Stereo TV

ney · 23-10-2003, 21:47

Got a Nicam Stereo TV and was wondering whats the diference bettween stereo, stereo effect, dual, dual effect and dual II but daul II dont always work anyone know. The odd TV programes seem louder when I switch on the dual effect just wondered if anyone knows the diference between them all. I use a scart led from TV to my Video and Freeview box and on analogue it just has the stereo, stereo effect mono or mono effect to switch between on the remote.

Darren

Jim Rae · 24-10-2003, 10:40

Stereo is what it says on the tin - two separate audio channels transmitted in the same way as sound from radio, CD, cassette etc etc.

Whether you hear much happening or not depends on the programme - you probably will hear the separate channels on a James Bond movie - you probably won't on the news - except for the Sky News flash "whoosh".

Dual is different - it's two separate mono channels and the original idea was that sound tracks might be broadcast in two languages to suit different markets.

It's never used in the UK so don't use that setting.

The "effects" are just that - sound processing of the basic signal.

Some work better than others- I would normally not use them and stick to plain stereo.

However a basic stereo TV is no match for separate speakers at least six feet apart, so look round the back to see if there are any connectors - you might be lucky...

ney · 24-10-2003, 18:56

Thanx for the info.

Darren

GDB2freeview · 24-10-2003, 20:07

So what's the difference between stereo and NICAM?

Gdb

David (2) · 24-10-2003, 21:00

Quote:

Originally posted by GDB2freeview
So what's the difference between stereo and NICAM?

Gdb

Not very much. "Stereo" can be non-digital (like FM radio), but can also be "Digital" (like the sound on Sky Digital, Freeview, or DAB radio). Nicam is encoded audio (mono or stereo depending on how it was made). I have relations who have an early "Stereo tv" - not Nicam. They can't get Nicam Stereo to reproduce on their 2 tv speakers since the tv signal is Nicam, but the "Stereo" tv does not have that all important "Nicam" decoder chip inside. So Nicam sound requires a tv (and VHS) with Nicam inside in order for it to be reproduced. Without it, you just get mono sound.

GDB2freeview · 24-10-2003, 21:24

Hmmmmm.... So does encoding in NICAM reduce the amound of space needed, instead of just having unencoded Stereo? Or is NICAM better quality than Stereo? Seems like a NICAM decoder is an unneeded expense to me, when you could just have normal Stereo, or am I missing something? (Which I probably am.

)

Gdb

ney · 25-10-2003, 09:39

Im not to good at this sort of thing thats why I started this post in the first place but I know almost every TV programe that was made after 1995 was made in Stereo sound or NICAM Stereo. The odd TV programes and most films are now made in Dolby Sound Which is ment to be better sound again. I just have a Bush 21inch Stereo TV in the living room and its about 5 years old.

Darren

Jim Rae · 25-10-2003, 09:54

We're getting confused here...

Some years ago it was possible to get TVs which were stereo, but did not have the NICAM decoder on board - I had a Grundig 26" which actually had HiFi sound including sub woofers!

But the point is, it was designed to produce stereo from an external source - tape, CD or the early video discs - and it could not decode stereo transmissions off air.

It even had a setting which switched off the tube, but left the audio on so it could just play music!

When NICAM arrived, I added a NICAM stereo VCR which had a chip on board and the TV was then able to use that to play back stereo off air.

So to recap, all stereo TVs sold in the UK have NICAM chips - there is no choice - otherwise no TV programmes could be received in stereo.

Hope that clears things up...

GDB2freeview · 25-10-2003, 14:06

Oh right. Thanks. That sound like a good TV! Shame they don't make 'em like they used to...

Gdb

ney · 25-10-2003, 17:22

Not that I need a new TV im just thinking ahead im I better getting an ordinary 24inch widescreen stereo TV or a 24inch Digital TV. I got 2 Freeview boxes one in the living room and one in my bed room. Im away out for the night now to see Mariah Carey at SECC in Glasgow for im just under an hours drive from there.

Darren

Robert__law · 26-10-2003, 19:50

This brings back memorys of my first stereo TV in 1983
I rented it from Radio Rentals I think it was £14 a month !
it was a 21 inch it had a suround sound buton wich enhanced the mono sound to simulate stereo it work;d ok
I remeber on Newsround when Reginald Turnhill was talking to John Craven on the phone you could hear the clunk of the phone being put down through the righthand speaker !
It played back stereo from VHS tapes.

In 1985 I replaced it with a Phillips 20inch flatscreen Tv with stereo sound this was the best TV I have had it lasted 10 years
Nicam came out several years after I got the TV

In Germany thay had FM Stereo TV sound back in the 70s

ney · 27-10-2003, 18:47

I never had a stereo TV untill 1992 and that TV only lasted 7 years. It was not Nicam but it have sound like stereo. You used to press a button and the mono became mono effcet. The bush 21inch TV I have in the living room now was one of the first Nicam TVs ever to come out. The TV in my bed room is a 16inch mono Ferguson TV and thats almost 10 year old.

