New HBO HD Channel versus Old HD Channel

[dkraft]

As of this morning, the HD channels located in the 70's, are they now coming off of the D10 sat or the old sat?

Example HDO

ch 70
ch 501
ch 509

[RunnerFL]

Old satellite, they are still Mpeg2 just mapped to go with the SD version like the new HD channels are for consistency.

[machavez00]

Ahh, but is 501 mpeg4?

[bwaldron]

Ahh, but is 501 mpeg4?

They are all mappings of the same (MPEG2) channel at this point.

[deepthinker]

In other words no pre-exisiting HD channel is being mirrored in MPEG4 on the new satellite. Only the new channels added and some locals are MPEG4 for now.

[Dusty]

They are all mappings of the same (MPEG2) channel at this point.

Not that I doubt you, but just curious how do we know that?

[TheMerk]

Not that I doubt you, but just curious how do we know that?

Pull the BBC off. You'll still get 501.

[RickD_99]

Not that I doubt you, but just curious how do we know that?


If one removes his/her BB convertor and rehooks the coax the remapped channels are still received, thus indicating that the channels are not being mirrored in MPEG4 on 103 (b).

[machavez00]

If one removes his/her BB convertor and rehooks the coax the remapped channels are still received, thus indicating that the channels are not being mirrored in MPEG4 on 103 (b).

aha!:biggthump

[xtc]

so the old HD channels like TNT which was on Ch. 75 and is now also available on Ch. 245 in HD - These are BOTH Mpeg2? When will they be available in Mpeg4? Would be great because we can record those channels and only use up Half the hard drive space vs. using the Mpeg2 version.

[LDLemu4U]

Then come Sunday we will lose not only TNT but some others on the 70's to give bandwith for the NFL Superfan...that is if they are still at Mpeg2.

[Dusty]

It seems then I should change my recording to HBO West for better PQ and smaller file size?

[DonCorleone]

It seems then I should change my recording to HBO West for better PQ and smaller file size?

HBOWest is only in SD so yes to the file size question, but no to PQ
When they send it in HD, same for PQ, but yes for file size b/c it will be in MPEG-4 vs. East in MPEG-2

[DVRaholic]

I Imagine they are doing the same with ShowtimeHD (East)
Are they ??

If this is true I assume the ShowtimeHD West feed, since it is "New" is in MPEG-4

Guess I will just set Dexter to record on the HD West feed in MPEG-4
for the Better PQ :)

[TheMerk]

Guess I will just set Dexter to record on the HD West feed in MPEG-4
for the Better PQ :)

+1

Mpeg2 D* channels are dead to me... :)

[lobofanina]

+1

Mpeg2 D* channels are dead to me... :)

Death jokes while talking about Dexter, classic. :lol:

[theantidote]

If you need help checking which channel is on which satellite just ask me...I can't get anything from the 119 sat because of a tree so I don't get any of the Mpeg2 channels, such as HDNet, ESPN, and HBO HD. I will be the first to post a topic when (if) they switch those over because I will be so glad that I finally got them back!

[Dusty]

HBOWest is only in SD so yes to the file size question, but no to PQ
When they send it in HD, same for PQ, but yes for file size b/c it will be in MPEG-4 vs. East in MPEG-2

I thought HBO west was launched. Isn't it supposed to?

[lwilli201]

Keeping the current HD channels in MPEG2, they will be able to put more nationals on 103b before D11 comes on line. I see those channels going MPEG4 from D11.

[Gmaxx]

Keeping the current HD channels in MPEG2, they will be able to put more nationals on 103b before D11 comes on line. I see those channels going MPEG4 from D11.

Not to mention that when those channels go mpeg4, all D* customers with legacy equipment will have zero HD channels.

[lwilli201]

Not to mention that when those channels go mpeg4, all D* customers with legacy equipment will have zero HD channels.

I agree the HD's in the 70's will be MPEG2 untill they are turned off. Changing the currently mirrored channels to MPEG4 would allow those with HR20/21 to record more content. D11 should have the capacity to do that.

[DonCorleone]

I thought HBO west was launched. Isn't it supposed to?

For a while, that's what we had thought, but then it dropped off the September list. I want to say it's on the October list, but I actually don't think so. There's a nother thread around here about some issues with D* and HBO, but, I'm too lazy to do a search right now.

[kintaro]

I just switched my Weeds, Californication, and Dexter passes to Showtime West HD. I will miss seeing them earlier (7pm vs 10pm) but I rarely watched them when they came one anyway. Space is much more important to me at the moment. I'm down to about 13% left, damn HD movies. :D

[rbrome]

As of this morning, the HD channels located in the 70's, are they now coming off of the D10 sat or the old sat?

