Reply With Quotesat_info (17-09-09)
SelecTV RAI International issues
It has been about 8 months now that RAI International has been marred with bad audio, about the same time I subscribed. At times, it is so bad that the dialogue is incomprehensible. I thought that it was a ploy to stop recording of content, but could RAI be so devious or STUPID !!! Besides, it doesn't appear to be happening on the Asiasat 2 transmission despite the decay in trajectory. Either that or I have missed it. Anyway, yesterday the Mrs was watching her favourite show when the video blacked out. It was then replaced by the EPG minus the fancy graphics. So we could hear the program, but we couldn't see it. That happened again today at the same time and during the same show.
OK, now the Mrs is IRATE. How dare they stuff her around like that:
"That's it, I've had it with Select!" she rants.
" I'll give them a call and let them know about it", I offer.
After all, if we don't they may never know. So I picked up the phone and proceeded to dial when the picture came back. This reminded me of my childhood when I would be miraculously cured in the waiting room before actually seeing the doctor. Unfortunately, in this case it meant I couldn't tell Tech guy to tune in to see for himself. Anyway, after two redirections I spoke to a polite techie, whom at least did sound refreshingly Aussie [read here: comprehensible] despite the very Greek sounding name. We exchanged pleasantries, he checked my account details and I proceeded to explain the problem. Now the cruch ...
Techie: "What decoder are you using?"
Me: "Strong 4658X"
Techie: "Who installed it?"
Me: "I did.
Lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng Paaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuusse
[probably checking his notes for a scripted reply]
Techie: [Very politely] "I'm sorry sir, we can't offer you any assistance"
To be fair, I understand the problems we discussed on other threads about SelecTV's new policies regarding self installations, however, I hadn't asked for assistance, I was reporting a fault in their service and was more interested in knowing if they were aware of it. My setups are working just fine. The only channel I have an issue with is RAI on SelecTV, irrespective of the STB or dish I use. Granted it might be my location.... or sunspots?
Techie: "But there is some solar activity which is disrupting some services."
Me: "Yes, I'm well aware of that, but I'm only experiencing this on RAI and besides the audio has been bad for months and the EPG has appeared during the same program on at least 2 consecutive days. I'm not really convinced it is the sun."
Techie: [again, very politely] "I'm sorry sir, i can't offer you any assistance because I have no knowledge of your setup"
Me: "My setup is working fine. In fact, they all are except for this one channel. I think it may be a problem with your feed. All I'm asking is that you kindly look into it for me", at which point he promised he would, but that was the extent of his assistance.
In the meantime, I had actually just finished saying to my wife that "I bet they're going to somehow blame me for this problem", which they [politely] did.
SelecTV has changed. Maybe down times and bad profits have bought out the miser in them, but I would have expected some more feedback or interaction. The solar activity excuse or the "it wasn't one of our installations" rhetoric seemed so much like a quick brush off, particularly after I had explained that I wasn't complaining about the actual service or the equipment, but was simply reporting an issue with one channel and wanted to investigate the matter.
Any thoughts?
UFO
sat_info (17-09-09)
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Why muck around, throw up a c band mesh and problem solved.
How is your signal level? A little low is enough to cause what your explaining, maybe a little fine tuning of the dish, skew and rechecking all the connections including the ones in the room may improve things.
Compare the freq settings and symbol rate you scan with to selects web site settings, a blind scan may have settings a little off to the correct ones.
ufosarereal (17-09-09)
Hi UFO I can sympathise, my Mum has Select just for Rai and it was installed by Select, dish cabling and box and I don't think a week goes by without her ringing me about the loss of picture, sound or the box just hanging (UEC990). As for her signal its about 95% and tuned by them. I agree its got to be the feed and in my Mums case that crappy STB.
Updated the title to reflect the issue. It should also be noticed by Selectv a bit better
ufosarereal (17-09-09)
Thanks for the Warning.
Originally Posted by ufosarereal
Godzilla, thanks for you comments.Why muck around, throw up a c band mesh and problem solved.
How is your signal level? A little low is enough to cause what your explaining, maybe a little fine tuning of the dish, skew and rechecking all the connections including the ones in the room may improve things.
Compare the freq settings and symbol rate you scan with to selects web site settings, a blind scan may have settings a little off to the correct ones.
My mother has a 3m mesh. I actually chose the SelecTV option because at just under $30.00/Mo it offered a quick fix and easy self-install when that was still an option. I have trees all around me and AS2 would be in shadow in all areas except the one that would render it far too obvious that I have a 2.0-3.0m dish on the roof. Still, I'm working on it...
Signal level is between 92-98 depending on conditions and I get the same distorsions on different boxes and also on the T90 (selecTV is on a dedicated 65cm dish). I also used the figures on the SelecTV website when I did the installation. I thought about the skew, but wouldn't that mean I should be experiencing similar problems on services out of the same transponder? Italian Euronews is coming in loud and clear! Besides, that still wouldn't explain why RAI's EPG takes over the video.
RAI transmits a graphical program listing after every major transmission, complete with their trademark classical music jingle. They probably use it to time-sync content over the length of the day.Whether RAI do it or whether local providers fiddle with I can't say. But when the EPG text replaces the video content, that really does seem like some technician getting his wires crossed.
UFO
RAI on Selectv 12286 TP is uplinked out of California. It’s converted from DVBS (Pal) 50HZ 625 lines to US ATSC 60Hz 525lines and then back to DVBS. Picture quality is very much crappie and even more so when viewing on a 40” PDP or LCD TV.
You’d be better-off setting up a 1.8m C-band dish and getting it from Asiasat 2/5. Pictuer and sound a miles better then Selectv and better still its free.
Last edited by B52; 17-09-09 at 10:40 PM.
ufosarereal (17-09-09)
... ... AND, you're not married to your mum, LOL!Hi UFO I can sympathise, my Mum has Select just for Rai and it was installed by Select, dish cabling and box and I don't think a week goes by without her ringing me about the loss of picture, sound or the box just hanging (UEC990). As for her signal its about 95% and tuned by them. I agree its got to be the feed and in my Mums case that crappy STB.
UFO
myf360f1 (18-09-09)
That was ultimately my intention, not a treatise on the matter, which incidentally I apologise for. Anyway, thanks for that. When I wrote the post I was still fixated on the fact that (a) they very politely fobbed me off because I did a self installation and (b) because "the sun did it"!Updated the title to reflect the issue. It should also be noticed by Selectv a bit better
Ya...!
UFO
Don't mention it!
On this note, though, don't get me wrong about SelecTV. I really haven't got an issue with their service and the other channels we have are all coming through fine, but if you installed your own setup, essentially you are on your own, even if you report something that doesn't appear to be your fault.
UFO
I've got RAI on Foxtel, and I have had problems with audio noise (like talking through a long tube) and picture drop-outs and well. The picture on Foxtel is crap as well.
My mum has RAI from Asiasat2 and the quality is much better. However, my boss will not tolerate the giant mesh in our small backyard for Asiasat2
bloggs
rai on asiasat2 and now on asiasat5
hi there rai italy is 95% uphere in nsw my dish is 12 foot on asiasat2 it was 65% by memory now its 95% ,on asiasat5 ,thx hamguy2 nsw
Update
No video problems so far and for about a week I thought that the audio issue may have been addressed. As we speak, it hasn't, so my advice to any potential RAI customer is to definitely avoid the pay tv service and go FTA Asiasat 5 all the way. The sad experience with RAI through a provider isn't worth the money, nor the disappointment of trying to enjoy a decent program through garbled speech!
UFO
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