The audio on the ABC games has been terrbile and I am not the only one here who noticed this. It sounds lower or as if they are in a tin can. Switch to ESPN and its perfect. Only problem is on ABC, which of course have the biggest games to me.

am I the only one with this problem?

No.
I too have this issue with ABC. Their PQ is lacking to say the least as well.
This past saturday the game on ABC sounded exactly as you said, like a tin can.
When switching to ESPN or NBC I had to turn the volume way down everytime.
For a major studio that is rediculous for the end of 2007 - imo

What is your location? This sounds more like a local problem with your local station or stations, then a network problem.

I'm in Allentown, PA.
I don't know where rstokas is located though.

I had this problem as well ABC WSB-TV Atlanta through comcast. The 3:30 game (cant remember who it was) sounded like a tin can even on standard tv speakers watching on a 32" LCD. Not the first time i have heard this. It was fairly noticable and i would think if it was nation wide this wouldnt be the only thread about it. Interesting that its now in multiple areas.

chicago here. who can we call to let ABC know this is happening.

chicago here. who can we call to let ABC know this is happening.

The audio on ABC for sports is horrible, it sounds mono to me even though it's 5.1. I am watching it on OTA and it still blows. Also the volume levels are way off, so much louder when they cut to the studio for game updates.

If anyone works for ABC or is a broadcaster, please explain why it sounds so bad compared to ESPN! Technically with OTA there should be one less encoder it goes through, so why the crappy audio quality!?

Has anyone noticed a problelm with ESPN2 (non-HD) today? I have a 5.1 channel receiver and the station only plays through the center channel unless I change the settings to force stereo.

Same audio problem here with ABC-HD (Ohio St. vs. Purdue). I am located in the Chicago area: Des Plaines, IL.

Our ABC affiliate in Atlanta is dealing with the "Tin Can" problem... It wasnt occuring on 5.1 audio but instead only on the stereo feed during live events (such as sports)... Because of complaints our local ABC has been broadcasting in 2.0 stereo on all programming for the past 2-3 weeks... An email to our local affiliate responded that ABC is mixing the dialog slightly left and right, and this creates a "echo" on some systems listening in stereo. Other ABC affiliates have experienced the same problem... Our affiliate has ordered new equipment to deal w/ the issue and hopes to have 5.1 running again soon... Its interesting that this issue is affecting multiple markets and that the resolution appears to be new equipment... I am suprised the fix is an upgrade in equipment when it appears to be non specific issue... Regardless im glad to see progress is being made locally.

-Chris

^That is EXACTLY what was happening with me. Hopefully the Chicago affiliate is taking similar initiatives.

It wasnt occuring on 5.1 audio but instead only on the stereo feed during live events (such as sports)... Because of complaints our local ABC has been broadcasting in 2.0 stereo on all programming for the past 2-3 weeks... That's a little confusing. Is this to say that the decoder's 2.0 mixdown from the ATSC 5.1 was causing a problem and now the station is transmitting in 2.0 - perhaps from the 2.0 net feed?

The "mixing the dialog slightly left and right" sounds like dialog is in the L/R channels as well as the center. If there is a timing problem between the L/R and center channel, the result will be a combing "flanging" effect. 5.1 audio in discreet pairs is usually L/R, C/Lfe and Ls/Rs. I've also heard this problem when the L/R channels are erroneously fed Lt/Rt from a PL2 encoder. ABC currently uses 640k AC3 (aka Dolby Digital) for the HD network 5.1 which should keep the channels in time.

I've heard of stations routing their L/R through one path and the other channels through another. This can cause timing errors too.

it is terrible, last Sat. was the worst. Hopefully ABC chicago can fix this as this is the flagship game of the week. To everyone else in Chicago, should we all call the station engineer? I assume most people don't call because most people don't care about little things like this, but to me its huge.

I don't want to hear that its my system, b/c its not. Its happening on OTA and directv on both my TVs.

it is terrible, last Sat. was the worst. Hopefully ABC chicago can fix this as this is the flagship game of the week. To everyone else in Chicago, should we all call the station engineer? I assume most people don't call because most people don't care about little things like this, but to me its huge.

I don't want to hear that its my system, b/c its not. Its happening on OTA and directv on both my TVs.

To those ranting about WLS-DT Chicago: post on the Chicago OTA board; the VP of engineering monitors and always wants to know when there is a problem. Do so nicely; for the sake of being gentle, and an extra motivation: he's a great guy who listens to his audience and wants to fix problems quickly.