HD Channel Count Up - HD Quality Down

[RAJH]

I just switched over to from Comcast to DirectTV and my very first impression of the HD picture quality was disappointing. I now have many more HD channels to choose from, my reason for switching, but the overall quality of what I am seeing is a step below what I was getting from Comcast. When I had Comcast I had the habit of flipping back between antenna and cable to see how much of a difference there was in picture quality. The difference I could see was hardly noticible in the favor of antenna. The same test between DirectTV and antenna shows a definite reduction in HD quality. The DirectTV picture lacks the clarity of the OTA signal.

Of all the HD services I have had to date I give them the below picture quality ranking.

#1 Dish
#2 Comcast
#3 DirectTV

 

[diat150]

yeah I found that the dish hd looked better also.

 

[Indiana627]

yeah I found that the dish hd looked better also.

That goes contrary to what just about every E* diehard has said since D* launched their new MPEG4 HD channels. D* MPEG2 HD channels do look bad - I will give you that.

 

[diat150]

Im just going by what I see. alot of it may have something to do with the programming. espn looks way worse. on the other hand the bond movies on mgm looked excellent.

 

[Indiana627]

How did Nip/Tuck look on FXHD last night? It looked great on D*... as does Stargate: Atlantis.

(j/k)

 

[diat150]

How did Nip/Tuck look on FXHD last night? It looked great on D*... as does Stargate: Atlantis.

(j/k)

I dont watch either of those shows and I dont subscribe to dish anymore.

 

[patrickpiteo]

How did Nip/Tuck look on FXHD last night? It looked great on D*... as does Stargate: Atlantis.

(j/k)

Yes the PQ was great on FXHD last night. I had E* and IMHO the PQ is better on the new channels on D*.

 

[charper1]

Yep, MPEG4 DirecTV is outstanding, anyone claiming they see otherwise (at this point) is just being stubborn and trying to grind some sort of axe IMHO. They should just pay to end their contracts and switch .

 

[stuckingoo]

That goes contrary to what just about every E* diehard has said since D* launched their new MPEG4 HD channels. D* MPEG2 HD channels do look bad - I will give you that.

I switched from Dish about 5 weeks ago to DirecTV and you're correct. E* HD PQ is inferior to D*

 

[uncrules]

Im just going by what I see. alot of it may have something to do with the programming. espn looks way worse. on the other hand the bond movies on mgm looked excellent.

ESPN HD is a MPEG2 channel which has bad PQ.
MGM is a MPEG4 channel which does have much better PQ.

These are the existing MPEG2 channels that have been around for a while and have bad PQ because they are on a different (bandwidth starved) satellite than than the one the new channels are on.

HBO East
Showtime East
ESPN2HD
EPSNHD
Universal HD
TNT-HD
HD Theater (aka Discovery HD Theater)
HDNet
HDNet Movies

Any other HD channel you see from D* is a MPEG4 channel and when that channel is showing a true HD program and not an upconvert, then the PQ is excellent.

 

[diat150]

ESPN HD is a MPEG2 channel which has bad PQ.
MGM is a MPEG4 channel which does have much better PQ.

These are the existing MPEG2 channels that have been around for a while and have bad PQ because they are on a different (bandwidth starved) satellite than than the one the new channels are on.

HBO East
Showtime East
ESPN2HD
EPSNHD
Universal HD
TNT-HD
HD Theater (aka Discovery HD Theater)
HDNet
HDNet Movies

Any other HD channel you see from D* is a MPEG4 channel and when that channel is showing a true HD program and not an upconvert, then the PQ is excellent.

hd theater is another one, but I have also seen alot of the episodes like mythbusters on dhd, and who its made on science channel that are listed as hd look pretty bad, alot of pixelation. some of it may be the programming but I dont recall seeing the same issues with dish. but of course everyones display and setup is different.

 

[MyDogHasFleas]

ESPN HD is a MPEG2 channel which has bad PQ.
MGM is a MPEG4 channel which does have much better PQ.

