National Geographic HD on 'TataSky HD' - A Total Disaster.

[sanjay0864]

It's funny how so many people always think that the service/product they have chosen, is the best. These people are so blinded by their belief, that they do not notice even the most obvious flaws in the service/product that they have bought and simply continue to live with the flaws in ignorance or what is a total ostrich like approach. To make matters worse, they go about promoting the service/product to one and all by talking about all the virtues and none of the flaws of the service/product that they have chosen.

If you are wondering why I am saying all this, it is becasue, a lot of people on this and on other forums too, have been claiming TataSky HD to be the best HD service and TataSky the best DTH company. The fact is that they still very well might be the best, but that does not mean all is hunky dory with them. But the problem is people continuing to defend the ineptness with which TataSky is handling the 'NG HD' channel. All sorts of excuses have been bandied about in defence of the obnoxious and very irritating sub-titles that only TataSky, from amongst all the DTH companies, continues to show on the NG HD channel. One of the reasons given in defense of TataSky was, that atleast they were showing NG HD with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, unlike Dish TruHD. As mentioned in another thread, I got TataSky HD installed in time for the CWG opening ceremony and this was only becasue they supposedly had DD HD with DD5.1 audio. It turns out that the audio is encoded in DD but the sound is definately not 5.1 and it is as bad with crackling sound as with any other DTH operator. Anyhow, today I finally sat down to actually check out the other HD channels on TataSky HD. The first thing that I noticed was that the DD5.1 audio of the NG HD channel was not correct. Upon a direct comparison with the same channel on SunDirect HD, it was clear that TataSky is using a mono feed and encoding in Dolby Digital and to make it even worse, most of the sound is encoded primarily in the front left channel. With SunDirect HD the 5.1 surround field is totally accurate and is also discreet and active. Bottom line, TataSky HD is not only screwing up the picture of NG HD with the subtitles, but they are also screwing up the audio and what they are claiming as DD5.1 audio is actually not 5.1

Why is it that TataSky is not bothering to fix these issues, others such as Airtel and BIG have resolved their issue with subtitles on NG HD, but TataSky still has not. What is even more shocking, atleast to me, is that not one person in all these months has noticed or pointed the screwed up audio issue even once. Obviously since no one has noticed, therefore no complaints must have been registered either. My appeal to one and all reading this, is please call and register your complaints regarding not only the 'subtitles' but also for the screwed up DD 5.1 audio.

 

[pulsar_swift]

This has taken me by shock. Requesting feedback from the experts. I was fixed on TATA SKY HD for my soon to be purchased LCD/PLASMA

 

[KHK]

people don't care abt the problems they are oblivious of, they have enough of problems they are aware of.

 

[sanjay0864]

As much as I hate admitting this, the fact is that on the technical front, SunDirect HD is by far the best DTH operator. Now if only their channel packaging/availability, pricing and above all customer service was of the same standards. But then again TataSky also does not seem to be too great with resolving customer issues, after all these issues with NG HD have been around ofr over four months with nothing doen to resolve the issues.

 

[cmpugay]

Sanjay

I recently opted for Tatasky and logged the complaint about Chinese Titles on NG-HD two days before and they alrerady called me to inform me that they are working on the issue to resolve at earliest.

Re : DD Sound Cracking

During the broadcast, TataSky technical guy called up and asked whether everything is going smooth and I told that there is cracking sound on DD-HD and he informed me that they already raised this issue with the Broadcaster and in this case DD.

 

[sanjay0864]

Sanjay

I recently opted for Tatasky and logged the complaint about Chinese Titles on NG-HD two days before and they alrerady called me to inform me that they are working on the issue to resolve at earliest.

Thanks for the update. It's good to know that they are working on the sub-title issue, but still it is hard to fathom how it could be so difficult o resolve, considering that all the other DTH operators don't have the issue. The DD5.1 audio issue also seems to be restricted to TataSky.

Re : DD Sound Cracking

During the broadcast, TataSky technical guy called up and asked whether everything is going smooth and I told that there is cracking sound on DD-HD and he informed me that they already raised this issue with the Broadcaster and in this case DD.

This ofcourse is not really a TataSky issue and is there with all DTH operators. Today is the third day and DD has yet to resolve the issue.

 

[Dushie]

Dunno about other operators, but TS is always the first to broadcast matches and live feed.Sure issues are there, but for each and every user the priority would be different. I got tata sky HD pretty earlier and i have enjoyed the FIFA World cup, Wimbledon, Airtel champions league and i am happy with the HD feed and have positive feedback for the same.

Sure CWG HD broadcast had audio issues, but can't hold TS responsible for that, at least we got to view in HD which was great.Even the current test series is being broad casted in HD and its a treat and i have gained every penny i had sent. Same would be the feeling for any other sports lover. I do watch NG & Discovery, the PQ is great but the sound is OK.

TS still has improvement areas but when i compared it to Other HD providers i rank TS HD the first in terms of Hardware, the content and the quality. Till today i have never faced and issue with my HD STB, it works like a charm, fast and cool. No issues with signals and content. Also i have HD free for the entire year. So i feel i am getting the bang for the buck.

Of course we should give feedback to TS and ask them to work and improve on these issues so that all users are satisfied and happy with the services.

