[stzaske]

One of the main reasons I'd want a ReplayTV is to record "The Simpsons". I've set up a Simpsons Zone, and left the quality on standard.


First the quality is horrible. Definitely lots of MPEG artifacts all over the screen. Secondly, anywhere the color red appears, contains many ugly wavy green lines.


I'm going to test high quality, and I'll test my TiVo unit and see how that looks.

 

[stzaske]

Responding to my own post.


I just found this thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000628.html


Look like I am not the only one with problems recording "The Simpsons". Do any of you guys from ReplayTV want a Screenshot? I can take a picture of the screen, and send it in (or post it here). As for my cable, I've tried ReplayTV both at home and at work, and the Simpsons is corrupt when viewed though a ReplayTV from both cable drops.

 

[stzaske]

Oversaturation?


All I know is that on all the televisions in my house, The Simpsons look fine. Played through the ReplayTV....and it looks terrible. Sounds like a ReplayTV bug to me.


I'll let you know how it looks through a TiVo when I get around to it in a few days.

 

[cwoody222]

I think it's due to a poor signal.


I've seen this more recently - but I usually only see it on a Canadian TV station my cable co. probably picks up via antenna.


So, it's not Replay's fault (entirely - since viewed thru TV is fine).


I've never had problems w/ yellow (Simpsons skin), just some red.

 

[Amazingly Smooth]

What is interesting to me about the problem is that it appears that the color "wraps" around the digital color spectrum. For example, if the color red is from xxxx00 to xxxxFF and green is xx00xx to xxFFxx simply "saturating" the red so that it pushes over the from xxxxFF to xx0100 which would be green (i.e. fully red+1=green). In my example the first two digits are blue the second two are green and the third two are red (RGB). Also, this example applies to 8 bits per color, but can be extended beyond 8 bits. I'm assuming a lot here, but it is interesting. Any thoughts?


Cheers

 

[stzaske]

cwoody:


As I mentioned, I've tried this from two completely different sources, with the same problem...so it is not a signal issue on my end (I even have a signal amp on my end). Are you implying that the problem comes from my cable provider? Should I call TCI/ATT and tell them their signal is incorrect?


I have strong suspicions it is NOT a problem with my cable provider, but rather the ReplayTV.


I also believe it is a hardware problem, and I'm afraid it won't be easily fixed.


Again, I'm curious if the TiVo will have the same problem...we'll see.

 

[jleavens]

Question for you people having trouble recording the Simpsons: What quality are you using?


I record all the episodes of Simpsons that Replay can track down at Standard quality. My sources are also from cable and DirecTV. I've never seen the behavior that you are describing in any situation... Curious to know what settings and source you're using.

 

[fubie]

I haven't had the problem with red or yellows but I have been having problem with bright white.


It doesn't matter what channel, or show or even commercial.


When a very bright white appears on the screen usually on that vertacally goes accross i get a loud buzzing and some flicker.


If I bypass RTV this does not occurr.


I do not have my brightness on my TV adjusted normally high either.


------------------

If only she could be paused like my ReplayTV.

 

[cwoody222]

stzaske: I fully admit I know very little about signals and the like. I was just commenting that MY problem only occurs w/ one channel - one I SUSPECT is a weak signal. But I'm probably wrong http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/wink.gif


jleavens: I've seen the problem w/ LOW quality and also LIVE (HIGH).


Smooth: You are correct, my Red always changes to Green. Coincidence?

 

[TWPaulus]

I used to see this problem with different color patch with ver stripes thru it and sometime the stripe would move. This would happen only on Wheel of fortune off cabel but since I switch to locals off Directv I haven't seen thes at all.


------------------

Tom Paulus

a TV nut that's hard to crack.

 

[stzaske]

ReplayMike:


1. I'm tuning through the ReplayTV box.

2. I'll try the Radio Shack device you mentioned.

3. I'll get you the screenshot when I get around to bringing my camera home.


BTW, I noticed that this it not related to recording quality, and it happens on all programs on my Fox channel. I watched it happen through commercials, and "Third Rock from the Sun" (I swear I didn't watch the show!!!)

