Cartoon Network Stereo Problems

[gizm0]

I posted this over on the Toonami Forum, but I thought it might get more attention over here since it does affect Batman, Superman, & Beyond:

Hi all, and especially Cartoon Network!

After studying the cartoon network broadcasts over a period of over 5 months, I have noticed some disturbing problems:

The shows are really inconsistently broadcast in stereo. Maybe no one has noticed, but....

I have been regularly recording shows such as justice league, batman beyond, batman:tas, superman:tas, and samurai jack on my replaytvs and tivos off of satellite and previously off cable for transfer to my own personal svcd/dvds. Since, I must inevitably transfer these episodes to my pc in the raw mpeg2 format from the original satellite signal, I can listen to and analyze the audio tracks from the broadcast. In my analysis spanning 5 months I have recorded three different situations with the audio track:

1.) Nothing is in stereo = commercials, cartoon network show headers, promos, or the actual show. This first occurred in the beginning of October 2001 and lasted through the beginning of January 2002.

2.) Commercials in stereo, promos in stereo, CN created show intros in stereo, the actual show IS NOT IN STEREO but MONO. This started occurring in the beginning of January 2002 and continues to this day on specific shows and times. For example, today, March 9, 2002 and for the past 2 saturdays, the batman beyond episodes were not broadcast in stereo, and neither were the late night showings of batman:tas or superman: tas. However, everything else was in stereo, even the theme/intro sequence for batman beyond. The Justice League and Samurai Jack episodes today were unaffected and were correctly broadcast.

3.) Everything is perfect! Batman Beyond during the WEEKDAYS is correctly broadcast in stereo now, since February 11, 2002. WEEKENDS are different and only Justice League and Samurai Jack are correct. (Sorry, I don't monitor/record other shows, so I don't know the status of them).

Please, if anyone has any information as to why this is occurring or if this is done in some way on purpose by Cartoon Network, let me know. I can tell you positively that it has nothing to do with my setup (ie satellite setup, cables, connections, satellite strength). I have checked and rechecked all other channels and this only seems to be occuring with Cartoon Network. Additionally, for a time I had both cable and DirecTV and the audio broadcast was identical on both (mono) during that time. So, it is not a provider issue either.

I have tried numerous times to contact Cartoon Network about this problem, but I keep getting the "it's not our fault--it's your provider" runaround. And the same response from the cable company and directv.

At least now during the week, everything is fine...but I would still like to get superman:tas and batman:tas with good (stereo) audio.

I have a detailed log in text format of the dates and times of my recordings and their status (mono or stereo) if anyone (like from Cartoon Network--are you listening?) is interested...

Thank you for your time and concern,
gizm0

[gizm0]

Just thought I would add an example of the inconsistency of CN's broadcasts:

On February 23, 2002 CN broadcast Batman Beyond: "Rebirth, Part1" correctly...in stereo. Justice League and Samurai Jack were fine too. But then, the morning sun showings of Batman:TAS and Superman:TAS "Last Son of Krypton, Part1" were not in stereo.

On March 2, 2002 Batman Beyond: "Rebirth, Part 2", Batman:TAS "Christmas with the Joker", and Superman:TAS "Last Son of Krypton, Part 2" were not in stereo . Which is weird, because the showings of Samurai Jack and Justice League right before Batman Beyond were in stereo.

On March 9, 2002 Batman Beyond: "A Touch of Curare", Batman:TAS "Nothing to Fear", and Superman:TAS "Last Son of Krypton, Part3" were not in stereo . And again, Justice League and Samurai Jack were in stereo.

During all three dates, all commercials (that I heard) and all CN promos (like for Samurai Jack and Justice League) were in stereo. Even the commercials during the break of Batman Beyond were in stereo as well as the opening theme/intro for Batman Beyond, Batman:TAS and Superman:TAS. As soon as the actual episodes started however, the soundtrack was in mono. This is all off of satellite, so I believe the commercials are placed by CN, right? Of course the title/intro made by CN are placed there by CN, too.

I know for a fact that Superman:TAS, and Batman Beyond should be in stereo...as I happen to have old tape copies of it from first-run WB airings which, of course, are in full stereo. Besides, the weekday showings of Batman Beyond are fine...

Madness....it's driving me crazy....

[Maxie Zeus]

Interesting problem.

I'm going to move this to "AniTainment." You can probably get a better answer there.

:)

[gizm0]

bump...

anybody out there?

[optimuslives]

Do you have a Direc Tivo or a SA?

I TIVo off Dish and it was explained to me that when you TIVO a show, sometimes during the encoding in side the TIVO the sound does not get encoded properly due to the fact that the signal is being encoded twice as opposed to once if you did not have the TIVO hooked up.

I have asked around various forums and I always get this answer..the other possibility is that the original signal is overcompressed and that is affecting the quality of the sound.

I had a weird sound problem when I was TIVOing STDS9..where the signal was so overcompressed..the main soundtrack would be affected by the background music..I had to stop recording them because of that. Basically when someone talked the pitch was in unison with the music..for that matter any background noise! It produced this volume fading that was really irritating!

However as it has been explained to me..if you have the Direc TIVO..you are getting the same signal that is being sent to the sat box.

I solved my stereo sound problem by hooking up a graphic band equalizer in my media set up for dubbing. Haven't had a problem since and the sound is much clearer and crisper

I love my TIVO's..they make life so much easier:)

If you have two tv set ups..try recording the same show on just reg tape or directly to your hard drive without the TIVO involved and the other one through one of your PVR's. You might be surprised as to which one has better sound..I know I was :eek:

[gizm0]

yeah, i have directivo so the recording is of the direct stream from the satellite...

last year i was recording off of satellite and cable and the stereo/mono alternations existed on both. Meaning that if Batman Beyond was in stereo on satellite, so was cable, if it was mono, it was also mono on cable.

Thanks for the suggestions though...

--gizm0