Sound levels on the Freeview HD mux.

Peter Henderson · 16/12/12 - 13:52

Has anyone noticed the sound levels on the HD mux being significantly higher than SD channels ?

The difference today is quite dramatic and very annoying.

Is it just NI (Divis) or is anyone else in other parts of the UK experiencing this ?

grahamlthompson · 16/12/12 - 14:33

Will depend on your kit. SD channels use mp2 audio and normally if viewing by an external box the box volume control will control the volume. HD channels use aac audio and a box volume control won't change the level. In this case set the SD volume to match HD and then use the TV/amplifier to control the volume. If it's a Freeview-HD tuner in a TV not sure what you can do about it.

[Deleted User] · 16/12/12 - 18:08

On most equipment HD sound is lower - allowing for greater dynamic range. This can be 'corrected' on my (panasonic) HD TV by the "Volume correction" option.

radioredcat · 18/12/12 - 20:25

SimonBlackham wrote: »

On most equipment HD sound is lower - allowing for greater dynamic range. This can be 'corrected' on my (panasonic) HD TV by the "Volume correction" option.

I have noticed that the sound is lower on HD than it is on SD and I have a hearing problem and I can hear SD better than HD because I have lost low frequencies in one ear.

So I have choice watch in crappy vision or HD well HD wins in this case as I have to raise the volume I will check the sound settings on the TV.

Andy

brumlad36 · 18/12/12 - 23:27

The problem seems to manifest itself when any of the HD channels are showing material recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1 or whatever.
It seems not to matter whether it's BBC One HD, BBC HD ITV1 HD or CH4 HD.

To my ears, it's not just that the HD channels are quieter (during these recordings), but also that the sound suffers break-up. This has nothing to do with increased dynamic range.

I've noticed this "feature" over the past weekend.

When BBC One HD was showing Calendar Girls, the sound was awful on the HD channel, but was loud and without break-up on the SD version of BBC One.

The same effect was noticed on 3 different STBs (Technika STBHDIS2010, Humax YouView and TVonics DTR-HD500 (each set to output standard stereo). All STBs are connected to TVs that are not DD5.1, therefore "normal" stereo (via HDMI).

I wonder if others have noticed this anomaly on Freeview HD?

I didn't check Freesat. Maybe I should have.

Chris.

grahamlthompson · 19/12/12 - 09:42

brumlad36 wrote: »

The problem seems to manifest itself when any of the HD channels are showing material recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1 or whatever.
It seems not to matter whether it's BBC One HD, BBC HD ITV1 HD or CH4 HD.

To my ears, it's not just that the HD channels are quieter (during these recordings), but also that the sound suffers break-up. This has nothing to do with increased dynamic range.

I've noticed this "feature" over the past weekend.

When BBC One HD was showing Calendar Girls, the sound was awful on the HD channel, but was loud and without break-up on the SD version of BBC One.

The same effect was noticed on 3 different STBs (Technika STBHDIS2010, Humax YouView and TVonics DTR-HD500 (each set to output standard stereo). All STBs are connected to TVs that are not DD5.1, therefore "normal" stereo (via HDMI).

I wonder if others have noticed this anomaly on Freeview HD?

I didn't check Freesat. Maybe I should have.

Chris.

If you are just using a TV Humax boxes (not positive about the youview box) have a menu option to recode ac3/aac to lpcm so the audio output is the same for HD and SD channels. The other boxes may have similar.

figrin_dan · 19/12/12 - 09:51

The Humax Youview box screws up 5.1 when outputting stereo via HDMI or optical. You cannot watch a '5.1 broadcast' in stereo without the problems. There is a fix for optical (5.1 only) but not HDMI yet.

btw I think 1080i is ok, the problem occurs with 1080p

chrisjr · 19/12/12 - 09:58

brumlad36 wrote: »

The problem seems to manifest itself when any of the HD channels are showing material recorded in Dolby Digital 5.1 or whatever.
It seems not to matter whether it's BBC One HD, BBC HD ITV1 HD or CH4 HD.

To my ears, it's not just that the HD channels are quieter (during these recordings), but also that the sound suffers break-up. This has nothing to do with increased dynamic range.

I've noticed this "feature" over the past weekend.

When BBC One HD was showing Calendar Girls, the sound was awful on the HD channel, but was loud and without break-up on the SD version of BBC One.

