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Annoying, cell phone background noise on Fox

Did anyone else hear what sounded like a cell phone ringing yesterday on Fox during either the NFL games or the Emmys? It happens about every 15 or 20 seconds, and is insanely annoying. It doesn't happen on any other channel. I heard it during the 9/11 NFL games as well and thought it was a one time issue, but I've seen some other articles online that mention it, so at least I know I'm not crazy:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/09/sheen-baldwin-and-cell-phone-interference-behind-the-scenes-at-the-emmys/

http://live.washingtonpost.com/lisa-de-moraes-110919.html

I'm not sure if this is a Fox problem or a Fios problem, but wanted to see if anyone else out there experienced it, and if anyone had a solution that made it go away. I'm sure it will happen again with next weeks NFL games...

Comments

Keyboards

Since FiOS does nothing but pass the signal from the provider it has to be a FOX problem. Just trying to be fair and balanced Smiley Wink

Andrewms318

I noticed the same thing during the games it also happens during the news the louder the broadcast volume the more noticable the beeping noise gets. I thought i was going crazy because its so soft none of my roomates heard it. If anybody ever figures it out please post a cause or solution. Thank you

noodle38

I have cable tv, and I have heard this noise as well since the first week of football so it's definately not a FIOS issue. We have two stations here that FOX breadcasts on (5 & 13) and both of them have this noise. I also heard it during the Emmy's broadcast so it's not just football. Very annoying for those of us that can atually hear it.

roadruntim

It appears to be digital audio compression artifact noise. It occurs on multiple networks and can most easily be heard in background applause or crowd noise.
It sounds like metallic or electronic musical notes. This is not acceptable audio and enough people need to complain to VZ before they consider reducing the signal compression which I believe is the cause of the noise.

kcalabro

I had to resort to wearing earplugs to watch the Eagles/Giants game today because all I could focus on was the background noise. and it is every 5 seconds (yes, I timed it). Last week during the Emmy's, I thought it was just me and then again today during the game. I am glad to see that I am NOT going crazy.

However, I do not have FIOS so it must be a FOX thing. I am hoping that the more people that complain about it will get someone to do do something about it.

athena_o2

I've noticed this since preseason, and jsut can't take it anymore. Relieved that I'm not the only one. Apparently this problem is nationwide, and is from something on FOX's end. I've called, notified the local affiliate, and tweeted @Foxbroadcasting, @FOXSPORTS, @NFLONFOX....hopefully someone somewhere fixes this. In the meantime, get loud, call people. This is really annoying to the point it's almost maddening.

stockp8792

Heard it during the Emmy awards last weekend and again during football today. Same exact sound. Not sure what it is but it does get annoying.

smith6612

Tell whoever is running the Fox network to stop leaving cell phones near the audio equipment and to also get some audio engineers on the job. What it sounds like to me is what I used to hear when CALLING cell phones and the phone happened to be ringing, back when cell phone service was still pre-mature. If you called on a landline, you could very faintly hear a person's ringer.

romanoad

I started noticing it around the same time. It hasn't gone away and I can barely watch TV anymore. I hear it on multiple channels though, not just FOX. TNT, TBS, CBS. I never hear it on commercials though, just on a show or game. Nothing changed in my setup, then out of the blue this starts happening. I can hear it on all my TVs, so it doesn't seem to be limited to the box type (I have a new motorola dvr and older HD box). I hope they do something to try to fix this soon.

qnext

I have been noticing this for a few weeks. I hear it on ABC, NBC, CBS, TBS, FOX, TNT. It's worse on football and baseball games. It sounds like a robotic series of tones/notes that is really irritating and hard to tune out. I don't really hear it during the commericials. Some channels I don't hear it at all. When I called Verizon they didn't know what I was talking about. I got a new set top box (for other DVR recording problems) and was hoping the noise would resolve, but no luck. It happens on both of our TVs, including our new TV downstairs. It doesn't happen with DVDs. It happens when I record shows, but if I watch the same thing on On Demand, I don't notice it as much. I've checked our cables and connections and they seem fine.

I'm pretty sure this is a nationwide problem--some internet searching shows people with Comcast and other providers having it too. Someone speculated that it is a ratings tracking noise from Nielson, or a result of audio being compressed too much. For some reason, my boyfriend doesn't hear it. The noise is so annoying to me that sometimes I have to stop watching. During the Emmys it was really noticeable, but now it's a little subtler but on many more channels. I really hope the cable companies find a way to fix this problem--it is really intefering with my ability to enjoy programs and I may consider canceling my cable if it keeps up.

Does anyone know of how to go about getting more attention to this problem and getting it fixed?

some other discussion on it here:

http://forums.comcast.com/t5/XfinityTV-and-Equipment/Audio-problem-weird-digital-computer-type-sound-in-background/td-p/1066455

http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/333021

tswain21

I hear it also and it's DRIVING ME CRAZY! It definitely started on Fox football, but I heard it on Terra Nova and recently on Games 3-4 of the Phillies/Cardinals on TBS. I watch more TV than I should and if it doesn't stop soon, I may have to stop watching TV altogether...

sandtoe1

Yes, I hear it. Started in Sep. 2011. Have brighthouse in Tampa Florida. Have Panasonic TV. Have good hearing people tell me.Can still somewhat hear that misquito buzz the teenagers hear. I would bet the majority of people can not hear it. When I raise the volume it doesn't seem to get louder but can't hear it when really low either. Only seems to occur during primetime hours. I like the nielson theory. I just live with the annoyance, nobody else I know can hear it.

aedel

I hear this too, we have DirecTV. It started with the Emmys and also hear it during Terra Nova and Fringe, all Prime Time broadcasts on Fox. I have the bad feeling this is some sort of watermarking technology, inserted into the source signal to identify the content for emerging technologies.

PJL

Since people are hearing this on systems other than FiOS (Brighthouse, DIrecTV, etc.), then it would seem that the problem is not a FiOS issue.

NotVerizon1

I'm a Time Warner subscriber and I have experienced the same thing during football games (NFL and NCAA), not just on Fox (I heard it during a college football game on ABC in the early afternoon - so it's not just during the evening hours). I've only experienced it during sporting events, not during regular shows. When searching on the internet for info, all you find are forums or blogs. Where the heck CAN you go for info?

RotJ

Watching the NBA game on ABC right now. I'm hearing the beeping again.

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