Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Problems with TV sound

I and various acquaintances are experiencing serious problems with TV sound. The bottom line is that it is heading toward unintelligible. I have spoken with many dealers, senior persons within the audio industry and Meridian dealers. I get responses ranging from incredulity to hesitant acknowledgement that the problem is well know and one might as well get on with it and spend �10-�20K on a surround sound set costing three times the price of the original TV.

Sound bars I am told are selling like hot cakes. The head of a large chain of audio distributors told me he never hears TV sound because he has spent �7K on a Bose system. He does however know his customers are not getting the sound quality that they should from the TV�s he sells them.

The problems occur with currently transmitted films and DVD output which is mostly I think in Dolby 5.1.
The links below suggest there is an industry problem associated with embedded codecs (allegedly).
Problems with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound on Freeview HD
and
BBC - Questions around surround sound on Freeview HD

The second link suggests that the BBC knows there is a problem. I am so far short of anyone wishing to own the problem. Whilst I am resigned to spending some more cash on better equipment I would like to get to the real truth behind a lot of obfuscation.

Can anyone oblige or even suggest a solution?

Hello Mephistopheles,

I have a Panasonic Plasma that has Freesat HD and Freeview HD tuners built in. I generally I only use the Freesat as it gives a better picture and sound. I've had no issues with 5.1 content on BBCHD an CH4HD. I suggest that you get a satellite dish up and Freesat Tuner.

Best regards

Frank

Thanks Frank,
I have a HUMAX Freesat Foxsat receiver and a Pioneer Plasma set. I also have a Horizon satellite dish meter that I use to point the dish accurately. The picture reception on the Pioneer is superb. The problem I am experiencing is with sound.

The links I have provided suggest that there is a widespread problem. This has tacitly been acknowledged by certain dealers/industry contacts.

Geoff

Is there a problem with the sound being broadcast on Freeview HD or is there a problem with the crap sound quality of modern TVs?
I ask as I haven't got Freeview HD, only Freesat and don't use the onboard speakers in the TV (four year old Aquos, up for replacement very soon).

TV speakers have to be really bad nowadays for only �7K of Bose to outperform them, it used to take a lot more than that spent on Bose

I've not used TV built-in speakers for nearly 20 years but there is no doubt they aren't as good as even half decent hifi speakers. I find dialogue on Freeview clear. However, some movies (DVD) I find it harder, usually American. It might just be a language thing but sometimes I just don't hear what they are saying.

I thought at one stage having watched/listened to a number of American DVD's that my centre was improperly set. Later with other DVD's dialogue was perfectly intelligable, so I concur.

Regards I

Was the show Rab C. Nesbitt? I find the dialogue unintelligible too. I once took a cab in Glasgow from the airport and neither my English wife or I could understand the cabbie!

That's perfectly understandable

Great thing about Nesbitt was the subtitles were in Glaswegian too!

I too think that the sound from plasma/LCD screens is poor, certainly inferior to that which we used to get from ruddy great CRTs. My Pioneer plasmas have optional speakers; I wish I had bought little quality monitors instead. It gets worse when it gets loud. I have set the on-board graphic equalisers up on elderly (i.e. deaf) relatives' TVs to maximise the voice range but that is not a solution.

Hello,

I think we all can agree that TV speakers are junk. I know there is an additonal problem associated with the transmitted signal.


Questions around surround sound sound on Freeview HD on the BBC internet blog seems relevant though it only addresses Freeview. I suspect the comments about codecs are key. This would be why I get the problem with new films and Bluray material.

Geoff

My TV has no speakers So I have to use my Merdian ones

Geoff, does your processor handle AAC? Which version and model of M. is it? it helps to list your equipment in your profile. Does your Freesat pass PCM or AAC?