Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Shaky start to World Cup

Dialog TV subscribers are expressing frustration due to some problems in transmission experienced during the live broadcast of the ICC World Cup matches yesterday.

There has been a signal loss for almost one hour for some customers due to the heavy rain that was experienced yesterday. This is frankly something that cannot be eradicated completely but something that Dialog TV should try their best to minimize. Some subscribers have even complained of interruption even without rain and this maybe due to rain at a distance or around the uplinking area. We expect Dialog TV to try their best to minimize this problem.

Their have been some jerky images experienced and some may be due to signal interference due to the weather or of course the famous problem that existed on SET for a few months now but not complained about much due to the fact that hardly anyone watches the channel. We understand that this has reduced but in this case reduction is not enough, it has to be eradicated totally. If the jerking continues any excuse is unacceptable.

We expect a much better professional quality of service and innovations from Dialog TV in par with Dialog GSM. This is not impossible to achieve and maybe Dialog is lacking experience in pay television operations resulting in the slow progress. We hope that this is sorted out soon.

More was expected from Dialog TV and at the moment it is quite disappointing but on a more positive note we hear that they are working hard to solve these problems.

On the subject of the 5 second delay, we are told that it is something that is experienced by most satellite television operators. Dialog TV has to down link the signal then process it by adding the encryption and things required for broadcasting and then up link it again and in turn down link it to the decoders, whereas SLRC has to only down link and then transmit it without any processing. As mentioned by a blogger usually what we see on television is a bit delayed to the actual event on the ground due to the propagation delay during up linking and down linking. If there is a way for Dialog to reduce the delay it would be fantastic but if they cannot then there is no point wasting time on it. But they can solve the delay between the picture and the sound and hopefully they are working on that.

19 comments:

Priyantha De Silva said...

Different between Set Max & Eye.

Channel Eye isn’t leaving a black space to show adds.
They’re showing to the ratio of 16:9 screen mode.
Set Max gives to the ratio of 4:3 screen mode.(See BBC
It’s not like CNN that is 4:9) Then it’s
Easy to see 16:9 because it’s very suitable for our eyes
Comfort more than 4:3. And you can see today, more
Extended site of the ground on channel Eye than Set Max.
If you see from Set Max you can’t see the vision from
Somewhat left hand side & right hand side. Then we miss
Something on Set but not on Channel Eye.(It’s better
To show adds using the remain parts of the screen when
16:9 screen mode.) But it’s better to see Channel Eye
On DTV than normal Antenna which doesn’t give equal
Signals 24/7 , Thanks to DTV .

DTV,
If you can, let us to choose what kind of ratio we want to
Watch from the screen using Remote. Even HBO &
AXN, I don’t want to
See some latest films ( like Spider Man , MIB Ch_Angels etc.)
If it’s available in the market as DVD.
Because we can change the screen mode on DVDs.Then we’re
Able to see all the screen that shows in theaters.

There so many Hindi loving people living over there than
English feed. If DTV wants to accelerate selling target they
Should keep more Hindi Entertainment channels Like Set Max
(Not Sab) ever. Teenagers mostly girls like Hindi Films with or
Without subtitles.(I hate the Hindi films that doesn’t have
Subtitles in English as you – but teenagers not like that)

Summary,
1. DTV must gives the facility to choose the screen mode.
( Even HBO channels , AXN But I don’t really trust
It can be available or not from original feeds.)
2. DTV must gives the ability to choose the Language
( Today’s Scooby Doo wasn’t in Hindi, Sadly the twice
Shown Sunday Scooby Doo film wasn’t in English.)
3. DTV must keep the Sat Max forever But not SAB.
(It’s better than
Zee Cinema & shows latest Popular Hindi Films.)

Jughead said...

@Priyantha

i tried resetting as per your instructions in the previous posting.(i.e. to get the actual channel names)

Bro, i screwed up big time and now the green light has disappeared and the red light is on.

i rang DTV they said to try switching off the decoder for an hour or so and try again. but it didnt work. (as you know its very difficult to get through to them)

any suggestions?anybody? HELP!!! LST you seem to know lot re tech issues maybe you could help.

Unknown said...

JUGHEAD - Send a mail to the subscriber Unite they will help you.

Jughead said...

Thanks don

Angelo said...

I too have made the following observations with regard to broadcast of World cup matches.

