PQ Improvement?

[himini]

OK I guess I don't know for absolute sure, but I feel like the picture quality improved significantly on most if not all HD channels ever since the "TurboHD" thing started. I hadn't said anything until now because I wanted to see if it stuck, but I feel it's been better for long enough now. The main difference I have seen has been fewer artifacts during movement, but I also think there are fewer compression artifacts in general.

Has anyone else seen this improvement? Is is due to MPEG-4 compression? If so, I must have been wrong in thinking we had been on MPEG-4 for a while before the TurboHD thing started.

Thanks for any responses. Forgive me if this has already been covered.

[BattleZone]

Many HD channels were in MPEG4 for well over a year, but around 10 of the earliest and most-watched HD channels were still in MPEG2 until a month ago, when they were converted to MPEG4.

[Stewart Vernon]

Many HD channels were in MPEG4 for well over a year, but around 10 of the earliest and most-watched HD channels were still in MPEG2 until a month ago, when they were converted to MPEG4.

As far as I'm aware, Dish has not yet converted those (I assume you are referring to ESPN, HBO, SHO, HDNet, HDNet Movies, TNT, HD Theater) to MPEG4, except for the Eastern Arc customers.

[Ron Barry]

Well I will say that the TBS ALCS games were stunning except for the occasional microblocking issues I say.. I was very impressed. I don't recall that last year.

[ZBoomer]

I've noticed HD looking very good as well, especially the HD Local's I just got setup for, which look identical to OTA when I switch back and forth. I'm pretty impressed. I also watched some of game 7 of the ALCS on TBS, and it looked awesome.

I wish they'd flip all the old MPEG2 channels over to MPEG4, so they would take less space on DVR if anything...

Why not do it, flip them over? Are there some HD receivers that can't do MPEG4?

I still think the VOOM channels were the highest quality HD we had, but oh well.

[BattleZone]

Why not do it, flip them over? Are there some HD receivers that can't do MPEG4?


Dish has been replacing 811, 921, and 942 receivers with ViP-series receivers for 4-5 months already. Most of them have been replaced, but some people have either not responded to the calls/letters or have refused to be upgraded. Those people will soon lose the ability to get ANY TV, as those receivers will not be upgraded to support the new encryption system (Nagravision 3).

[PghGuy]

Interesting question...I actually noticed an improvement on the "cbs-c HD" channel this past weekend for the Pitt/Navy football game. In the past this channel has been pretty bad but the game looked really good (although it could be just a result of finally showing some real HD, lol).

[Ron Barry]

One thing to remember and I believe it still holds true. There are a lot of factors that go into making good HD content and two of them is source material and how well the encoding process so that always has to play a factor and to some extent that is not controlled by any of the Sat or Cable companies.

Bottom line.. HD will be a mixed bag for a long time. Some great and some not so great.

[ZBoomer]

Dish has been replacing 811, 921, and 942 receivers with ViP-series receivers for 4-5 months already. Most of them have been replaced, but some people have either not responded to the calls/letters or have refused to be upgraded. Those people will soon lose the ability to get ANY TV, as those receivers will not be upgraded to support the new encryption system (Nagravision 3).

Ahh, IC. Thanks for that info...

Question, I am seeing some odd duplicate channels, 6201-6207 in the guide. They are labeled TNT, ESPN, HDNET, HBO-E, HDTHR, and SHO-E.

The guides just say "no description available" but these channels are mirrors of the channels listed as the description. They are in the clear, and I can watch them.

Are these possibly MPEG-4 versions of these channels, ready to go? I've seen these for a while and been wondering they they are. Can't set any timers or anything on them, except manual.