Weird electronic noise on football TV broadcasts?

[Jpanzer 1,265]

OK, at the risk of being flamed and trashed here on the boards, I ask the following question in all seriousness. I have been hearing a alternating high-low repetitive electronic beeping on football broadcasts this year. It is continuous, the same on all my televisions, and though I've read others on the net complaining about hearing in movies, shows, etc on tv, I only seem to notice it during NFL or big network college broadcasts.

 

First noticed it this season. The Falcons game on Fox today had it at a low level, but the Sunday night NFL game has had it blaring loudly on every game I've watched this season, especially tonight. Don't hear it during commercials, only when the game is being played. It's so loud it annoys the hell out of me, but it's background noise for sure. Doesn't cause me headaches or anything, but it is irritating.

 

Has anyone else heard or experienced this?

[storm6490 2,768]

hitler did it too! they call it programming for a reason.

 

turn off your audio on the television and tune into a radio station or web cast of the game. If you can't find the audio, adjust your equalizer or treble and bass on the television. Or!, you could just turn the damn audio off and listen to your family and friends. Who needs some dumb ass talking to you about what you just watched?

Edited October 21, 2013 by Stryker0946

[HighPlainsDrifter 466]

Who needs some dumb ass talking to you about what you just watched?

 

That's hilarious!  I never looked at it this way.

[storm6490 2,768]

My family found it strange but enjoyed it after they tried it. We would watch the Packers on National Television. The local guys would go to the games and you could listen to it on the AM channels. They had a lot of local jokes and even some good ones about Ole and his deer hunting. It was a great way to get away from the bullshit commercials and biased horse shit the networks pushed on you.

 

Remember this shit?

[Remek 771]

hitler did it too! they call it programming for a reason.

 

turn off your audio on the television and tune into a radio station or web cast of the game. If you can't find the audio, adjust your equalizer or treble and bass on the television. Or!, you could just turn the damn audio off and listen to your family and friends. Who needs some dumb ass talking to you about what you just watched?

You're 100% spot on, as usual. On the aspect of turning off the sound, I do when I rarely watch a sports game (too busy with life to watch others live it). I always also found the morons on the TV knew less about it than I did, and said the most stupid shit when commenting.

[Jpanzer 1,265]

Yes, I understand the value of conversation, etc etc, but as I currently live alone and my dogs don't commentate on pro sports, I usually leave the broadcast audio on. Now back to the main point, has anyone else experienced or heard this electronic noise I am asking about?

[Remek 771]

No. I don't watch. But, I will say I have seen an uptic in the EBS system warnings, and more signal problems than ever (digital here, and the screen breaks up more often, regardless what I watch).

[yakdung 2,926]

The inhabitants from Remulak are trying to contact you.

[dayofruin 425]

No you aren't the only person hearing this.

 

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r26372409-Electronic-Musical-Tones-on-some-broadcasts-

[Jpanzer 1,265]

Found it discussed on a couple of other forums like the one you linked to. Apparently the issue is not related to the carrier, but rather it originates with the broadcast. Also finding it odd that on the forums I've read no one has been able to put forth an explanation of what it is!

[dayofruin 425]

I don't think anyone knows what it is. A lot of things I read point to HAARP or something.

[jwulf 179]

I actually hear it on one of our local radio stations from time to time. It us high pitched and annoying enough that I can't listen to it at all.

[mancat 2,368]

What you're probably hearing is audio compression artifacts.

 

Have digital cable or satellite? Ever watch a movie online and notice little blocky sections in darker backgrounds - e.g. all-black backdrops?  Those are video compression artifacts.

 

The same thing can happen in audio broadcasts, especially live broadcasts that have to be streamed over satellite connections to broadcasters.

 

Ever listen to a highly-compressed, "bad quality" MP3? With all the ringing and screeching, especially during high-treble noises, it sounds like you're listening to it through a tin can.

 

They're a result of compression algorithms that attempt to reduce the amount of data required to store and transmit video and audio streams, but can sometimes result in less than stellar quality, or outright awful errors in the video and audio.

 

This really started to happen very often after most broadcast networks switched to digital broadcasts, where the majority of the content - even "HD" content that should not be compressed - gets compressed in order to save bandwidth across their broadcast and subscriber networks.

Edited October 21, 2013 by mancat

[storm6490 2,768]

it would be nice to think of it as digital compression noise but I hate to tell you it's something else. i believe it's sound programming. when I was a young grunt, I was able to take college classes and get my degree so long as it benefited uncle sam and i kept my grades up with the GI beer bill.