Difference between SET Max & Channel EYE
•SET Max uses entire screen for picture while ‘EYE’ doesn’t show picture on whole screen. Therefore, SET Max image appears larger than ‘EYE’ image
•SET Max: Freezing and total picture loss at times
•SET Max: Many ads appear when game is played: All promises of ad-free matches by Dialog are lost. EYE is not so bad as SET Max
•In a lighter vein: Isn’t it better to watch local ads rather than Indian ones?
•Total signal failure (red light) for one hour last night
•Fortunately all customers, regardless of package, can choose between EYE and SET Max

BTW: Is the entire Zee package is given to all customers regardless of package?

DTV normally charges Rs. 250/= or so if you wish to change your package. Your call is recorded as proof of requesting a change of package.

Angelo said...

In satellite transmission, you cannot avoid a delay of few seconds. This is called the “long loop delay”.

1.DTV ground station must first get the signal from others satellites and decrypt (unlock) them
2.Encrypt (lock) signal again (DTV has some of the world’s best systems)
3.The video signal is also compressed (to reduce file size) before sending up. It takes time. Picture quality becomes low when the signal is not decompressed properly later
4.Signal sent to DTV’s assigned satellite (which is 22,000 miles up)
5.Beamed back from satellite (again 22,000 miles down) to your home decoder
6.The signal must travel over 44,000 miles!
7.Decoders use a complicated mathematical process to decode and decrypt the signal – so that hackers can’t get into it. No one can hack into DTV signals
8.Signal problems can occur even without rain, when there is strong sun-spot activity – certain months of the year
9.It’s a very complex process. Channel EYE has no such complications
10. This is why underground cable systems give the best quality (not available in SL)

Angelo said...

Priyantha, Jughead: Its very risky business to press ‘Restore factory defaults’. Last year, CBN staff asked me to do so, to solve a problem. I did so as they said and I too got the red light. Since it was CBN’s mistake, they came over to my home and fixed the problem free.

Priyantha De Silva said...

@ Free-Man

Thanks for the mention.
But I did it many times nothing happened.
Without “restore” there were double channels
In same name for every channels after manual
Scanning. Someone had the same question then
I gave my resolution. Even after that one of them thanks
Me I think it was OK for him. Also I feel too,
it’s not the answer
For every matter that happened .There is a risk. If the signals
Failure happen while we’re doing “Restore” That will be
A some kind of problem.

Priyantha De Silva said...

Reality TV & Zone Reality,

Zone Reality (formerly known as Reality TV) is a European reality television channel.

Zone Reality broadcasts in both analogue and digital to over 120 million viewers throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, India, China and Asia.

Zone Reality Formerly called Reality TV (until 2006)

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_Reality"


DTV keeps the name of Reality TV than Zone Reality, Because The most popular name is Reality TV.

bank_dude said...

free-man, Restoring factory defaults and configuring is not a hard process. Once the reset is being done, what u have to do is to enable LNB universal and scan the channels manually. However for newer decoder, u don't have to enable LNB and scan once you do a restoration system automatically scans.

Sudara Muthuhetti [ සුදාර මුතුහෙට්ටි ] said...

AD Free World cup????? what a bullshit from the DTV management. Why they want to be real jokers?

I will say one thing. Never compare DTV with Dialog telecom. later everytime adhere to what they said. Oh..! DTV? It's really a shame. they are really killing Dialog Telecom.

Dialog telecom need to remove this boasters. i saw in a newspaper a ad of DTV saying ad free worldcup. at that time too people like us( just cricket fans) knew that there must be ads. are those management don't know such a truth.

they are really loosing their credibility very fast.

GOD BLESS YOU.....DTV

Mario said...

guys, did comet show the match yesterday ?

AI said...

no they did not. i called customer care no one answer as well ..

Mario said...

hey guys what about the freezing issue in yesterday's matches ? did it happen as often as earlier, i couldnt watch any of them

bwick said...

Yesterday there was a tremendous improvement in WC broadcast on DTV. Freezing was very occasional. DTV's picture/sound quality was superior to EYE. Also you have full view on the DTV. I personally do not agree with Priyantha that ratio used by EYE was good. I did a comparison yesterday, in fact EYE has reduced picture by at least 4/5. In other words if you have 29 inch TV, you will get full 29" on DTV, whereas on EYE you will get 25". Therefore as far as picture quality/picture size and audio concerned DTV was far superior to EYE yesterday.
Believe DTV would keep this up.

Cheers Rob

Mario said...

Thanks Rob, thats good to hear. Yes hope they will keep it up.

bank_dude said...

Though the picture quality is clear, Eye operates with less ads compared to SET Max.

bwick said...

Bank_Dude

As for the advertisements on EYE, you will have wait and see until there is a Match involving Sri Lanka then number of advertisement would increase by several times.
Rob

bank_dude said...

Yes Rob it's true. Same will happen to SET Max when there is a match involving India. :)