Fox Sports 4HD 6.73 Transponder 11804H: 1011 Box Sets HD 4.77 1021 13th St HD 4.03 1031 History HD 5.22 1041 Universal HD 4.06 1051 Arena HD 4.36 1061 FS News HD 8.1 1071 Arts HD 5.23 1081 SKY News HD 5.9 1091 Best of 2015 HD -> Sky Business HD 3.57 Transponder 11845H: 1011 beIN SPORTS1HD 6.57 1021 beIN SPORTS2HD 6.77 1031 beIN SPORTS3HD 6.9 1041 Spare 2404 6.91 1051 Spare 2405 7.44 1061 Spare 2406 5.95 1071 SKY Election HD 2.92 1081 Spare 2408 3.61 Transponder 11845V (DVB-S): 1011 CCTV-9 Doco 2.18 1021 NHK World 2.57 1031 Russia Today 2.2 1041 Daystar 2.29 1061 Sky Tbred HD 4.3 Transponder 12011H: 1011 Premiere HD 4.59 1021 showcase HD 3.48 1031 Comedy HD 5.79 1041 Romance HD 4.24 1051 Fox Sports 1HD 7.09 1061 BBC Know HD 6.13 1071 A&E HD 4.54 1081 Eurosport HD 9.54 Transponder 12053H: 1011 ESPN2 HD 5.26 1021 _Service 13002 3.62 1031 Discovery HD 6.71 1041 FOX8 HD 5.37 1051 Fox Sports 2HD 9.73 1061 ESPN HD 5.72 1071 Thriller HD 4.53 1081 Disney Mov HD 4.43 Transponder 12094H: 1011 Fox Sports 5HD 7.59 1021 NatGeoWild HD 5.54 1031 Syfy HD 4.86 1041 LifeStyle HD 4.44 1051 Family HD 4.13 1061 FOX FOOTY HD 9.81 1071 Masterpiece HD 5.53 1081 WorldMoviesHD 3.5 Edited May 27, 2016 by davmel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurie Posted May 28, 2016 Share Posted May 28, 2016 As always davmel thanks for your effort,clear to see what is their #1 channel "Fox Footy HD" cheers laurie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLE3551503562118 Posted May 28, 2016 Share Posted May 28, 2016 Thanks, i don't understand why FS news would have more bitrate that half the FS channels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth Nick Posted May 28, 2016 Share Posted May 28, 2016 Thanks, i don't understand why FS news would have more bitrate that half the FS channels! Great point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slattery Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 Thanks Davmel. Looks like Fox Sports 4 and ESPN 1 & 2 have taken a hit. The other sports channels have remained constant or slightly better. Why wouldn't they give the spare channels bugger all and beef up the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davmel Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Why wouldn't they give the spare channels bugger all and beef up the rest. They are probably already showing feeds from the upcoming planned Football team channels so need them to have typical bitrates to test screen them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonP01 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Thanks for the list. I promise I did not look at it before saying any of this but last week the picture quality on the channels I usually watch was excellent. This was after complaining to foxtel the week prior, especially in light of the horrible Formula 1 telecast (Monaco was fine though - no complaints from me). Anyway, all channels were as good as I had ever seen them. That includes BBC First, Showcase and SoHo - channels which are often pretty poor. This week, however, they are back to what they were when I was complaining two weeks ago. BBC First wasn't quite as bad as SoHo but they were still below par (to my eyes, anyway). I' ve just finished watching The Americans on SoHo tonight and it looked more like a very good VHS tape than digital HD. I'm all for high sport bitrates but I think the three drama channels I watch a lot of (the aforementioned ones) are too compromised. They look like SD, not HD (anyway, one might argue interlaced is SD regardless but they are far worse than the other channels let alone the sport ones). FOX8 doesn't seem to be as bad as the others but I wish they would just do a general clean up of the junk channels and allocate the bandwidth back to drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLE3551503562118 Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 Watched some footy over the weekend, picture quality is very good IMO. That's on a 64" plasma from 3-3.5 meters. MotoGP looked good as well. No complaints here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth Nick Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 NBA finals aren't anything special. Used to be much sharper image quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkaz88 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 now that foxtel has switched on the new epl club hd channels can someone give an update to the current sports hd bitrates and current transponders used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davmel Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 PID 17/08/2016 Channel Name bitrate Transponder 11721H: 1011 8.15 Fox Sports 3HD 1021 5.45 Nat Geo HD 1031 3.08 BBS First HD 1041 4.14 SoHo HD 1051 5.52 Action HD 1061 7.43 Main Event HD 1071 4.69 FX HD 1081 6.91 Fox Sports 4HD Transponder 11804H: 1011 5.05 Box Sets HD 1021 3.47 13th St HD 1031 7.63 History HD 1041 3.94 Universal HD 1051 5.96 Arena HD 1061 6.53 FS News HD 1071 4.98 Arts HD 1081 3.59 SKY News HD 1091 3.77 Best of 2015 HD -> Sky Business HD Transponder 11845H: 1011 8.32 beIN SPORTS1HD 1021 10.15 beIN SPORTS2HD 1031 6.16 beIN SPORTS3HD 1041 7.26 Chelsea TV HD 1051 6.48 LFCTV HD 1061 3.46 MUTV HD 1071 3.22 SKY Election HD 1081 2.13 More Movies HD Transponder 11845V (DVB-S): 1011 2.09 CCTV-9 Doco 1021 2.05 NHK World 1031 2.04 Russia Today 1041 2.32 Daystar 1061 4.99 Sky Tbred HD Transponder 12011H: 1011 5.46 Premiere HD 1021 3.75 showcase HD 1031 3.51 Comedy HD 1041 6.66 Romance HD 1051 10.2 Fox Sports 1HD 1061 3.42 BBC Know HD 1071 4.4 A&E HD 1081 7.98 Eurosport HD Transponder 12053H: 1011 4.55 ESPN2 HD 1021 5.66 _Service 13002 1031 6.41 Discovery HD 1041 3.97 FOX8 HD 1051 10.09 Fox Sports 2HD 1061 5.43 ESPN HD 1071 3.98 Thriller HD 1081 5.28 Disney Mov HD Transponder 12094H: 1011 8.94 Fox Sports 5HD 1021 7.42 NatGeoWild HD 1031 4.15 Syfy HD 1041 4.55 LifeStyle HD 1051 4.23 Family HD 1061 8.16 FOX FOOTY HD 1071 4.53 Masterpiece HD 1081 3.41 