The Engadget HD Interview: DirecTV's CTO RE: HD Lite
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Jan 11th 2007 3:36AM
posted Jan 11th 2007 3:36AM
After we finished covering the DirecTV press conference, we had a chance to catch up with Rômulo Pontual the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of DirecTV and ask him some questions about HD Lite and DirecTV's HD locals distribution methods. We were very surprised that he would answer our questions considering the current pending lawsuit against DirecTV for HD Lite.Have you ever heard of the term HD Lite?
Yeah.
What do you think of that term?
I don't know what it means. HD Lite is when you take 1920x1080 and shave it down to 1280x1080i which is what many believe DirecTV does and some have actually confirmed it in different ways. Is there a reason why you cut down the resolution?
We spend a huge amount of resources to optimize our transmission and the configuration we have today is the configuration that is the best video quality for the consumer, I don't want to tell you how, because it is a trade secret. Consumers should judge by the video quality.
So you are saying to ignore the specs and look at the quality and that is where the proof is?
Put the screens side by side and look at the quality.
So you think that even if another provider has a higher bit rate and a higher resolution, your picture quality is better because your compression technology, despite the bit rate?
Bit rate is not a good measure, if it was MPEG4 would be worse than MPEG2, you have to put them side by side and see the quality. Because we have generations of equipment and they improve with each generation, they improve motion sensing, pre-fusing, all of those improvement need to be accounted for, so put them side by side.
You don't feel that DirecTV has sacrificed picture quality at all in order to deliver more HD channels?
Everything in life is a balance, we are not contained in capacity with MPEG4, but we were in MPEG2. MPEG4 will be a leap better in in terms of quality. I could argue that our local MPEG4 transmission today is even better than a ATSC signal.
Another question about your local HD delivery? My understanding is that in Tampa rather than installing an MPEG4 encoder at each local affiliate, DirecTV has a antenna in Tampa that they use to receive the local channels and then DirecTV transcodes the compressed MPEG2 signal to MPEG4 for delivery to subscribers. Is this accurate?
We have multiple way of collecting the signal, it varies market to market, supplier by supplier. I don't know if that is how Tampa channels are done.
Is that one of the scenarios?
There are cases where we get the ATSC signal OTA.
Is it DirecTV's goal to install the transcoders into the local affiliates so that you can encode the source, rather re-compress the ATSC signal?
It is our goal to be a forfront of quality and in the case of this collection of ATSC which is MPEG2 it will be at a lower quality, and we will try to find a way to get the signal at a higher quality.
Any time line on this goal? It seems interesting that you would want to set it up once and have to go back and redo it.
It depends, the same suppliers may get better MPEG2 encoders and they may decide to dedicate more bandwidth to their HDTV channel.
Either way with all multi-casting thats going on today with the local affiliates, wouldn't it always be better to grab the original source from the affiliate before it goes into the MPEG2 encoder?
We have a process to do that, the supply isn't always ready to do that, how they operate, it's cost related, it's a case by case.
Thanks for your time.
as far as anyone knows, are there any local markets in which directv/dish have a mpeg4 encoder embedded in the local channels broadcast site before the mpeg2 encoder?
while it is possible, i don't see a tv station even going for it myself
generally the sats either grab them off antenna, or grab them at the antennas where the feeds are sent already encoded
How do you think DirecTV and Dish got SD locals on MPEG2 long before digital TV was even a reality?
So where do i insert this darn quarter so i can go ahead and smack this guys lips off his face!
SOOO... Basically, he didn't really answer any of the questions. Rather, he just went on to say that just because there's evidence proving that DirecTV's HD quality is low (i.e. the picture resolution and the bit rate), doesn't mean it is actually low.
I can not say whether DirecTV's is or isn't a quality HD feed but I have I can say that with Dish Network's, I am sometimes disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the HD feeds look amazing and are at least 10x better looking than the SD feeds, but I still feel like they could be better. The same can be said about Dish's SD feeds (which I honestly think look terrible when compared to my analog cable feed).
Sometimes I wonder if the HDMI cable that I use to connect my satellite set-top-box to my plasma may have an effect on the picture quality. Could someone clarifiy this for me: Since HDMI is a digital signal rather than analog, for the most part, the quality of the picture is not going to change with the quality of the cable, right? I know that for analog signals, having a good cable is essential to having a good picture. But with digital, you either get the full signal or little to none at alll, right?
The cable would not be the problem...unless its over 30-40 feet ....but it wouldnt look like a quality problem...it would be a transmission problem with video and audio dropouts.
So there were no questions about the new HD channels they announced? Like how the addition of these new channels will effect the quality of the rest of the signal?
They say new HD channels will look better because the new Satellites they are launching this year will use MPEG4 and since they are will have plenty of bandwidth they can provide better picture quality. Of course this will not effect the current HD channels unless they move them to the new Satellite.
All I want is for D* to update the H20-100 box to fix the HDMI problem with Samsung tv's!