 

[Cheezmo]

I see it tuning a UHF channel with the ReplayTV tuner. I'm using a roof antenna with a premplifier and then the signal goes through a 4 way splitter before hitting the ReplayTV. Watching the same channel with the TV tuner, it is very clear with a very slight ghost image visible.


------------------

Steve Martin
The Widescreen Movie Center

 

[Ron]

ReplayMike - I've seen the wavy line

problem too...this happens in red areas,

producing green wavy lines in that area.

I know I've seen it in Star Trek Voyager,

on UPN - and this is at highest quality

recording speed. I believe I've seen it on other stations, but I can't say that for sure. I will try the attenuator idea, since I happen to have one. (I'm using the replay tuner, also.)


Ron

 

[jleavens]

Not to say that you all aren't having a problem with this, but again, my Replay 2020 has recorded hundreds of Simpsons episodes with not one wavy line or green blotch.


If it's being caused by the Replay (as opposed to your input signal strengths), it's not consistent in all the units.

 

[zzzzdoc]

I've also seen this problem in the past. I was thinking that an attenuator would help (I receive via cable and DSS, the cable amplified before the long run to the room the Replay is in. The DSS is unamplified. I don't recall if I saw the green lines on red just on cable, or on DSS also.)


Stzaske: If you're taking the Radio Shack attenuator route, you might spend a few more bucks and buy their variable attenuator. It is an amazingly linear device, and you can more finely attenuate the signal (the dial has no markings, but Channel Plus uses it as it has tested out quite linearly for them.)

 

[BAT]

I bring this back to the top, because I also

have the "Simpsons" Anomaly. Not with the

Simpsons but with 1 TV broadcast station in

Houston, Tx. Turner cable feed of Channel 11 (KHOU) has this same problem with no RED, and

ALL of the problems discribed above.


I have tried several things to reslove the

problem from the suggestions above. I now have a 85-90% fix, IF someone has on a Full RED shirt, then about 10% will have "ugly wavy green lines" IF its not ALL red then

the picture looks pretty good.


Anything less, then what I'm about to discribe has virtually NO Red at all.


I tried just the variable attenuator from Radio shack with no luck.


This is what got me the 85-90% fix.

A variable +30 db AMP in, going into the variable attenuator, so what's happening

is I'm ADDING +30 level to the signal THEN

subtracting minus -20db level.


This sounds strange, but just taking it up +10 db did not help, I think the amp is over

saturating the signal to "CLIP" the "RED"

then it takes it back to a usable level..


I'm NOT a video tech, SO I need some help??

IS there a broadband proc amp that I could put on at the cable end ???


ALL OTHER Channels on my cable is just fine.

Anyone else in Houston with this problem.


BAT

I JUST Love my ReplayTV http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

I've gone bat's over it.

 

[stzaske]

I too have tried the 3db attenuator, and it did nothing.


This is a little upsetting, FOX...one of the channels I watch most often is almost unwatchable, and the anomally seems to be getting worse. Now any bright color, red, blue, yellow is completely covered with the wavy lines.


The attenuator seemed to help, but made most of the other channels look horrible. It seems that if the signal strength drops to a certain level, the Replay digitized output looks HORRIBLE.


Let me know if anyone finds a fix for this.

 

[DanW118]

I have a TiVo and experience the same problem with the Simpsons Wavy Green Distortions through anything colored Red and odd Vertical lines through Yellow. I'm not sure what causes it but I assume its a problem with Fox because its the only channel I have this problem with.

 

[Doug Brown]

It's not just Fox, because I get the green lines on my local NBC affiliate.


------------------

Doug Brown

 

[riker]

The problem is very likely stemming from the satellite reception your cable company has of the network feeds. I used to own a 6' satellite dish and watch the network feeds directly. On a small dish or with improper aim on the satellite or any other of several variables, some transponders on some satellites have a much different signal level, and since the red is the high end of the frequency spectrum, it was affected most. Many times on many feeds I'd get distortion and noise in bright red fields. So my guess is that your cable company's satellite feed is faulty and the signal is poor coming into your house, which as discussed above is not handled well by the digitization process.


------------------

-=- Glenn -=-