Topic 'Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible' in forum 'Verizon FiOS TV' - dslreports.com

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 27 Jun 2014 08:20:07 EDT

ansky posted : I usually watch the WABC news at 5pm or 6pm and I really don't notice any issue with the audio. At least not to the extent that it would bother me. Maybe I have bad ears.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 27 Jun 2014 06:42:51 EDT

matcarl posted : I don't think so. I think the audio got a bit louder than what it was, it seems to be the same level as most other channels now, but the audio quality is still bad. It's hard to describe, almost like they have their hand over the microphone when they are speaking. I spoke to someone in engineering at WABC about a week ago and told him about it, I gave him my phone number if he needed more information, and I directed him to this thread because he wanted to see how widespread the problem was, but maybe all he did was raise the volume. It's unbelievable how such a popular channel with millions of dollars got like this to begin with. You would think they would have the best engineers on hand. I'm not going to keep after him. If any of you who have a better understanding of audio issues would like to contact him, let me know and I will give you his name and number.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Thu, 26 Jun 2014 22:35:49 EDT

Steely posted : So, was this ever resolved?

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 10:39:39 EDT

Rattler posted :

said by matcarl:

WABC now seems louder than before, but the sound quality still seems messed up.

It's the opposite, here in VHO8. ABC's sound requires that I raise the volume level 3 - 5 dB when tuned to the ABC affiliate in the PHL area. This is when I use the optical (SPDIF) output from the STB into the receiver. If I use the analog audio (I have the RCA audio plugs connected as well), it is about the same as the other stations. However, ABC's audio has never been anything to write home about...
--
Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected. -- Red Buttons

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 09:24:35 EDT

Steely posted : Here in Mercer County I'm still not hearing ANY degradation whatsoever on WABC 7 or 507. I checked on various boxes and TV's and it's all good (stereo, DD 5.1, whatever). Furthermore, because of my central NJ location which gives me the capability of easily making direct comparisons between WABC and the Philadelphia ABC affiliate on adjacent channels 6 and 506, I can state with 100% confidence that there is NO appreciable audio quality difference between the two. In fact, if anything, the audio on WPVI is sometimes a hair lower.

The mystery continues...

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 07:26:49 EDT

matcarl posted : WABC now seems louder than before, but the sound quality still seems messed up.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 11:51:17 EDT

dcowboy posted : I saw a clip from jimmy kimmell on another channel & the sound was better than watching kimmel on channel 7.

So something is definately wrong because if it was the channel then even that clip wouldve sounded bad.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 23:57:10 EDT

icemannyr1 posted : NBC stopped doing DD 5.1 for hockey. The audio was l & r only.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 12:42:19 EDT

ansky posted : I'm watching an OTA TV right now and the sound on WABC is definitely quieter than other channels. On my DVR it sounds like maybe they are in Mono.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 12:33:59 EDT

mets18 posted : I noticed on the hockey on WNBC that the announcers were not on the center channel. Sounded like a mistake.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 10:29:01 EDT

matcarl posted : I just spoke to someone in the enginerring department at WABC. I directed him to this thread. Hopefully they can figure this out for us.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sun, 15 Jun 2014 16:05:34 EDT

dfwguy posted : Many stations use a fancy audio processor to create a 5.1 mix no matter what the input is, particularly since most networks no longer bother to send proper mixes or metadata (or never did in the first place). There's a threshold for how long it has to go with silence on C/SL/SR before switching to upmix mode, and that's what you're hearing.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 21:01:19 EDT

icemannyr1 posted : I've noticed on WABC when network or local programming is not DD 5.1 there seems to be a issue where the audio switches from center channel to stereo L & R for a half second and then the audio goes back to the center channel.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 19:44:36 EDT

matcarl posted :

said by BioGeek:

So....how do we tell em that they need to kick the audio guy in the butt?

I used to talk to the chief engineer at WABC from time to time, but that was years ago. I called his number on Friday and got someone else's recording, so he may have left, but I will try to call on Monday. If he's gone, I hope the new guy is just as friendly and helpful as the other guy was.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 19:35:27 EDT

BioGeek posted :

said by matcarl:

It's almost as if this station is in mono, something is wrong. It's probably WABC's problem, but hopefully BioGeek will get back to us on whether his neighbor who uses OTA sounds the same or not.

I updated my post above. It sounded bad on OTA too. We were both using HDMI cables though if that helps Steely's question.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 14:06:28 EDT

anon posted : sounds bad on time warner cable in NYC as well

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 08:50:58 EDT

matcarl posted : I only used HDMI, but I changed the audio settings in the STB from stereo to mono and saw no change. I also tuned to clear QAM and got the same results, it was louder that way, but the audio is still not right compared to adjacent channels. I think it's WABC, maybe I will give them a call on Monday. The SD channel on channel 7 is the same

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 08:43:39 EDT

Steely posted :

said by matcarl:

No, we were just talking about regular stereo audio thru HDMI or Component.

Is the crappy audio apparent via HDMI and component connections?? What about changing the STB audio settings?

