Mpeg 4 question

[hbk409]

I asked this in another thread and it went pretty much unnoticed so i figured I would make it its own

correct me if im wrong but isnt voom already broadcasting or testing mpeg4 on one channel, 700 i believe? if you can get this channel then why would you need a card to get all the other channels when the switch to mpeg4?

 

[seandudley]

I don't think they are transmitting MPEG4 on channel 700. A PCMCIA card would be required to be installed in the current receivers to upgrade them to be capable of receiving MPEG4 transmissions.

 

[DarrellP]

They are testing the new Haromonic Encoders on 700, not MPEG-4.

 

[Walter L.]

They are testing the new Haromonic Encoders on 700, not MPEG-4.

Correct. In addition to that, they're testing MPEG4 in another channel that we don't get (I think Sean Mota was the one that mentioned it).

 

[hbk409]

Correct. In addition to that, they're testing MPEG4 in another channel that we don't get (I think Sean Mota was the one that mentioned it).

maybe i was getting those two confused then, i guess only the people inside voom know whos getting mpeg4 right now

 

[rtt2]

I thought the Uplink with the MPEG4 equipment was the one Cablevision agreed to sell to Echostar. It is my understanding the origingal uplink facility in Long Island NY is only MPEG2. This is the Uplink connected to Rainbow Media and the one VOOM will have to use in the future.

 

[riffjim4069]

Uplink, upschtink. They can move the decoders or buy new ones pretty quickly.

 

[rtt2]

With what funding?

 

[crspam]

Basic question for you all.......

What's so special about mpeg4??? Is it just a more compressed format which therefore results in more bandwidth? Or is it something else? I can't imagine it would do much of anything for pic quality since that's determined by the broadcaster and your tv. So....again, what's so special about a mpeg4 rollout?

thanks.

 

[riffjim4069]

With what funding?

Oh, please...is this a rhetorical question? Wait, don't' answer that! Obviously, I don't work for Cablevision, Rainbow DBS nor VOOM HD LLC for that matter, so I'm sure you realize that very few people are in a position to answer questions regarding their budget. However, common sense would indicate that VOOM HD LLC will depart with ample operating funds and---as it has been stated numerous times in the past---MPEG-4 is a priority for VOOM to achieve its operating goals.

 

[dougmcbride]

Basic question for you all.......

What's so special about mpeg4??? Is it just a more compressed format which therefore results in more bandwidth? Or is it something else? I can't imagine it would do much of anything for pic quality since that's determined by the broadcaster and your tv. So....again, what's so special about a mpeg4 rollout?

thanks.

You are fundamentally correct in saying that MPEG4 results in more bandwidth. Bandwidth and PQ are related in that the amount of bandwidth available dictates the "capability" of the transmission mechanism to maintain close to the original PQ available from its source. All compression schemes are not entirely lossless, and the amount of loss can be adjusted by the encoder to take up less bandwidth by accepting more loss when the data is decoded into a picture. Newer codecs like WMV-9 (now PC-1 I think) and the newer version of MPEG4 (both accepted as standards for the HDDVD and Blu Ray HD DVD formats) can do a better job of increasing compression with less overall loss of data.

So with more bandwidth you can either carry more channels, have less loss in the information being transmitted (remember, all of the picture is encoded digitally now so it is for all practical purposes, just data), or a combination. I vote for both, but if I had to pick (and I think a lot of Voomers with large displays feel the same) I'd go for PQ.

The cool thing about Voom STBs is that they have a slot for a new decoder in addition to the MPEG2 decoder built in. Statement of direction is to go with MPEG4, but it may also be possible in the future to use another card in that slot that does one of the newer codecs for even better "capability" for increased capacity and/or PQ.

I keep putting quotes around "capability" as it it up to the folks that own the encoders as to how far they turn the dial with regards to data loss. Folks that author DVDs do the same thing, which is why we sometimes see a wide variation of PQ on that medium - excluding crappy authoring practices...

Hope that helps,

Doug

 

[Phaetos]

Here is DirectTV's response to Mpeg-4. ... http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=44448

from their forums

 

[bradley]

The exchange ratio is approximately 3:1 compared to the present MPEG2 on Voom.

Rod Sterling demonstrates:

Visualize a 1,000 sq ft home.

Now wave the MPEG4 magic wand...

Poof!

You now have a 3,000 sq ft home (and higher property taxes).