llysmabley

I find that UK TV shows screened on Canadian TV have an awful sound quality. The background music is invariably too loud and often obscures the dialogue.

Perhaps it is because the UK uses PAL and Canada uses NTSC .

Even New Tricks is unwatchable.

uk_grenada

I’d put money on this. Most uk tv audio is recorded in dolby surround, which is encoded to a stereo pair. If its incorrectly mixed down to mono or worse just put out as is, if you dont decode it as 5.1 its the centre/main voice channel that suffers and is quiet / muffled.

The reverse sometimes happens too, ie if canada uses 5.1 by default and you play an older uk stereo audio track without recoding properly to a mix of centre/front l/r the results are ‘unpredictable.’

Can you try decoding it?

llysmabley

OK but how do you decode it here in Canada ?

BristolUK

I occasionally read even people in the UK complaining about sound quality, muffled dialog etc.
Do you get Netflix? Is it any better?

How do you feel about viewing on a different source? I can't see New Tricks on there but this is a very good site for streaming and an HDMI cable will transfer it to a TV. No registration needed.

BristolUK

I'm loving Killing Eve.

I must recount a small part of the latest episode. Not a spoiler really.

Guy overheard on the phone telling someone he has a medical appointment and then he enters a building which could be a doctor's office or clinic.

He registers and has to sign a waiver of the sort one might when getting dental treatment but it sounds a little scary and over the top. He also mentions it's his birthday and he was hoping for something special.

When the friendly receptionist asks him if they have the correct safe-word, you realise this establishment is catering for the needs of Masochists.

He takes a seat in the waiting area where another guy is sitting looking petrified.

"First time?" he asks.
"Yes"
"Don't worry, they're nice"
Petrified guy responds "I hope not."

scrubbedexpat134

BROADCHURCH was a prime example, sound was terrible.

Tangram

The Looming Tower was excellent

BristolUK

Didn't you just want to strangle the Diane Priest character?

Atlantic Xpat

+1 On that. Despite knowing the outcome it was compelling tv.

BristolUK

Wow. The line and the look.

"What if I just miss Dave?"

Stunning. Simply stunning.

bats

Where do I watch/ find the Looming Tower?

BristolUK

https://watch-series.co/series/the-l...eason-1/season

Unfortunately not every episode has captions. I used them quite a lot when it got noisy here but there are none on the first two episodes from what I just saw.

Found an alternative with them...
Subtitles - The Looming Tower S01E01 - Watch Online Full HD - 123TVSeries

bats

Thanks

BristolUK

Maybe between the two sites they'll have the captions on each episode.

It was an Amazon/Hulu production but it's worth wider exposure. But then so was that Rubicon series and that was criminally ignored.

BristolUK

Finally got around to watching Season one of Scandi show The Bridge. Very good so far...done the first two episodes. Still available on Netflix, with subtitles.