HDR v3 box not fit for purpose (sound cutting out)

[Perfectionist+dur]

@Spectre01 

Sadly your return to Sky still has those audio dropouts cos you're not yet on Q160. 

I know it's not what you want to hear right now, but Q160 really does seem to have got rid of those audio dropout issues - so you'll just have to wait it out. 

I'm one of the lucky early guinea pigs for Q160 and it's made my viewing so much better. I'd go so far as saying that the audio quality has improved too (I do have a very good AV 7.1 system). 

I've had the same very recent audio "blips" that people have reported on this forum but I really think they have been broadcaster faults (as they happen time to time) and not related to the audio dropout issues this forum is afflicted by. 

[Giffo76]

Mines be good of late but the Eng v Sco tonight is awful wuth constant and longer than normal drops. Arghhhhhhhhh

[rscott]

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@Pogit wrote:

@rscott why would the fix only apply to the audio dropouts on the V3 and not fix the same issue on the V2 and or connected minis?

If it's the same problem then the fix for one would fix the others?  Or are you part of the club that denies the problem exists on anything other than the V3?   

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Because the V3 has both audio dropout and network issues which are specific to that hardware variant and Q160 is aimed at fixing those. 

Q160 also has fixes aimed at improving pixelation (and potentially audio issues) which affect the minis.

Sky have already said Q150 had general fixes for audio problems on all 3 versions and that there are separate issues they're looking at with sound on broadcasts, but they're likely to require changes to the production/distribution side rather than firmware.

[Perfectionist+dur]

@Giffo76 

I'm watching it too and have had 2 dropouts. 
But I'm not convinced they are Sky Q dropouts this time. Really. 
Broadcasters with OB units (Outside Broadcast) have constant blips and shudders and shakes. I've just seen a shudder happen at the half-time commentary - that's not Sky, it's the ITV OB unit. 
I'm not defending Sky here - but since Q160 I have been SO dropout-free that the very very rare one I experience now does suggest to me that it's a network glitch that we've always had from time to time and forgiven because they've never been as consistent, repetitive and annoying as the Sky Q dropouts. 

Just saying

[Not+better]

Numerous blips bleeps blurps black screen moments and the odd audio drop out here on the eng sctotlsnd game. Some picture break up too. 

itv issues? 

[Scobo]

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@Not+better wrote:

Numerous blips bleeps blurps black screen moments and the odd audio drop out here on the eng sctotlsnd game. Some picture break up too. 

itv issues? 

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The commentators said there's been some broadcast issues.

[Perfectionist+dur]

@Not+better 

I really think these are ITV Outside Broadcast issues. 
The weather is terrible out there. 
I genuinely think Sky is innocent on this occasion

[CyberFriday]

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@Perfectionist+dur wrote:

@Not+better 

I really think these are ITV Outside Broadcast issues. 
The weather is terrible out there. 
I genuinely think Sky is innocent on this occasion

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@Perfectionist+dur Or perhaps it's related to the heightened tension in the air given the on pitch rivalry 😉

[Perfectionist+dur]

@CyberFriday 

you could have a point. 

[Pogit]

So it's been confirmed that the audio dropouts are specific to the hardware of the V3 and could possibly be seen on v2s. I've not seen this confirmed myself and find it hard to believe two different issues caused the same types of issues on two/three variants of UHD boxes and connected minis though it's possible. 

What your saying @rscott suggests that the V3 issues atleast were due to incompetence in firmware coding and testing then and many subscribers are due a refund of their subs because the boxes were not fit for purpose in the pre Q160 form? So I would definitely like to see you source so I can use it in a claim for 18 months of subs back please. 

[rscott]

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@Pogit wrote:

So it's been confirmed that the audio dropouts are specific to the hardware of the V3 and could possibly be seen on v2s. I've not seen this confirmed myself and find it hard to believe two different issues caused the same types of issues on two/three variants of UHD boxes and connected minis though it's possible. 

What your saying @rscott suggests that the V3 issues atleast were due to incompetence in firmware coding and testing then and many subscribers are due a refund of their subs because the boxes were not fit for purpose in the pre Q160 form? So I would definitely like to see you source so I can use it in a claim for 18 months of subs back please. 

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There's no public source for any of those statements, it's simply information received elsewhere from Sky. There were multiple reasons found for the audio issues, some V3 specific, some common to all versions.

I also read reports on other sites suggesting the root cause may be the drivers for the chipset used in the V3 and the delay has been down to getting the manufacturer to fix their code. Whether that's definitely the case or not, I couldn't say.

[Perfectionist+dur]

@rscott 

I agree with your assessment. 
I think we should celebrate the fact that a cure has been found. Okay, the Q160 "jabs" are being opened up - maybe a bit late for some - but mass jabs are on their way. 

But I don't subscribe to the "compensation culture" that's being whipped up here. 

Sure, the product was less (far less) than optimal for a period of time (quite a long time).

Sure, the communication with subscribers was appallingly bad. Denial of the issue is not a good move nor is the frequent suggestion that "it could be your setup".

Sure, thousands and thousands of engineer hours were wasted swapping out boxes that Sky HQ "knew" were not going to fix the problem - but would shut up the complaints for a while.

Sure, thousands of people changed out their cables and invested in new ones at the recommendation of the Sky "advisors".

Sure, the media ignored all these issues but continued to give the Q Box 5-star ratings (an incredible feat of PR fixing).

But Q160 has now solved a problem that very very few Sky personnel acknowledged existed in the first place. 

I'm as pleased as punch now that my Q160 upgrade has given me back the viewing quality and pleasure I thought I had bought 8 months ago. 

I'm not seeking compensation and I don't want heads to roll. 

The fix is good and welcomed. A humble apology and a gesture of "thanks for sitting this one out with us" would be a really nice touch. 

Sky's PR agency have just been gifted a golden opportunity to win back some injured hearts. 

I really hope someone out there is listening. 

I hope

[Benjienji]

Make of this what you will ! 

but ive heard/seen numerous stories doing the rounds that the audio drop outs arent the only thing we are going to see issues with. Apprentley these version 3/HDR boxes ain't working with skys transmission for HDR sports either. 

[rscott]

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@Benjienji wrote:

Make of this what you will ! 

but ive heard/seen numerous stories doing the rounds that the audio drop outs arent the only thing we are going to see issues with. Apprentley these version 3/HDR boxes ain't working with skys transmission for HDR sports either. 

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Not sure where you've heard that, but all the info I've heard about HDR testing has been extremely positive.

[Spectre01]

My new v3 box had Q130 firmware so I tried a forced update this morning which put the box on Q150. Shame it didn't get Q160 but I'm getting closer I guess🙂