There is a standardized approach but they have chosen not to implement it throughout the production line due to costs. In an all Digital production world which doesn't yet exist, the video and audio can be locked together so it will always be in synch. In the real world, they have chosen not to implement a work-around solution which is monitoring. The master control operator could watch for this very easily, and have the transmission person adjust the signal for it. This was done in analog broadcasts 24/7 with the video levels. Anything over 100% video level was an illegal broadcast so it was imperative that it be adjusted down to 100% or less, lest fines be incurred for bleeding over into an adjacent spectrum. Satellite operators had the authority and were required to pull a signal off the air if it violated the limits. Unfortunately, there are no fines involved for out of synch broadcasts so it is no longer done. All it would take to manually correct the problem at their end is for it to be mandated by management. This solution would apply to all providers of content, not just WETA. If their signal gets redistributed through cable, then the cable operator should also correct any problems CREATED during their distribution. Ultimately, the homeowner would be responsible for the equipment at their end so no other synch problems are introduced.
I think that because there are so many variables involved that they have just given up. The only time the problem is addressed at the source is when there is a "national speech" during prime time. They don't want to look bad there, do they??? At least they replied to you. Richard P. > >> There is equipment that they can use to manually synch up the signals. >> It requires the signals to be monitored by a person and adjusted as >> needed. Because of the human cost, they will probably never do this. > > I understand what you have pointed out above. Here is the reply I > have received from WETA-TV, which is exactly the same replay I > received from them on this same issue nearly a year ago: > > Dear Mr. Rigby, > > Thank you for watching WETA TV 26 and for taking the time to contact > us. I completely understand your frustrations. What you are > experiencing is a techincal problem called lip sync. Lip sync is a > complex issue that seems to have gotten worse in the shift to digital > TV, perhaps because the improved pictures make it easier to detect or > more difficult to ignore. Unfortunately, there is no standardized > approach that will eliminate the problem. Lip sync not only can be an > issue with production and distribution of a show but it can also be > caused by the viewer's receiver, presentation device, display or audio > system. Thus it is much more difficult to find the cause of the > problem. Even when a signal is delivered perfectly to the home, the > audio can go out of sync in the home when a delay is introduced by a > settop box or digital TV. This problem is especially more prevalent > with cable. > > WETA has no control over the production quality of the programs we > receive through a PBS feed. However, I have forwarded your comments > along to a WETA engineer to monitor our own productions regarding lip > sync. Again, thank you for watching WETA. > > Sincerely, > > Nina Greenblatt > Audience Services Coordinator > Membership and Audience Support > WETA > ngreenbl...@weta.com > (703) 998-2733 > +++ > > Apparently, they have received so many complaints about this that > they had to create a "boilerplate" response for queries from their > viewers. Note how they have avoided addressing the issue in terms of > any responsibility on their part. > > First, they are telling me that the problem only "seems" to have > gotten worse because the "improved" picture makes the sync problem > more noticeable. In other words, I just couldn't see the problem > before the switch to digital. Well, that's pretty much true, but it > has nothing to do with a clearer picture. It has to do with > transmission of digital signals as opposed to analog. These sync > problems simply were not there previously. > > Then they tell me there is no "standardized" approach that will > eliminate the problem. Well, I don't care if an approach to the > problem is "standardized" or not, just do something. Then they spend > most of rest of the reply putting the onus on me and my receiving > equipment or the feed from PBS. If the feed from PBS is the problem, > or if it is my receiving equipment, why is the degree of lack of sync > much worse on one of their channels as opposed to another when both > channels are broadcasting the same program at the exact same time? > Indeed, I asked them that specific question, but because they have > chosen to reply with a canned response, I'll quite obviously not get > that question answered. > > As was the case nearly a year ago, they are essentially saying, > "Just get used to it!" > > Steve > > > ************************************************************************* > ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** > ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** > ************************************************************************* > ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