 

I learned all sorts of things to use to make you want to feel a certain way. Pulses of light, colors and tone generation can all be used to make you feel a certain way. My guess is that the tone makes you lethargic and want a drink or to buy something and not change the channel.

 

Broadcast on the high end is very good at making clean pure audio off the big boards. Compression ratios on HD rarely make distortion at that level of broadcasting. We ran our monitors with a beautiful amp and flat to simulate a television speaker in the control room. If any audio problems were there, it was corrected or had noise reduction applied. All levels from a high end broadcast are balanced so commercials and programs are equalized.

 

They used noise just before hitlers speeches to make people feel angry and sick. They turned it off just before his speech and people associated that scum fuck with pleasure and relief. Imagine what has progressed since then. Coke uses red as does Mc D's It's an aggressive color. They use sounds as well..

[DogMan 2,343]

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

 

Who needs some dumb ass talking to you about what you just watched?

 

That's hilarious!  I never looked at it this way.

 

 

My life long best friend's Dad was a HUGE Basketball fan. I mean huge... He would go to any Basketball game he could find, including almost ALL of the local HS games. He played for IU way back in the day.

 

He ALWAYS had the TV muted when he was watching the game. He was one of the best men I've ever met, but he did have a temper and liked to get animated about Basketball... Some of the funniest shit ever was to hear him screaming, in an otherwise silent room, to a TV.

 

--------------

 

Back on topic... Does this only happen when only watching Football? If so, I'm completely inclined to agree that something is hosed with the broadcast audio. If not... Unplug the cable/Sat box from the TV entirely and hook-up a DVD player directly and play something. See if the noises persist.

 

I recently had to tackle a low frequency noise in my own home theater. Turns out it was a ground loop issue with the cable company. 60Hz filter installed in-line to the main cable feed fixed all my problems.

[Spartacus 1,619]

No. I don't watch. But, I will say I have seen an uptic in the EBS system warnings, and more signal problems than ever (digital here, and the screen breaks up more often, regardless what I watch).

 

I've also noticed the increased EBS testing. I used to work at an FM station in the early eighties and had to run and log the EBS test and transmitter readings in the FCC log book for the station. I tend to notice them more I guess since I used to have to run the tests.

 

Mentioned this same thing to my wife a couple weeks ago and she said I was being silly, "They do that all the time, haven't you seen that before?". "Uhh, yes honey... remember my work history?.... I used to be the guy hitting the buttons to run those tests... so yeah, you could say I've seen them before."

 

They are running the tests way more often than they used to.

 

    

 

EDIT: Been away from broadcasting too long to have an accurate comment on the background noise during football.

          It could easily be some tech to maximize bandwidth... or MKUltra.... who knows.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Spartacus

[mancat 2,368]

it would be nice to think of it as digital compression noise but I hate to tell you it's something else. i believe it's sound programming. when I was a young grunt, I was able to take college classes and get my degree so long as it benefited uncle sam and i kept my grades up with the GI beer bill.

 

I learned all sorts of things to use to make you want to feel a certain way. Pulses of light, colors and tone generation can all be used to make you feel a certain way. My guess is that the tone makes you lethargic and want a drink or to buy something and not change the channel.

 

Broadcast on the high end is very good at making clean pure audio off the big boards. Compression ratios on HD rarely make distortion at that level of broadcasting. We ran our monitors with a beautiful amp and flat to simulate a television speaker in the control room. If any audio problems were there, it was corrected or had noise reduction applied. All levels from a high end broadcast are balanced so commercials and programs are equalized.

 

They used noise just before hitlers speeches to make people feel angry and sick. They turned it off just before his speech and people associated that scum fuck with pleasure and relief. Imagine what has progressed since then. Coke uses red as does Mc D's It's an aggressive color. They use sounds as well..

 

 

I'm not talking about audio compressors as in analog production.

 

Digital audio compression is an entirely different thing, and modern TV broadcasts all use it.

 

Furthermore, you don't need audio programming to make TV sports viewers lethargic, angry, and apathetic. TV sports broadcasts do that all on their own.

[sccritterkiller 473]

I have noticed it the most on the NBC broadcast..I adjust my sound system to get it out. I think its something to do with th onfield mics...especially the ones on the O linemen....I think they get too much crowd noise..To me it seems worse in the indoor venues.

[montec 164]

I don't watch regular TV, I stream any shows I may miss and watch on my own time, so I have not heard it.

 

On another similar note, it drives my wife when I forget the turn off the TV and its on its blue screen.

 

i dont doubt the aspects of subliminal programming with sounds and such with digital broadcasts and cable.

