Mpeg-4 local channel mapping

912 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by vsmith30, Jan 21, 2007

NYHeel

Discussion Starter · Dec 21, 2006

I'm getting an Hr20 installed shortly and I had a question about how the Mpeg-4 local channels from the satellite work. Currently I have an hr10 with 3 lnb dish in the NY area so I have the Mpeg-2 channels at 80, 82, 86, and 88. I also have the SD versions at 2(CBS), 4(NBC), 5(FOX), and 7(ABC). Where do the Mpeg-4 channels get mapped to? Do they get mapped to 2, 4, 5, and 7? If so what happens to the SD versions?

I know it seems weird since who wants SD when you can have HD, but there are reasons to have SD channels available as well. One case is for non-HD shows like Amazing Race. Since it's not in HD I'd rather record it on the SD channel to save space. Also, during the College Basketball tournament the HD CBS often has a different game on than the SD CBS (CBS is too darn cheap to buy a few more HD cameras).

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Earl Bonovich

· #2 · Dec 21, 2006

SAT-HD 2 4 5 7
SAT-SD 2 4 5 7

If you enter 2, you will be taken to the HD version.
If you want the SD version, you will have to channel up

Or select it from the guide.

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Stuart Sweet

· #3 · Dec 21, 2006

You won't be able to get MPEG-4 locals until you get the 5-LNB dish. When you do, you'll see two 2's, two 4's, etc. If you hook up your antenna you'll also see 2-1, 4-1, 5-1, etc.

Speaking for myself, the SD versions are labeled LA2, LA4, etc and the MPEG-4 HD channels are labeled KCBS, KNBC, etc. It's probably similar for NY locals (NY2 vs WCBS).

EDIT: Earl must be as bored at work as I am today - he's superquick on the keyboard!

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jcloudm

· #4 · Dec 21, 2006

By default, you actually see both versions with the same number (2, 4, 5 and 7 in your case). In the Denver market the SD locals have descriptive text show up as DN4, DN7, DN9, DN31. The HD locals show up with their actual call signs (KCNC, KMGH, KUSA, KDVR). OTA locals show up with their call signs, but the numbers (again in Denver) are 4-1, 7-1, 9-1, 31-1. Does that answer your question?

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NYHeel

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 21, 2006

jcloudm said:
By default, you actually see both versions with the same number (2, 4, 5 and 7 in your case). In the Denver market the SD locals have descriptive text show up as DN4, DN7, DN9, DN31. The HD locals show up with their actual call signs (KCNC, KMGH, KUSA, KDVR). OTA locals show up with their call signs, but the numbers (again in Denver) are 4-1, 7-1, 9-1, 31-1. Does that answer your question?

Thanks to everyone for the ridiculously fast response. One more question is can I still setup a season pass on the SD version of a channel only (say for the Amazing Race)? I would assume that if the channel is there in the guide you can do it but you know what they say about people who assume.

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Earl Bonovich

· #6 · Dec 21, 2006

Yes, you can still set it up for the SD version.
I do this for most of the game shows (Deal or No Deal, 1 vs 100, ect)

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Stuart Sweet

· #7 · Dec 21, 2006

Earl Bonovich said:
Yes, you can still set it up for the SD version.
I do this for most of the game shows (Deal or No Deal, 1 vs 100, ect)

Funny that you mention those two. They are practically unwatchable on the HD feeds. I don't know the correct term when referring to broadcast, but in graphics, one would say that they had too much unsharp masking applied. Everything is in sharp relief, with white and black halos around them.

Those are the only two which I specifically watch on the SD feeds. Everything else looks better on the HD feed (fewer compression artifacts)

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Zippy

· #8 · Jan 19, 2007

Earl Bonovich said:
SAT-HD 2 4 5 7
SAT-SD 2 4 5 7

If you enter 2, you will be taken to the HD version.
If you want the SD version, you will have to channel up

Or select it from the guide.

Maybe this has already been answered, but if it has, I can't find it or I don't get it. Why do they do this? Not that I really care since I can get the HD feed, but I find it really strange. If you have HD, why not just map to the HD feed?? I think its more confusing to people than anything. if you record an SD show on the HD feed wouldn't it still record in SD?

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Nolzman

· #9 · Jan 19, 2007

NYHeel said:
... I know it seems weird since who wants SD when you can have HD, but there are reasons to have SD channels available as well. One case is for non-HD shows like Amazing Race. Since it's not in HD I'd rather record it on the SD channel to save space. ...

This raises a couple of questions.

Does recording a SD program on an MPEG4 channel really take up more space than the same program on the SD channel? If so, why? Does it really stream full bandwidth for SD programs?

Also, does the MPEG4 channels pad the sides of the broadcast for SD shows, so that I cannot have the DVR stretch the screen? If so, does this occur all the time or just some of the time?

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vsmith30

· #10 · Jan 21, 2007

Nolzman said:
This raises a couple of questions.

Does recording a SD program on an MPEG4 channel really take up more space than the same program on the SD channel? If so, why? Does it really stream full bandwidth for SD programs?

Also, does the MPEG4 channels pad the sides of the broadcast for SD shows, so that I cannot have the DVR stretch the screen? If so, does this occur all the time or just some of the time?

I'm also curious to know if anyone has the answer to these questions.

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