Tekneek Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 FN has to figure out how to account for amped pits in the mic setup. It's been more than enough years to figure it out, yet its still almost always overpowering on the broadcasts. If there was a decibel maximum for the amplification, perhaps they could work with that from an audio engineering perspective. I'm not aware that there is a decibel maximum is there? That should really have been put into the rules before that box was opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbass598 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I've been a FN subscriber since Day 1. It's gotten *monumentally* better, particularly with the audio and video quality of the live stream. Yesterday's early show stream was outstanding. Are there hiccups and issues? Sure, but any streaming technology encounters those, not all of which are actually the fault of the content provider. As I read about people with issues, nobody seems to get upset about their own equipment in regards to the issue. Its not always DCI's fault. People need to ask themselves if their computer is fast enough? when I watch online streaming of events, I use a 3 year old Macbook Pro w/ 8 GB of RAM that I connect to my TV and also connect to my cable modem through AT&T U-Verse Internet with 18 mbs speed. The last 2 events I watched online had very minimal times where I had to restart the stream. Does your computer have enough power to process the information? Have you tried using a direct ethernet connection? Wifi is slower than the direct connection. Is my internet connection fast enough. Mine is the fastest that AT&T allows in my neighborhood but I could have gone cheaper for a 12 mbs or even 6 mbs connection. If all of those meet the criteria, then the issue could still be with how much traffic your ISP can handle at a given time. DCI could potentially take care of every possible option they could think of in order for the Fan Network to work and there is a good chance it may still not be there fault if people have problems with the stream. There are a lot of variables involved. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidWB Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 If there was a decibel maximum for the amplification, perhaps they could work with that from an audio engineering perspective. I'm not aware that there is a decibel maximum is there? That should really have been put into the rules before that box was opened. A decibel maximum is just asking for trouble. 1) a single tone at 97 db is MUCH louder than a complex tone at 97 dB. 2) Bass generally is not precieved to be as loud as treble at the same dB level. 3) How to u measure it? at the speakers? just add more speakers at lower volume... In the stands? how do you determine what is horns and what is amplified? 4) what about difference is voulme of horn lines, perhaps we should limit them so they mic don't distort? Ultimately like with every live performance event it takes some time for live recording to catch up with how the sounds are produced on a stage. The human ear and brain are amazing things that can distinguish sounds in ways that no recording ever will be able to. A mic in the same location as a human ear will sound completely different so we as audio guys have to figure out way to use multiple mics usually much closer to the source material to recreate the same filtering that yours ears do without you ever even noticing. Add to that the confines of small living room speaker systems (even those that are thousands of dollars are relatively poor compared to how sounds are produced from 150 plus sources.... one vibrating speaker just cant reproduce nuance the same as the original). I noticed last night at the theater that the are micing the speakers (thank goodness! i remember in 2009 not hearing some of the corps electronics at all) and also using men holding additional mics to fill in holes. They are doing all they can while trying to maximize sound for the speakers they think the audience has and IMO are doing a mighty fine job with the complex situation they have.... If you want to hear it like it is live, spend the money and go to the show otherwise accept that they are giving a fairly accurate and overall consistent representation of the sound at the event. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tekneek Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I suppose there have always been some issues with these things, such as times when soloists ended up louder/quiter in the recording mix than they were live, or pit instruments ended up being louder because a microphone was near them and the recording was quite a bit different than the live presentation. Everyone needs to remember that these are not studio recordings. When we played for the Ornaments in Brass CD recording, we were in a studio and the recording sounded quite a bit different than the levels you heard from the field recording (as I recall). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7567BC Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Haven't people been saying Fan Network will get better every year, and yet there are major blunders? They've got several years of experience with this by now. Well then it seems they HAVE gotten better at blunders now haven't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassboy Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 (edited) Like some others, I've been subscribing to the FN since it began also and find it to be leaps and bounds ahead of where it's been. I've had maybe two hiccups this season with the stream suddenly stopping (not freezing, actually stopping). I've gotten the VERY occasional freeze as well (maybe twice per entire show), but with the DVR-style playback it really doesn't bother me anymore. I'm curious to know how many people actually think that the FN is legitimately WORSE than it was last year or any year prior. I'm guessing that a majority of people who are having problems should take it up with their ISP, or maybe they're trying to stream HQ just because they have "DSL," not realizing that their subscribed DSL speed is too slow to support the HQ stream. Edited August 9, 2013 by brassboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 I think it was better last year as far as the sputtering and freezes. I do have to say though that tonights semi audio was exceptional especially during BD's show. I heard things I never even heard live! Them putting up video is painfully slow! here it is Friday and they still haven't put up Mondays Open class show let alone Tuesdays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbviking Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 This is the 3rd year I've subscribed to FN, and while I would say this year has been better (other than the Buffalo disaster) I have been frustrated with the "Your video is no longer available" error message. Until this season, I have NEVER seen this error before....on any site! I got it 5 times yesterday. Fortunately, I could click the pause button, then click Live, and I was back in business. As to my system, I was running a laptop with 8G RAM, connected by HDMI to my TV; and even though I was using wireless from my router, I did numerous speedtests throughout the day and consistantly was getting 22-29Mbps. No reason to have gotten that many hangups. That being said, yesterday's semis were GREAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliswift Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 (edited) This is the 3rd year I've subscribed to FN, and while I would say this year has been better (other than the Buffalo disaster) I have been frustrated with the "Your video is no longer available" error message. Until this season, I have NEVER seen this error before....on any site! I got it 5 times yesterday. Fortunately, I could click the pause button, then click Live, and I was back in business. As to my system, I was running a laptop with 8G RAM, connected by HDMI to my TV; and even though I was using wireless from my router, I did numerous speedtests throughout the day and consistantly was getting 22-29Mbps. No reason to have gotten that many hangups. That being said, yesterday's semis were GREAT! I got the same thing, 5 times! Impossible you say? Edited August 10, 2013 by caliswift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 This I believe: I was thoroughly entertained all up and down the spectrum of drum corps this year. Everyone will continue to strive to improve, and there will be surprises and plenty of entertainment in 2014. Troopers will build on an incredibly good year for them - they have learned a lot as an organization over the last six years, and there is a lot of good buzz happening. Not making any predictions, but voicing my sincere hope for a finals position in 2014. Shows without narration and voice overs can be competitive with those that have such things. THIS IS GOOD. We can have both, and we can appreciate both, both aesthetically and competitively. Now, can we have the same said of synths for 2014? I bet we can. Several 2013 corps made an effort to keep the synth out of the way or completely silent in key points of shows to demonstrate horn and/or percussion prowess. I found these moments to be some of the most memorable, and/or beautiful, and/or impressive all summer long. MORE OF THAT PLEASE! There were some corps that had a noted lack of the "multiple responsibilities" induced movements, or they demonstrated "multiple responsibilities" in new and innovative ways. Yay! Less "stock" movement in this regard is better, and different/innovative is good too. I'm already looking forward to 2014! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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