Comsumer Reports. PQ on D better then PQ on E.

[harshness]

Harshness, can you possibly explain the path a signal takes from initial dispersment to the end product received at our TV and what happens to the signal at it's various points of possible signal degradation?

I could, but it would take a rather long time and would involve many elements that have little to no impact on the finished product.

Remember that this is all in the digital domain so most of the analog demons are not in play.

There are two main sources of degradation (ignoring rain fade):

• The "profiling" that the carrier does to make their signal compress well
• The real-time compression and multiplexing process to cram everything in

The multiplexing process typically happens twice for local channels but only once for cable channels.

It is also important to note that the compression is dynamic so the PQ varies with the combined channel load and may vary widely across time.

The point is that try as you might, there will never be a substitute for judging with your own eyes. If you're eyes (or your TV) aren't very good, you may well be wasting your time worrying about it. If your eyesight and your TV are good, don't let anyone else tell you what you must be seeing.

 

[Hall]

If your eyesight and your TV are good, don't let anyone else tell you what you must be seeing.