Also while we are discussing this i would like to inform that i was doing some cross checking and i believe Airtel has come out with some good packages for their users and the no of channels and type of channels are very good and i am impressed.
As i am currently in Super saver pack.But Airtel is offering better channels for more or less same cost.

http://www.airtel.in/dth/xm/pg_frm_...s Subscription of Mega Pack&noofintservices=3

 

[buswal]

Hi, thanks for the dope. Even I am in the process of upgrading to HD DTH. In view of the reasons stated supra by others, I may opt for sun HD dth.

What is the current price for sun hd dth. Is it 7K?

 

[deba]

Who said Tata Sky is the best ?? I have been complaining about Tata Sky and other DTH Operator's service quality for a long time in this forum itself.

In my opinion their SD and HD services are still junk in terms of quality.If you want true HD then the only way is to go for Blu ray in our country.

Once in an exhibition I remember how few Tata Sky dealers were making fools of customers by stating their quality to be equal to DVD.

None of these operators have enough bandwidth to uplink true HD and 5.1 audio so DTH HD is a big NO for me.

 

[heynownow]

Well Tata Sky keeps on closing the complaints I have been lodging in their site. The closed the last one with the following reply :

Dear Sir,

This has reference to your query vide No:SR2709100399563, dated 27/09/10 posted on web regarding Contect telecated in National Geographic Channel.

We Would like to inform you in continuation to our discussion that Tatasky telecasts the programme as provided by the Channel provider but we have taken your feedback also.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As usual I put in a fresh complaint, ( I keep a txt copy of the complaint to make reposting easier) I would urge you guys to keep spamming the complaints section, till this issue is resolved. MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT CLOSE YOUR SERVICE REQUEST TILL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED.

 

[heynownow]

Now the deal about the audio thing is that a lot of subscribers like myself do not have a Dolby decoder / AV receiver which takes in digital inputs like Coaxial or Toslink, which can be plugged in to the stb. I plan to get one soon though. So since we do not have the hardware, we really cannot test the theory of the poor 5.1 sound and complain to Tata Sky.

 

[sanjay0864]

Now the deal about the audio thing is that a lot of subscribers like myself do not have a Dolby decoder / AV receiver which takes in digital inputs like Coaxial or Toslink, which can be plugged in to the stb. I plan to get one soon though.

It's understabdable that most consumers do not have DD/DTS surround sound setups and thus abviously might be oblivious of audio issues.

So since we do not have the hardware, we really cannot test the theory of the poor 5.1 sound and complain to Tata Sky.

It's not a theory, but rather a confirmed fact that TataSky has audio issues with NG HD in addition to their subtitles issues with NG HD.

 

[kumararvind]

It's not a theory, but rather a confirmed fact that TataSky has audio issues with NG HD in addition to their subtitles issues with NG HD.

The NG HD audio output is weird in Tatasky...I have never listened to other DTH so can not say that it is due Tata Sky or NGC. But Discovery is DD 5.1 discrete audio and sounds good, but needs more volume.

NGC HD audio problem: The dialogue comes out of 3 speakers, and the weird part is that it comes from the Front Left and Rear Left/Right Speakers whereas the centre and the Front Right speakers give you some miniscule music but are silent most of the time. The Subwoofer channel also has too much of booming. The Booming Bass (to a point where it becomes irritating as it is not the true bass) comes too much in Star Plus HD Channel too......which has separate issues of its own.

 

[rahuljonline]

Dunno about other operators, but TS is always the first to broadcast matches and live feed.Sure issues are there, but for each and every user the priority would be different. I got tata sky HD pretty earlier and i have enjoyed the FIFA World cup, Wimbledon, Airtel champions league and i am happy with the HD feed and have positive feedback for the same.

Sure CWG HD broadcast had audio issues, but can't hold TS responsible for that, at least we got to view in HD which was great.Even the current test series is being broad casted in HD and its a treat and i have gained every penny i had sent. Same would be the feeling for any other sports lover. I do watch NG & Discovery, the PQ is great but the sound is OK.

TS still has improvement areas but when i compared it to Other HD providers i rank TS HD the first in terms of Hardware, the content and the quality. Till today i have never faced and issue with my HD STB, it works like a charm, fast and cool. No issues with signals and content. Also i have HD free for the entire year. So i feel i am getting the bang for the buck.

Of course we should give feedback to TS and ask them to work and improve on these issues so that all users are satisfied and happy with the services.

Also while we are discussing this i would like to inform that i was doing some cross checking and i believe Airtel has come out with some good packages for their users and the no of channels and type of channels are very good and i am impressed.
As i am currently in Super saver pack.But Airtel is offering better channels for more or less same cost.

Digital TV from Airtel

Totally agree with you!!!

 

[sanjay0864]

NGC HD audio problem: The dialogue comes out of 3 speakers, and the weird part is that it comes from the Front Left and Rear Left/Right Speakers whereas the centre and the Front Right speakers give you some miniscule music but are silent most of the time. The Subwoofer channel also has too much of booming.

That is a very good description of the audio issues with NG HD on TataSky HD. By the way there are no such problems with NG HD on SunDirect HD and the audio there is as good if not slightly better than that on Discovery HD.