These are the existing MPEG2 channels that have been around for a while and have bad PQ because they are on a different (bandwidth starved) satellite than than the one the new channels are on.

HBO East
Showtime East
ESPN2HD
EPSNHD
Universal HD
TNT-HD
HD Theater (aka Discovery HD Theater)
HDNet
HDNet Movies

Any other HD channel you see from D* is a MPEG4 channel and when that channel is showing a true HD program and not an upconvert, then the PQ is excellent.

Well, that sucks for me. I was actually considering getting D* even though it's more expensive. But... HBO, ESPN, TNT, and HDNet are the HD channels I watch most! agggg...

any plans to convert these to MPEG4?

 

[Indiana627]

hd theater is another one, but I have also seen alot of the episodes like mythbusters on dhd, and who its made on science channel that are listed as hd look pretty bad, alot of pixelation. some of it may be the programming but I dont recall seeing the same issues with dish. but of course everyones display and setup is different.

Some the Mythbusters and How its Made are not actually HD - they are SD upconverts - you can blame the networks for trying to pull a fast one there. A dead giveaway to tell is the 14x9 picture that doesn't fill the entire 16x9 screen but leaves a little pillar box on side. My guess would be the older shows (as I don't watch these shows but have checked them out a little since D* HD expansion) are upconverts. I'm not sure about the newer shows.

Those channels are both capable of airing some fantastic looking true HD - some of the Build it Bigger shows on Science HD are breathtaking. I watched the one about the new Trump hotel in Chicago the other day and I was feeling dizzy watching him stand on top of the crane that was sitting on top of the building.

 

[patrickpiteo]

Well, that sucks for me. I was actually considering getting D* even though it's more expensive. But... HBO, ESPN, TNT, and HDNet are the HD channels I watch most! agggg...

any plans to convert these to MPEG4?

Yes they are but I watch those channels and I do not see those issues. I will say that the new channels look much sharper though.

 

[HDhysteria]

and I believe at this point that most locals on D* are still mpeg 2.. Can anybody confirm that? If so, switching between local's on D* and OTA could still be a big difference.

 

[rad]

The SD locals are MPEG2 but all the HD local's on D* are MPEG4. The only exception are the NYC and LA locals on the channel 80 range, but those two cities also have MPEG4 versions.

 

[Indiana627]

Well, that sucks for me. I was actually considering getting D* even though it's more expensive. But... HBO, ESPN, TNT, and HDNet are the HD channels I watch most! agggg...
any plans to convert these to MPEG4?

Yes they will all be MPEG4 someday, but I don't know when. HBOW HD is MPEG4 now, so a lot of people just record off of that instead of HBO.

and I believe at this point that most locals on D* are still mpeg 2.. Can anybody confirm that? If so, switching between local's on D* and OTA could still be a big difference.

rad is correct: all HD locals are MPEG4 except the old NYC/LA national feeds in the 80 channel range. For me here in Buffalo, the MPEG4 HD locals are indistinguishable from OTA HD.

 

[iceturkee]

i have found the hd from the new channels to be superior.....especially since i upgraded my main television. absolutely no complaints. i admit before i upgraded my tv, i couldn't see the difference between mpeg2 and mpeg4. i do now and there is no comparison!

 

[goaliebob99]

Yes they will all be MPEG4 someday, but I don't know when. HBOW HD is MPEG4 now, so a lot of people just record off of that instead of HBO.

If you flipp between HBO MPEG4 and HBO MPEG2 the diffrence is dramatic. I have been very impressed with the mpeg 4 channels on D*

 

[Smthkd]

All these have HD MPEG4 counteparts on there respective channels. Therefore it not fair to include them:
HBO East
Showtime East
ESPN2HD
ESPNHD
TNT-HD

BTW: This thread is crazy to think that the HD channels PQ are not good!!! D* have all channels except the MPEG2 channels in FULL HD Resolution. The PQ is better than all others carriers at the moment!