ITV1 HD on Freeview has never broadcast in anything other than 2.0 audio. Their stated reason is it being too difficult to switch modes between content in 5.1 and adverts in 2.0. This is clearly rubbish since C4 HD does it with no problems. But given the stated reason was audio for adverts, I had assumed ITV didn't broadcast surround sound on satellite either. Personally the real reason seems like the usual ITV disease of supporting only the lowest common denominator most of the time, HD picture being their only exception to that.
As for downmix in receivers from 5.1 to 2.0 audio, there are rules for how that is done. Given there are rules and all receivers should be doing it the same way (and most manufacturers just buy the software from Dolby or similar suppliers anyway), it should be possible to mix broadcasts properly so that they work in both 5.1 and with the specified downmix rules. Don't ask me to find the downmix rules, it is many years since I came across them. -- Owen Smith <owen.sm...@cantab.net> Cambridge, UK > On 26 Jul 2019, at 14:10, RS <richard...@zoho.com> wrote: > > > >> On 25/07/2019 11:13, Jim web wrote: >> >> Which then leads to the conundrum that iPlayer TV becomes the poor relation >> when it comes to music broadcasts like Proms. A mere 128k aac compared with >> the 320k aac of R3 and the 5.1. surround of HDTV DVB-T2, etc! I doubt >> bandwidth is the issue because the 320-128 difference compared with the >> rate required for the 'best' video is small. > > You are probably right that bandwidth is not an issue on the iPlayer. I > understand it is an issue on the DVB-T2 HD channels, so that there is only > enough bandwidth for the 5.1 AC3 sound stream and not enough for an > accompanying downmixed 2.0 stream. In the 5.1 stream most of the dialogue > will be directed to the front centre speaker, but many of the receivers being > used will not have a centre speaker. The result is articles like the one in > The Times today accusing actors of mumbling. > > The BBC has proposed a solution here. > https://www.bbc.co.uk/taster/pilots/casualty-ae-audio > If you want to listen to the trial you will have to hurry. It is only on for > another 4 days. > > There does seem to be a reduction in the number of drama programmes being > made with surround sound. ITV now seems to be transmitting some films on > satellite with only a 2.0 sound stream. > > Best wishes > Richard > > > > _______________________________________________ > get_iplayer mailing list > get_iplayer@lists.infradead.org > http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/get_iplayer _______________________________________________ get_iplayer mailing list get_iplayer@lists.infradead.org http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/get_iplayer