Example HDO

ch 70
ch 501
ch 509

I get that 70 is old, but what about 501 vs 509? Why are there two, and which one should I put in my guide and use for series links?! :confused:

Same question for SHO: 537 or 543?

[Racer88]

Because non-MPEG4 IRD's can't stack HD and SD versions on the same channel number.

Whichever one floats your boat. They are all the same thing.

[RunnerFL]

I get that 70 is old, but what about 501 vs 509? Why are there two, and which one should I put in my guide and use for series links?! :confused:

Same question for SHO: 537 or 543?


70, 501 and 509 are exactly the same signal coming from exactly the same satellite. Which one you use in your favorites or series links is up to you.

Same goes for 71, 537 and 543.

[rbrome]

Because non-MPEG4 IRD's can't stack HD and SD versions on the same channel number.

Whichever one floats your boat. They are all the same thing.

Aha!

(I assume "IRD" means the set-top box / receiver, correct?)

In that case, it sounds like 501 is the "new way" and probably the least likely to be phased out down the road. I'll use that.

[rbrome]

70, 501 and 509 are exactly the same signal coming from exactly the same satellite. Which one you use in your favorites or series links is up to you.

Same goes for 71, 537 and 543.

Well, no... I understand about them all being the same actual signal, but it's my understanding that the 70s will be phased out sooner or later. In which case you should change all of your series links to 501 or you will suddenly start missing recordings when 70 goes off air.

Therefore my question was whether there was potentially a similar issue with 501 and 509. It sounds like there might be. 509 sounds like a legacy channel that could be phased out when all subscribers have MPEG-4-capable boxes.

[Racer88]

Right now all anyone knows(or can guess at?) is that all the channel numbers are mapped to the same encoded channel identifier in the data stream. So...

Once a MPEG4 equivalent of HBO East, for example, does go live it will have a new channel identifier so any existing series links to 501 will still have to be redone anyway. So right now it really doesn't matter.

Of course I could be totally wrong about this......

[twistedT]

Not that I doubt you, but just curious how do we know that?

An easy way to tell is before the channel changes to Mpeg4 the screen will go gray and then the picture will come on. With Mpeg2 the screen will go black and then the picture will come on. :)

[KCCardsfan]

I just switched my Weeds, Californication, and Dexter passes to Showtime West HD. I will miss seeing them earlier (7pm vs 10pm) but I rarely watched them when they came one anyway. Space is much more important to me at the moment. I'm down to about 13% left, damn HD movies. :D


I added an external 500GB & have a mix of 23hrs MPEG2/MPEG4, mostly MPEG4 & still have 78% left. Did this a few days before the 21 channels launched & glad I did, now I can save some movies & watch them when I want, before I was watching right away & then deleting.

[KCCardsfan]

Well, no... I understand about them all being the same actual signal, but it's my understanding that the 70s will be phased out sooner or later. In which case you should change all of your series links to 501 or you will suddenly start missing recordings when 70 goes off air.

Therefore my question was whether there was potentially a similar issue with 501 and 509. It sounds like there might be. 509 sounds like a legacy channel that could be phased out when all subscribers have MPEG-4-capable boxes.

You answered your own question, just set your HBO-EastHD to record on ch-501.

[elvistcb]

Well, no... I understand about them all being the same actual signal, but it's my understanding that the 70s will be phased out sooner or later. In which case you should change all of your series links to 501 or you will suddenly start missing recordings when 70 goes off air.

Therefore my question was whether there was potentially a similar issue with 501 and 509. It sounds like there might be. 509 sounds like a legacy channel that could be phased out when all subscribers have MPEG-4-capable boxes.

Weird problem I've had since last year when I got the HR20...... Series links would not record for me on 70 but would on 509. I changed them all to 501 this last week........... I hope that one works! I am nervous about taking them off the 509.

So be careful if you use 70.

[cartrivision]

Pull the BBC off. You'll still get 501.

That doesn't prove if something is MPEG2. You can receive MPEG4 HD on an HR20 without BBCs. For instance none of my MPEG4 HD locals go away if I remove the BBCs.

One way to determine if something is MPEG4 is to watch it at FF1 speed. MPEG2 source will be smooth fast motion and MPEG4 is a jumpier fast motion, although that too could possibly change if MPEG encoding algorithms change.

That said, ch 501 is indeed MPEG2 right now.