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Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

I observed that when I go to ignitetv.rogers.com - Live TV and pick a channel like CTV, the video quality is bad, meaning it looks like 480P despite setting the Video Playback Quality to High (no resolution spec listed). Setting it to Auto makes no difference.

Is this normal? I suspect compression is the culprit but that's just my guess.

 

 

 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@AV_Fan wrote:

Hello -G-,

Yes I observed that as well but my point is that even after the streaming has stabilized the quality is still somewhere between SD and HD, or maybe I was imagining it.

Is it possible to find out the actual resolution from Rogers?


This is a really question for @CommunityHelps .  There is also no straightforward answer.

 

As far as I know, content for web and mobile clients (and casting) is streamed from different infrastructure than what is used to stream to the Ignite set-top boxes, so you might see subtle differences due to variances in how the content is encoded.  As part of the encoding pipeline, the source signal is de-interlaced (if necessary) and simultaneously transcoded into multiple resolutions and bitrates, and what ultimately gets streamed depends on network conditions and the capabilities of the end device.  On a computer, you should be getting 1080p but the quality may vary depending on the source signal and how it is actually encoded at the source.

 

Some source content does not encode well.  Also, encoding quality can also be improved but that will also introduce more delay, and some customers flip out if, during a virtual hockey night "watch party", their friends see a goal even a few seconds before they do.

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13 REPLIES 13

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

It wouldn't surprise me. There have been lots of comments regarding the very low bitrates and poor picture quality associated with streaming programming, especially sports.  These streams are mostly intended for viewing on a phone or tablet, not a TV or excellent computer monitor.

 

Whenever I travel I download some programming to my iPad for viewing when away and I calculated the bitrate at roughly 2 mbps by looking at the file size and length of recording.

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

57,

Thanks for your reply.

How would you explain that casting from a phone to a TV yields HD-like resolution, if the source materials have a low bit rate to begin with? Does casting trigger a different source

to be used?

 

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@AV_Fan wrote: Does casting trigger a different source to be used?

Perhaps the "end display" determines the bitrate you can get.  I'm not familiar enough to confirm. Most TVs would show the incoming signal via an "input" button on the TV or the input is displayed for a few seconds when you change inputs to the appropriate input on the TV.  This would at least show what is coming into the TV, but that may not be an indication of what's being sent by Rogers to the device connected/casting to the TV, rather simply what the device is sending.

 

I rarely watch anything on my computer from Rogers, but the PQ hasn't been what I would call "bad".  Can you connect your computer to a TV via HDMI to see what happens then?

 

I assumed you were using a computer since you mentioned the IgniteTV website, rather than using an app...

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

Connecting my computer (a Windows 10 desktop) to the TV via HDMI does not result in a change in PQ - it's still SD-like so I suppose the "end display" does not play a role in ignitetv.rogers.com's live streaming PQ.

Another proof that the computer is not the bottleneck - if I watch live streaming via TSN.ca (using Roger's credentials to sign-in) I get HD quality on my computer.

Everything that I can see seems to suggest that it's the quality of the source materials and/or the compression by Rogers that is resulting in the lower PQ in this scenario.

I also don't watch much live streaming via the computer but as a new Ignite TV user I am just testing things out.

 

 

 

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@AV_Fan Not sure to what extent this affects Ignite TV but the most streaming platforms restrict video quality if you do not have Widevine L1 DRM security; achieving this is a function of the browser that you are using, how the browser and the Widevine CDM are signed, the PC hardware, and whether an externally connected display supports HDCP.

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

Thanks for the info -G-.

I hope someone from Rogers can confirm the resolution offered by Ignite TV.

 

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@AV_Fan  I just tested with a browser build where I should get no better than Widevine L2, and when I play an Ignite TV recording, it looks like I get the same quality as when I play it with my XiOne set-top box.  (This was just a quick test... I will do a more thorough one later... but I was definitely getting better than SD quality.)

 

Which browser and which operating system are you using?

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

Hi -G-,

Browsers don't make much difference and I've tried Firefox 110.0 and Google Chrome Version 110.0.5481.100 (Official Build) (64-bit). OS is Windows 10 22H2 OS Build 19045.2486.

 

I've taken a second look and today for some reason the quality is slightly better than SD but definitely not on par with my Xi6.

 

How do I find out if a browser is Widevine compliant? If you or other Mods can get the actual video resolution from Rogers for Live TV that would be ideal.

 

Thanks for your efforts.

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

Hi -G-,

I'm on Windows 10 22H2 and both Firefox 110.0 and Google Chrome Version 110.0.5481.100 yield similar results.

 

I suppose the quality is a little better than SD but definitely no HD and my Xi6 yields far better qualities on the TV.

 

I still think Widevine is not the issue but rather the quality of the source materials. Can you or other forum mods check with Rogers to see what the resolution is for Ignite TV live streaming?

 

Thanks for your efforts.

 

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@AV_Fan Software-wise, you should be fine.

 

Try this: Log into https://ignitetv.rogers.com and start watching the CP24 channel live.  When the channel first starts streaming, it will be at a lower bitrate and the text on the lower-third will look fuzzy.  Wait 20 seconds, and you should suddenly see the stream switch to a higher bitrate and the text will be sharp.

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

Hello -G-,

Yes I observed that as well but my point is that even after the streaming has stabilized the quality is still somewhere between SD and HD, or maybe I was imagining it.

Is it possible to find out the actual resolution from Rogers?

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

-G-
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@AV_Fan wrote:

Hello -G-,

Yes I observed that as well but my point is that even after the streaming has stabilized the quality is still somewhere between SD and HD, or maybe I was imagining it.

Is it possible to find out the actual resolution from Rogers?


This is a really question for @CommunityHelps .  There is also no straightforward answer.

 

As far as I know, content for web and mobile clients (and casting) is streamed from different infrastructure than what is used to stream to the Ignite set-top boxes, so you might see subtle differences due to variances in how the content is encoded.  As part of the encoding pipeline, the source signal is de-interlaced (if necessary) and simultaneously transcoded into multiple resolutions and bitrates, and what ultimately gets streamed depends on network conditions and the capabilities of the end device.  On a computer, you should be getting 1080p but the quality may vary depending on the source signal and how it is actually encoded at the source.

 

Some source content does not encode well.  Also, encoding quality can also be improved but that will also introduce more delay, and some customers flip out if, during a virtual hockey night "watch party", their friends see a goal even a few seconds before they do.

Re: Poor video quality from Ignite TV via the web?

AV_Fan
I plan to stick around

Hello -G-,

 

Good to know.

 

What's interesting is that Player Setting only has Low/High/Auto vs Youtube where you can choose an actual resolution. Seems to me Rogers is intentionally making it vague.

 

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