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 07:28:47 EDT

matcarl posted : It's almost as if this station is in mono, something is wrong. It's probably WABC's problem, but hopefully BioGeek will get back to us on whether his neighbor who uses OTA sounds the same or not.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 05:50:11 EDT

matcarl posted : No, we were just talking about regular stereo audio thru HDMI or Component.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 01:53:46 EDT

Steely posted : Hmmm. I forgot all about this thread until very late. Just checked and the same episode of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" was running on both WABC and WPVI but they were not in sync. They were approximately one minute apart which made it convenient to listen to to the same segment of programming on one channel followed immediately on the other.

My "scientific" observation was that the 5.1 Dolby Digital audio on both HD channels was very good if not excellent, with both channels sounding pretty much identical. I have an HDMI connection from my Moto HD DVR to an Onkyo AV receiver, if that helps.

Just to be sure, we're all talking about digital audio from the WABC HD feed on 507, correct??

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 23:50:01 EDT

RetiredInFL posted : I have had this problem for years, even on DirecTV. Something about NY 7 that sounds horrible.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:46:06 EDT

BioGeek posted : I tuned in tonight and it is clearly quieter than other channels. Between the lower apparent volume and the distant sound of it ( I agree that it could be called tinny) something is wrong.

I am going to go across the street to the neighbor who uses OTA for many of his TVs and see if it sounds bad there and compare it to the other channels.

rpjoe's finding suggests that WABC has the issue. Will check back in shortly.

UPDATE: Using the neighbor's OTA TV it is clear that WABC 7.1 is clearly quieter and yes, crappy sounding compared to 4.1, 5.1, etc. The same observation was confirmed after the consumption of a beer. His wife even agreed.

So....how do we tell em that they need to kick the audio guy in the butt?

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 18:17:17 EDT

matcarl posted : The Live Well Networks have the same bad audio problem

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 16:38:22 EDT

rpjoe posted : I just tuned to 7.1 OTA and its identical to 507 on FiOS. it sounds sort of tinny.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 15:02:54 EDT

BioGeek posted : Ahh, good point. I forget that the other affiliates are ABC but not "WABC" Still odd for just one channel to be off on sound.

Steely, is the Philadelphia affiliate off on sound also?

Again, I will tune to WABC when I get home. They may listen more if they get several calls reporting bad sound on WABC. It could be the connection between WABC and VHO7. VHO8 may have an independent feed or it could relay from 7.

Sorry that I flubbed the WABC (NYC) vs ABC Affiliate (WPVI) thing.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:51:33 EDT

MeatChicken posted :

said by BioGeek:

said by Steely:

If it's good here and bad in VHO7 then we know for sure that WABC is not the source of the problem.

That isn't necessarily going to be true. VHO7 is a lot of NYC feeds. If you have feeds from Philadelphia (VHO8) then you are getting a different WABC. .."

There's only 1 "WABC" :) :)
Yes he gets both WABC, & whatever the ABC affiliate is in Philly ( WPVI I think )

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:39:32 EDT

matcarl posted : Steely gets both feeds I believe, Philly and WABC from NYC

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:26:03 EDT

BioGeek posted :

said by bluepoint:

Noticed it too. The sound of ABC has always been sounding muffled but since two days ago it went bad two notches more.

VH05

Interesting that the Queens, NY VHO has the issue too. I look forward to seeing what Steely finds. It could be the outbound feed from WABC NYC but that would be less likely if the Philadelphia affiliate also has it.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:23:06 EDT

bluepoint posted : Noticed it too. The sound of ABC has always been sounding muffled but since two days ago it went bad two notches more.

VH05

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:51:27 EDT

BioGeek posted :

said by Steely:

If it's good here and bad in VHO7 then we know for sure that WABC is not the source of the problem.

That isn't necessarily going to be true. VHO7 is a lot of NYC feeds. If you have feeds from Philadelphia (VHO8) then you are getting a different WABC.

I should ask to be sure... dcowboy, do you watch WABC NYC?

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:09:52 EDT

matcarl posted : I tested the signal with clear QAM and the sound was much louder. I will have to test it again to see if it's actaully better quality or just louder, but the STB seems to be dulling the sound. I have the STB set to the highest volume of 30. I'm using HDMI with no surround connections.
I'm in VHO5 by the way, not 7 like the OP

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 12:52:15 EDT

Steely posted : Now I'm curious. I get WABC in VHO8 Mercer County and will have to check the audio later. If it's good here and bad in VHO7 then we know for sure that WABC is not the source of the problem. If it's bad here, well then someone with another provider or OTA reception will have to chime in.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 11:39:46 EDT

matcarl posted : I noticed this too. It started about two weeks ago. Something is definitely wrong with the audio but I don't know if it's Verizon or WABC's fault.

Re: WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 11:15:41 EDT

BioGeek posted : I am also fed off of VHO7. I can turn on WABC when I get home and see if I also notice the issue. Verizon is correct in stating that they merely pass through the signal they get. In the case of WABC, I believe the NYC feed is fiber fed into the VHO. I could be wrong though, I don't know if all stations fed the VHO directly as opposed to over the air.

That being the only channel with bad audio also points more towards the channel broadcast being the issue over verizon.

WABC audio in VHO7 is Terrible

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 10:00:05 EDT

dcowboy posted : The sound was never great but seems worse now if thats actually even possible its like listening to bad AM radio.

I called fios but they say they are just sending out what they are getting in but it just seems really bad & its the only channel.