WorldMoviesHD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonP01 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 I have to say that apart from the odd sports broadcast, Foxtel is looking pretty poor these days. Washed out detail, no sense of lighting dynamic range, plastic looking skin textures, ringing artefacts and the whole picture just looks completely lifeless. I can put on any store bought DVD and it completely blows away anything "HD" from Foxtel. I think whoever the engineers are responsible for determining bitrates are blind or else they are begrudgingly following orders issued by the blind. I think anyone who finds Foxtel good these days must have not had the pleasure of watching ordinary uncompressed standard definition analogue video from 30 plus years ago because quite honestly, what I watched on my analogue TV 40 years ago was better than the lifeless HD digital that Foxtel is offering. It can have it's moments when the odd program gets a decent bitrate and is decent source material to begin with but for the most part it's shameful rendition of wonderful potential of uncompressed, high resolution digital video. Bitrates of 16 Mbps upward for drama start to look reasonably OK with 1080i digital and from that bitrate upwards the picture at least starts to come to life, has some vibrancy, there is some feeling that the sun actually exists and the picture doesn't look like washed out plastic, but anything less than that and to me at least the poor quality is painfully obvious. Makes me really miss the old analogue days when the only compression was the broadcast format itself. When I put on a Blu-ray or even a plain DVD, it makes me want to cry at the disgustingly brutal compression that Foxtel uses and the life that it takes out of the otherwise excellent programming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc10 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Yes - they are truly abysmal. I only subscribe because of Fox Footy and since connecting to the NBN now find that Foxtel no longer provides a HD fix. It amazes me that a channel such as showcase which televises all the latest o'seas drama shows is allocated only 3.75mbps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrC Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 24 minutes ago, pc9 said: Yes - they are truly abysmal. I only subscribe because of Fox Footy and since connecting to the NBN now find that Foxtel no longer provides a HD fix. What do you mean ... "no longer provides a HD fix" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth Nick Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 49 minutes ago, JonP01 said: I have to say that apart from the odd sports broadcast, Foxtel is looking pretty poor these days. Washed out detail, no sense of lighting dynamic range, plastic looking skin textures, ringing artefacts and the whole picture just looks completely lifeless. I can put on any store bought DVD and it completely blows away anything "HD" from Foxtel. I think whoever the engineers are responsible for determining bitrates are blind or else they are begrudgingly following orders issued by the blind. I think anyone who finds Foxtel good these days must have not had the pleasure of watching ordinary uncompressed standard definition analogue video from 30 plus years ago because quite honestly, what I watched on my analogue TV 40 years ago was better than the lifeless HD digital that Foxtel is offering. It can have it's moments when the odd program gets a decent bitrate and is decent source material to begin with but for the most part it's shameful rendition of wonderful potential of uncompressed, high resolution digital video. Bitrates of 16 Mbps upward for drama start to look reasonably OK with 1080i digital and from that bitrate upwards the picture at least starts to come to life, has some vibrancy, there is some feeling that the sun actually exists and the picture doesn't look like washed out plastic, but anything less than that and to me at least the poor quality is painfully obvious. Makes me really miss the old analogue days when the only compression was the broadcast format itself. When I put on a Blu-ray or even a plain DVD, it makes me want to cry at the disgustingly brutal compression that Foxtel uses and the life that it takes out of the otherwise excellent programming. I'm pretty harsh on Foxtel, but I don't think it's as bad as you say. I'd rate their HD as average/good. No longer outstanding though. It used to be when I signed up ~3 years ago, but that was the start of the decline unfortunately. You used to get highly defined shots not only up close, but from further away - crowds used to be so sharp, that it really was like you were in the stands looking out across the stadium. Now, medium to far shots aren't as good, but at least the picture doesn't crumble under fast movement like free-to-air does. NBA (ESPN) has probably dropped in quality more than anything though. So soft compared to how it was years ago..... Overall, I'd rate their HD as 6/10 (more average than good). Much more room for improvement..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc10 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 39 minutes ago, MrC said: What do you mean ... "no longer provides a HD fix" ? Most major online streaming services offer better HD quality images IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrC Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 1 hour ago, pc9 said: Most major online streaming services offer better HD quality images IMO. And which streaming services ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurie Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 And what percentage of what people are seeing in HD can be improved by a better display or even calibrating their existing set!! best thing I ever did was calibrating my 60" Kuro cheers laurie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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