Darren

23-10-2003, 21:47	#1
ney Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area Posts: 10,704	Stereo TV Got a Nicam Stereo TV and was wondering whats the diference bettween stereo, stereo effect, dual, dual effect and dual II but daul II dont always work anyone know. The odd TV programes seem louder when I switch on the dual effect just wondered if anyone knows the diference between them all. I use a scart led from TV to my Video and Freeview box and on analogue it just has the stereo, stereo effect mono or mono effect to switch between on the remote. Darren

24-10-2003, 10:40	#2
Jim Rae Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayrshire Posts: 4,125	Stereo is what it says on the tin - two separate audio channels transmitted in the same way as sound from radio, CD, cassette etc etc. Whether you hear much happening or not depends on the programme - you probably will hear the separate channels on a James Bond movie - you probably won't on the news - except for the Sky News flash "whoosh". Dual is different - it's two separate mono channels and the original idea was that sound tracks might be broadcast in two languages to suit different markets. It's never used in the UK so don't use that setting. The "effects" are just that - sound processing of the basic signal. Some work better than others- I would normally not use them and stick to plain stereo. However a basic stereo TV is no match for separate speakers at least six feet apart, so look round the back to see if there are any connectors - you might be lucky...

24-10-2003, 18:56	#3
ney Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area Posts: 10,704	Thanx for the info. Darren

24-10-2003, 20:07	#4
GDB2freeview Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England; receiving sat through an Amstrad SRD510 from ASTRA 19.2E Posts: 1,986	So what's the difference between stereo and NICAM? Gdb

24-10-2003, 21:00	#5
David (2) Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: S.West England. Posts: 18,037	Quote: Originally posted by GDB2freeview So what's the difference between stereo and NICAM? Gdb Not very much. "Stereo" can be non-digital (like FM radio), but can also be "Digital" (like the sound on Sky Digital, Freeview, or DAB radio). Nicam is encoded audio (mono or stereo depending on how it was made). I have relations who have an early "Stereo tv" - not Nicam. They can't get Nicam Stereo to reproduce on their 2 tv speakers since the tv signal is Nicam, but the "Stereo" tv does not have that all important "Nicam" decoder chip inside. So Nicam sound requires a tv (and VHS) with Nicam inside in order for it to be reproduced. Without it, you just get mono sound.

24-10-2003, 21:24	#6
GDB2freeview Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England; receiving sat through an Amstrad SRD510 from ASTRA 19.2E Posts: 1,986	Hmmmmm.... So does encoding in NICAM reduce the amound of space needed, instead of just having unencoded Stereo? Or is NICAM better quality than Stereo? Seems like a NICAM decoder is an unneeded expense to me, when you could just have normal Stereo, or am I missing something? (Which I probably am. ) Gdb

25-10-2003, 09:39	#7
ney Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area Posts: 10,704	Im not to good at this sort of thing thats why I started this post in the first place but I know almost every TV programe that was made after 1995 was made in Stereo sound or NICAM Stereo. The odd TV programes and most films are now made in Dolby Sound Which is ment to be better sound again. I just have a Bush 21inch Stereo TV in the living room and its about 5 years old. Darren

25-10-2003, 09:54	#8
Jim Rae Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ayrshire Posts: 4,125	We're getting confused here... Some years ago it was possible to get TVs which were stereo, but did not have the NICAM decoder on board - I had a Grundig 26" which actually had HiFi sound including sub woofers! But the point is, it was designed to produce stereo from an external source - tape, CD or the early video discs - and it could not decode stereo transmissions off air. It even had a setting which switched off the tube, but left the audio on so it could just play music! When NICAM arrived, I added a NICAM stereo VCR which had a chip on board and the TV was then able to use that to play back stereo off air. So to recap, all stereo TVs sold in the UK have NICAM chips - there is no choice - otherwise no TV programmes could be received in stereo. Hope that clears things up...

25-10-2003, 14:06	#9
GDB2freeview Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: England; receiving sat through an Amstrad SRD510 from ASTRA 19.2E Posts: 1,986	Oh right. Thanks. That sound like a good TV! Shame they don't make 'em like they used to... Gdb

25-10-2003, 17:22	#10
ney Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area Posts: 10,704	Not that I need a new TV im just thinking ahead im I better getting an ordinary 24inch widescreen stereo TV or a 24inch Digital TV. I got 2 Freeview boxes one in the living room and one in my bed room. Im away out for the night now to see Mariah Carey at SECC in Glasgow for im just under an hours drive from there. Darren

26-10-2003, 19:50	#11
Robert__law Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: DUNDEE Posts: 1,318	This brings back memorys of my first stereo TV in 1983 I rented it from Radio Rentals I think it was £14 a month ! it was a 21 inch it had a suround sound buton wich enhanced the mono sound to simulate stereo it work;d ok I remeber on Newsround when Reginald Turnhill was talking to John Craven on the phone you could hear the clunk of the phone being put down through the righthand speaker ! It played back stereo from VHS tapes. In 1985 I replaced it with a Phillips 20inch flatscreen Tv with stereo sound this was the best TV I have had it lasted 10 years Nicam came out several years after I got the TV In Germany thay had FM Stereo TV sound back in the 70s

27-10-2003, 18:47	#12
ney Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area Posts: 10,704	I never had a stereo TV untill 1992 and that TV only lasted 7 years. It was not Nicam but it have sound like stereo. You used to press a button and the mono became mono effcet. The bush 21inch TV I have in the living room now was one of the first Nicam TVs ever to come out. The TV in my bed room is a 16inch mono Ferguson TV and thats almost 10 year old. Darren

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Stereo TV