[thebuns1 4,323]

I havent been able to pick up on it. but I dont watch much football.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

I adjust my sound system to get it out.

 

Whether it's an artifact of poor audio work or the tinfoil hat stuff, that is the cure all for the problem. I've been eying a 5.1 channel EQ for different reasons, but you can no doubt EQ just about anything away. You may pay other consequences though, but I don't think a lot of our membership is really big into the HI-FI realm.

 

I don't watch regular TV, I stream any shows I may miss and watch on my own time, so I have not heard it.

 

On another similar note, it drives my wife when I forget the turn off the TV and its on its blue screen.

 

i dont doubt the aspects of subliminal programming with sounds and such with digital broadcasts and cable.

 

I don't watch regular TV, ever, ever... I stream from Amazon and watch DVDs by mail from Netflix. No "programming" for this guy...

 

I *do* doubt programming from broadcast sources, especially with the growing number of people like you and I that don't subject themselves to them at all. I believe that advertising and the media is our biggest source of programming. Even though I know that, I still find myself wanting new shit that I really don't need. That's how effective it is. I KNOW better, but I still want it.

[Jpanzer 1,265]

I only hear it on football broadcasts. Others on the net have said they hear it on ALL programming.

 

I don't have surround sound or hi-def equipment, so I can't adjust anything controlling the sound other than volume. When there is continuous crowd noise like with a football game perhaps they think it will be drowned out, or maybe it is some kind of high def audio artifact, but whatever it is I hear it plainly and it's aggravating as hell to deal with...

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

I only hear it on football broadcasts. Others on the net have said they hear it on ALL programming.

 

I don't have surround sound or hi-def equipment, so I can't adjust anything controlling the sound other than volume. When there is continuous crowd noise like with a football game perhaps they think it will be drowned out, or maybe it is some kind of high def audio artifact, but whatever it is I hear it plainly and it's aggravating as hell to deal with...

 

Even my bargain basement JVC LED panel has bass/treble adjustments. If you find it offensive, turn the treble down until inaudible.

[IndyArms 10,186]

One word....

 

FNORDS

 

Just of the AUDIO variety. not the TEXT kind

 

 

[Spartacus 1,619]

[Eric Pate 478]

Anti-piracy tech, I'd be willing to bet.

[storm6490 2,768]

 

it would be nice to think of it as digital compression noise but I hate to tell you it's something else. i believe it's sound programming. when I was a young grunt, I was able to take college classes and get my degree so long as it benefited uncle sam and i kept my grades up with the GI beer bill.

 

I learned all sorts of things to use to make you want to feel a certain way. Pulses of light, colors and tone generation can all be used to make you feel a certain way. My guess is that the tone makes you lethargic and want a drink or to buy something and not change the channel.

 

Broadcast on the high end is very good at making clean pure audio off the big boards. Compression ratios on HD rarely make distortion at that level of broadcasting. We ran our monitors with a beautiful amp and flat to simulate a television speaker in the control room. If any audio problems were there, it was corrected or had noise reduction applied. All levels from a high end broadcast are balanced so commercials and programs are equalized.

 

They used noise just before hitlers speeches to make people feel angry and sick. They turned it off just before his speech and people associated that scum fuck with pleasure and relief. Imagine what has progressed since then. Coke uses red as does Mc D's It's an aggressive color. They use sounds as well..

 

 

I'm not talking about audio compressors as in analog production.

 

Digital audio compression is an entirely different thing, and modern TV broadcasts all use it.

 

Furthermore, you don't need audio programming to make TV sports viewers lethargic, angry, and apathetic. TV sports broadcasts do that all on their own.

 

Thanks for the heads up. Our station started using DVC pro in 1998 and went full HD in 1999 in the studio. The board room was gutted thanks to Shockley's big pockets. We still used an analog tube amplifier to power two large studio monitors in the control room for the sound engineer. It simulated what it would sound like on your television. We ran them direct off the board. 48kHz was our standard with NTSC and it still remains. That station had been using digital audio since the 80's

[Sneak 81]

I've noticed it too.  It doesn't seem like a crappy compressed .mp3 or streaming .ra feed.  It's definitely cyclic.  I have OTA and can DVR the game on a PC.  I'm not sure that it's protection.  I noticed it a few months ago.  My wife says I'm too paranoid about stuff.

[Lone Eagle 839]

On the EBS uptick:  They are trying to "nationalize" the system.  Local station I listen to put it this way.  Before now, each state was required to run the test.  Last year, they decided to make it a "central hub" in case of National Emergency.  It pisses off the local DJ's because there is no warning now when they are testing, and can ruin a good monologue.