DBSTalk Forum banner
Cancel

MPEG4 channels look great!

1977 Views 16 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  TigersFanJJ, 
M
Right now I'm watching ESPN2HD and it just looks immaculate. Baseball Tonight is as sharp as I've ever seen it (between Time Warner, Dish, and D*), the colors look great, and all in all I'm happy!

This is how HDTV is supposed to be!
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
Paul A
mlb said:
Right now I'm watching ESPN2HD and it just looks immaculate. Baseball Tonight is as sharp as I've ever seen it (between Time Warner, Dish, and D*), the colors look great, and all in all I'm happy!

This is how HDTV is supposed to be!
Click to expand...
tru that!!!

mo better!!!
Reply
Save
Like
heisman
The new versions have much less color and definitely have a softer picture overall. Cleaner lines and less blocking, however, is a definite improvement. It's just like anything else, there are going to be tradeoffs in compression.
Reply
Save
Like
Davenlr
ESPN is only 720... check out HDNetMovies... I watched E.T. tonight, as I've never seen it in HD, and the quality was spectacular, as was the 5.1.

Also to be noted, the SOURCE is still 90% Mpeg2...So even tho Directv is recompressing their MPeg2 feed to Mpeg4, the quality is going to be dependent upon the bandwidth of their feed, be it FSN's (fed 3 HD channels per transponder), or ATSC (how many subchannels are sucking bandwidth from Directv's feed?). If and when PBS-HD is added, it will be a good benchmark, as its feed is two HD channels per transponder. I'm not sure is HDNet is using two per, or use separate transponders for each channel. Looks good tho, for sure.
Reply
Save
Like
Holydoc
Has anyone else had problems setting up series recording? I attempted it on the new TNT for the Closer and it did not mark the program as a first run. However on the original TNT channel it did mark the program as a first run.

I guess I shall see Monday if it marks the series for recording. It may be that the GUIDE needs a bit of tweaking now that the channels are set up. :rolleyes:
Reply
Save
Like
Davenlr
The episode at 8/7c shows rerun, but the one at 9/8c shows first run on my HR20...
Reply
Save
Like
John4924
Davenlr said:
ESPN is only 720... check out HDNetMovies... I watched E.T. tonight, as I've never seen it in HD, and the quality was spectacular, as was the 5.1.

Also to be noted, the SOURCE is still 90% Mpeg2...So even tho Directv is recompressing their MPeg2 feed to Mpeg4, the quality is going to be dependent upon the bandwidth of their feed, be it FSN's (fed 3 HD channels per transponder), or ATSC (how many subchannels are sucking bandwidth from Directv's feed?). If and when PBS-HD is added, it will be a good benchmark, as its feed is two HD channels per transponder. I'm not sure is HDNet is using two per, or use separate transponders for each channel. Looks good tho, for sure.
Click to expand...
Can you please explain more fully that the "source" is mpeg2? Are you saying that for instance, Directv picks up OTA channels via an antenna [like we would] which is broadcast in mpeg2? They then uplink through mpeg4 encoder, and our receivers "decode" mpeg4?

So wouldn't channels like ESPN, HDNet, etc. be giving Directv a direct source feed, and the mpeg4 encoding process will do a much better job of producing a "cleaner" picture.

I must say, I watched some of Nascar Now on ESPN2HD last night, and I have never seen ESPN look this good!

Can't wait to see my NO Saints play on ESPN next Thursday night! :)

Thanks & cheers,
John
Reply
Save
Like
J
John4924 said:
Can you please explain more fully that the "source" is mpeg2? Are you saying that for instance, Directv picks up OTA channels via an antenna [like we would] which is broadcast in mpeg2? They then uplink through mpeg4 encoder, and our receivers "decode" mpeg4?

So wouldn't channels like ESPN, HDNet, etc. be giving Directv a direct source feed, and the mpeg4 encoding process will do a much better job of producing a "cleaner" picture.
Click to expand...
Even off the air HD signals are encoded using Mpeg-2. The issue here is what the impact of available bandwidth from the signal provider (encoded in Mpeg-2 for most sources other than HBO which is Mpeg-4) has on the picture quality as it's delivered to DirecTV before being re-encoded in Mpeg-4.
Reply
Save
Like
M
heisman said:
The new versions have much less color and definitely have a softer picture overall. Cleaner lines and less blocking, however, is a definite improvement. It's just like anything else, there are going to be tradeoffs in compression.
Click to expand...
I thought the color was better on my 2 HDTVs, personally. The picture was not soft in any way, IMO. I guess to each their own...
Reply
Save
Like
wilbur_the_goose
There's nothing wrong with MPEG-2. It just gets "bad" when you over-compress it, which D* has had to do for the last couple of years with HD.
Reply
Save
Like
VaJim
I checked a few of the 'revised' channels last night on my HR-21 700 (Sony 46") and I didn't really notice any mind blowing changes. Most (those that are HD) looked good before and they looked good last night. Was I suppose to be able to smell something?:confused: :lol:
Reply
Save
Like
dshu82
I did not think I would notice, but my fiance happened to be watching a movie on HD Net when I got home. I changed in the Favorites list, telling her now 552. Even she noticed the difference, which is saying a lot. I noticed the graphics were a lot sharper on ESPN also..... good stuff.
Reply
Save
Like
C
:p Heck i even thought TNT looked better! or is it mass hysteria?
Reply
Save
Like
Holydoc
Davenlr said:
The episode at 8/7c shows rerun, but the one at 9/8c shows first run on my HR20...
Click to expand...
Davenlr,

Excuse my naiveness but how do you know one is a rerun and the other is not? What I did was to go to the 4 August date in the GUIDE and selected the 7c show (the one that was originally aired on ..) and started a series link to record only First Runs. What happened is the 7c show (the repeat) was marked to record but the 8c show (the new one) was not. When I scrolled to 11 August 2008, no shows were marked to record.

I deleted all series recordings of the Closer, rebooted, and reestablished the series link by
1) going to the SEARCH function
2) Searching for CLOSER
3) Selecting the one on Channel 245
4) Set up a Series link for only FIRST RUNS

I then checked the GUIDE and still no Closers set to record. I checked the TO-DO list and no Closers set to record.

Any suggestions?
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
JLucPicard
I've noticed when I set series links that I don't always see the end result right away as far as the To Do list and the red-circle R in the guide. Don't have a good idea how long it takes for them all to show up, but mine haven't been close to immediate.
Reply
Save
Like
wilbur_the_goose
and to think that 2 years ago I was a luddite that thougt MPEG-4 was snake oil. Boy, am I glad I switched to the HR20!
Reply
Save
Like
TigersFanJJ
JLucPicard said:
I've noticed when I set series links that I don't always see the end result right away as far as the To Do list and the red-circle R in the guide. Don't have a good idea how long it takes for them all to show up, but mine haven't been close to immediate.
Click to expand...
This is especially true after a reboot. It takes a little while for the guide to repopulate.
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
DBSTalk Forum
A forum community dedicated to digital bit streaming enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about programming, content, and reception, home theaters, displays, models, styles, satellites, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
DIRECTV General Discussion DIRECTV HD DVR/Receiver Discussion DIRECTV Programming General DISH™ Discussion DIRECTV Installation/MDU Discussion
Top