The same effect was noticed on 3 different STBs (Technika STBHDIS2010, Humax YouView and TVonics DTR-HD500 (each set to output standard stereo). All STBs are connected to TVs that are not DD5.1, therefore "normal" stereo (via HDMI).

I wonder if others have noticed this anomaly on Freeview HD?

I didn't check Freesat. Maybe I should have.

Chris.

I watched a bit of Calendar Girls on HD via my Humax HDR Fox-T2 and Onkyo AV receiver. No problems that I recall with the sound.

And I can't say I have ever noticed any issues with the sound such as break-up on any of the HD channels. Increased dynamic range, yes, but no unwanted effects.

brumlad36 · 19/12/12 - 10:00

grahamlthompson wrote: »

If you are just using a TV Humax boxes (not positive about the youview box) have a menu option to recode ac3/aac to lpcm so the audio output is the same for HD and SD channels. The other boxes may have similar.

My suspicion is that the "problem" lays with the playout system.
1) It's only recently started to happen.
2) It only seems to occur on films (or Planet Earth). (The adverts on ITV1 HD or CH4 and Continuity Announcers on BBC One/HD are very loud, in comparison to the affected programmes).
3) I have not changed any settings in any STBs. They are just set to "Stereo", not "Surround" or "Muli-speaker"

Chris.

Chris.

grahamlthompson · 19/12/12 - 11:03

brumlad36 wrote: »

My suspicion is that the "problem" lays with the playout system.
1) It's only recently started to happen.
2) It only seems to occur on films (or Planet Earth). (The adverts on ITV1 HD or CH4 and Continuity Announcers on BBC One/HD are very loud, in comparison to the affected programmes).
3) I have not changed any settings in any STBs. They are just set to "Stereo", not "Surround" or "Muli-speaker"

Chris.

Chris.

Try an experiment, tune to a HD channel and use the set top box volume to see if the output level changes, now repeat with a SD channel. If the HD channel volume doesn't alter set a SD channel to around the same level as the HD channel gives. From then on use the TV volume.

gomezz · 19/12/12 - 11:18

figrin_dan wrote: »

The Humax Youview box screws up 5.1 when outputting stereo via HDMI or optical.

Mine doesn't. The problem appears to be limited to people connecting to particular TV sets or sound systems.

brumlad36 · 19/12/12 - 11:29

grahamlthompson wrote: »

Try an experiment, tune to a HD channel and use the set top box volume to see if the output level changes, now repeat with a SD channel. If the HD channel volume doesn't alter set a SD channel to around the same level as the HD channel gives. From then on use the TV volume.

Hi Graham,

I see where you're going with this.
Volume controls on all my STBs (except TVonics box, which has no volume control), work on both SD and HD, when viewing through my TVs.
One TV is a Sony KDL 32 L4000, the other is a Tevion L4040.

I've just checked Freeview and Freesat. All audio on HD channels seems perfect right now.

Chris.

figrin_dan · 19/12/12 - 11:59

gomezz wrote: »

Mine doesn't. The problem appears to be limited to people connecting to particular TV sets or sound systems.

That's interesting. I've heard of lots of problems. Do you listen to HD programs/films in stereo?

brumlad36 wrote: »

I've just checked Freeview and Freesat.

Don't worry about freesat. They use Dolby Digital for HD; the problem is converting AAC (freeviewHD) to stereo.

brumlad36 · 19/12/12 - 12:26

figrin_dan wrote: »

That's interesting. I've heard of lots of problems. Do you listen to HD programs/films in stereo?

Don't worry about freesat. They use Dolby Digital for HD; the problem is converting AAC (freeviewHD) to stereo.

Thanks figrin_dan, for pointing this out. Next time I notice the problem with audio on freeview HD, I'll check the audio on freesat HD, to see if the same occurs there.

Chris.

gomezz · 19/12/12 - 17:03

figrin_dan wrote: »

That's interesting. I've heard of lots of problems. Do you listen to HD programs/films in stereo?

Mainly over optical connection to my old Denon AV amp in either DD5.1 or DPL (or for a music programmes I switch it from DPL to 5 channel stereo). Occasionally play through analogue RCA connections through my hi-fi stereo amp or listen using headphones connected to the TV (so that will be HDMI converted to analogue stereo). Not had any of audio problems you mention although I am very aware of glitches originating from the broadcaster. I tend to be more sensitive to sound issues than video issues.

Hey there!

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Sound levels on the Freeview HD mux.

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