22 December 2010

WIN TV blackouts

| Brianna
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What on earth is going on with WIN Television?

I have lived in many different places around Australia but I have never known a television station to go off the air on such a regular but random basis! It’s only for 20 seconds or so at a time but it happens at least 5 times a week.

What a pity it usually happens during the news or a good show. Never seems to be when the ads are on.

[ED – mind you, technical difficulties happen to us all]

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old canberran1:48 pm 28 Dec 10

FWIW the WIN transmission is just as bad down here on the Far South Coast.

When a digital channel goes out (it has happened to us on nearly all the channels at some stage – ABC was an absolute shocker a year or so ago) you can usually switch over to the analogue version and get your show back – in lower res but infinitely better than the stuttering, pixellated mess you get when digital is having issues. It is going to be a sad day when they eventually turn off all the analogue signals :-(.

Sounds like pretty much every system implementation that I’ve ever seen or heard of. I guess it gets a bit more exposure when it’s a national broadcaster taking the hit.

They have started using the ABC’s new computer system; MediaHub.

It’s been on Media Watch a few times: http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3053767.htm

Barney Trouble10:24 pm 22 Dec 10

That ad with the grinning monkey would be the worst example at the moment. I swear at the tv every time it comes blaring out.

Compression is pretty much essential, and a great idea.
But sucks when is used in this way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war#Loudness_in_broadcasting

But I reckon the sound levels on the channels that transmit in Dolby Digital do seem noticeably louder. 7Mate, Gem, OneHD for eg.

GardeningGirl4:52 pm 22 Dec 10

Ads louder than programs, no, I recall a study that showed ads are not louder, they only sound that way.
(I’m not joking. The explanation was something ridiculous like because ads contain more music and more people speaking clearly they “seem” louder.)

It’s called compression. and it’s a total rort.

Good shows on WIN? When?

Speaking of volume – it’s obvious that the volume during ads is about twice that of the shows, but wasn’t there some kind of regulation governing that in The Old Days?

GardeningGirl1:36 pm 22 Dec 10

We experienced the black screen yesterday, I think on WIN?
For us the volume level on WIN is higher, though come to think of it maybe not so much lately. Have we finally gotten so used to it we aren’t irritated by it any more, or have they adjusted something thereby solving our problem but creating one for Mystery2Me?

Experience the same problem at our place. Have also noticed that the volume level a lot lower on WIN compared to Ten or Prime (not during the ads curiously). And yes Holditz: watching “Bogan” tv programs such as the news keeps “them” off the streets.

Rawhide Kid Part312:48 pm 22 Dec 10

Could the microwave link from Cambeltown to Canberra being disrupted.

MissAppropriation12:06 pm 22 Dec 10

I get this question 50 times a day… the short answer is you can thank Mediahub & the weather.

BoganTV keeps them off the streets, D2.

WIN has got to be the worst station I’ve seen. The local produced content is pretty appalling in terms of both production and content.

luther_bendross11:07 am 22 Dec 10

During the last test match Win dropped out for blocks of 5 – 30 sec. Each time was just to a black screen. It was only Win as well, all the other channels including Gem and Go! worked fine. I have no eyed deer what caused it.

Interruptions to BoganTV can only be a good thing.

What news or good shows do they have on WIN?

Win TV’s output in now coming from Mediahub in Cambelltown, which is the same place that broadcasts the ABC transmission. It’s a shambles to say the least!!

troll-sniffer10:22 am 22 Dec 10

I think it’s the atmosphere in Canberra, a bit thicker than elsewhere, and programmed to try and wean you away from crap television. The proof is in the fact that the quality programming broadcast ad-free by the ABC is always allowed through the censorious air, even the ad-polluted SBS is allowed through unmolested. I’m surprised that Prime and TEN aren’t being reported though, perhaps the air thickening authority are being paid off, or have judged their programming as acceptable, just.

Ten have been having similar issues. During the 100th re-run of American Pie late the other night, they cut back to the movie after ads, and then suddenly re-ran about 3 lots of ad breaks one after the other, and when they finally cut back to the movie it was evident that the movie had been running all the while, so that section was lost.

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