Virgin Media Community

[JohnSnr]

I have asked  this question and had a couple of replies but no solution.

Original Post

I have recently purchased a Sonos sound bar and I have noticed that when viewing any ITV channels (itv1 HD, itv2 HD,itv3 HD etc) the audio output is Stereo PCM, all other channels are either Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1. With the audio output only being Stereo PCM the volume level is much lower so I have to virtually double the volume to achieve the same loudness output and it is very poor quality.

If I change to viewing ITV channels through my outdoor ariel the output is Dolby Digital 2.0 which is not only louder the audio quality is far far better.

I was just wondering if anyone else has the same issue and found a solution

My sound bar is connect from my TV using HDMI Arc and my V6 audio output is set to Dolby Digital.

Does anyone know why ITV only transmitting Stereo PCM or do I have a fault?

[AdamAnalogue]

As far as I know ITV1 HD is in stereo but not Dolby Digital.

[JohnSnr]

Hi, Thanks for your reply

As I said my Sonos sound bar reports that it is receiving stereo PCM on ITV HD etc from my V6 box and the audio is pretty poor quality and low volume, all other channels BBC, Channels 4, 5, Sky, film 4 etc. channels are reporting Dolby digital/stereo 2.0 or 5.1 and the quality is excellent. But if I revert to watching ITV channels through my ariel the sound bar reports Dolby stereo and the quality and volume output is brilliant just as good as all the other channels through my V6 box. This is what I don't understand, I would of thought the ariel quality on ITV would be poor and from the V6 would great and not the other way round.

Maybe I have a fault when receiving ITV channels through my VM V6 box, but it is annoying when I change from ITV to other channels and the volume is booming and I quickly have to hit volume down button.

[ozsat · Accepted solution]

ITV has never got up-to-date with it's audio.  It uses PCM on VirginMedia and Freeview and 2.0 Dolby on Sky.

VM broadcast what ITV provide.

[JohnSnr]

Thank you for that reply, that is very helpful and at least I know the reason I am getting ITV in very poor PCM stereo

I think its time ITV got up to speed and give Virgin Media better audio for them to broadcast so this problem will go away, I also thing VM should be talking to ITV and demanding better audio.

[Chris_W1]

Hi JohnSnr, thanks for the message. 

We have fed this back to the relevant area of the business. 

Chris. 

[JohnSnr]

Thanks Chris, hopefully they can do something to sort the ITV audio out because its awful.

John.

[ozsat]

I don't find the ITV PCM audio channels have a noticeable lower quality than the DD2.0 channels - perhaps there is a local issue?

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@JohnSnr wrote:

Thank you for that reply, that is very helpful and at least I know the reason I am getting ITV in very poor PCM stereo

I think its time ITV got up to speed and give Virgin Media better audio for them to broadcast so this problem will go away, I also thing VM should be talking to ITV and demanding better audio.

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[JohnSnr]

Hi,

Maybe it is a local problem but when on ITV channels I have to double the volume and hit the speech enhancement button or it's difficult to understand the dialogue and the surround effect is non existent

If it is a local issue hopefully VM can fix it quickly. 

[Roger_Gooner]

None of my ITV channels are too loud.