What problem do you have with hdmi and Samsung TVs? I install for DTV and noticed that component cables gave a warmer pic than HDMI. This was a H20-600 and Samsung projection set
This is all bs. What a tool. I just cancelled my DirectTV service and couldn't be happier. The cable service I get is visibly superior to DirectTV's. When I called they tried every tactic to keep me, even talked about the 150 HD channels coming out later this year. I think it will be one channel available here, one there, another over there, to add up to 150, if they add any at all. I will believe this when I see it. And who's to say the cable companies won't get these channels when DirectTV does? I'm holding onto cable until FIOS is available. Sorry for the rant but these DirectTV jackholes piss me off to no end.
sooo.. this read like it was a really uncomfortable interview, no wonder we didn't get any other questions..
GUILTY!
He basically dodged the issue(s). He has no explanation for why the national HD and SD channels look so bad as well.
His implication that MPEG4 provides higher PQ than MPEG2 is a distortion. MPEG4 is merely a more efficient compression format. By stating that MPEG4 will be a leap better in terms of quality he's only promising they will not be overcompressing the signal as they are now. It's all too aparent how well DirecTV keeps it's promises.
As far as the new HD channels go(is it 50, 70, or 150?), I suspect, even if DirecTV fulfills this one promise, we(DirecTV subs)will still be the last ones to get them.
Typical corporate America line of BS!
Lies on top of lies side-stepping all of the questions.
"the configuration we have today is the configuration that is the best video quality for the consumer, I don't want to tell you how, because it is a trade secret. Consumers should judge by the video quality."
Consumers have judged. It's not called HD Lite for nothing.
Maybe it's just me, but it seems to me that the HD quality I've seen lately via DirecTV has been more crisp since this whole HD-lite suit came their way. Like they quietly improved the picture so more people wouldn't complain.
Anyone else notice this? I've particularly noticed this on HBO. The last few shows I've watched live or via my HR-20 look outstanding!
Frankly, I'm staying w/ DTV no matter what until the Ticket goes elsewhere. But I really hope they come through w/ this HD stuff!! I can't afford to add cable as well.
Is it just me? or does Rômulo Pontual come across a bit slimy and underhanded in that interview?
Yeah..... We have put them side-by-side chief.
Guess what? Your picture quality SUCKS compared to cable.
Nice try.
Wait a sec....
You had the chance to ask this gentlemen about whether DirecTV would go back to partnering with TiVo for DVR technology - now that Rupert Murdoch and his NDS company are out of the picture (no pun intended) - and you blew that chance to ask questions that you knew this executive would sidestep due to the pending class action lawsuit? Genius.
You bring up a very good point Jeremy.
Actually I did ask Robert Mercer the Director of PR that same question, they don't have any plans to do another deal with TiVo. I did tell him that they should and a number of others were there to express their frustration over the HR20 and HR15 and plea with them to go back to TiVo.
I'm with Jeremy and TonyD on this one.
Maybe its just the portions of the interview that you chose to publish, but it seems you beat a pretty dead horse with this line of questioning when you could have dug for some future direction technology platform questions... MS Partnership, VOD delivery mechanism anything but this HDLite BS. My DTV picture still looks better than my neighbors crappy Comcast picture. Crappy interview Ben.
Any comments on their previously announced plans with Microsoft? Nothing more mentioned on this for months from MS or Directv. In fact, all recent articles lead me to believe that Microsoft is focused on IPTV. DirecTV and Vista would have made a pretty nice combo.
Any comments on their previously announced plans with Microsoft? Nothing more mentioned on this for months from MS or Directv. In fact, all recent articles lead me to believe that Microsoft is focused on IPTV. DirecTV and Vista would have made a pretty nice combo.
Someone from Microsoft said they were still working on it and that CableCARD support was designed in such a way that would help them to support DirecTV as well.
This was more of a harassment session than an interview.
Maybe you could befriend these people and get some real answer, break a story first, etc. As it is now, he will never want to talk to you again.
How will they deal with early adopters?
I have a pair of the HD DirecTiVo HR 10-250 units and I just do not want to give up TiVo! all the problems that I have heard about the HD DVR that the sell to replace it just add to that conviction.
Also these receivers were EXPENSIVE when DirecTV sold them to me just a few years ago...
If they are going to render them obsolete less than 5 or 6 years after selling them for $1000 each (I know they ended up dumping them for almost nothing but we at the Bleeding edge spent big bucks for them) then I sure hope they have some plans for folks like me!
I was one of the first 100 users of DirecTV in New England when they launched the service and it would be nice to see them treat the charter users fairly!
Yeah, I've got 3 hr10-250's and they have been very nice to us.
It's got Tivo and that works quite well. Better then my Comcast HDDVR at home.
I'm in the Chicago market and to be honest I don't see a quality issue with either my Comcast or the DirectTV HD channels. They both look real good with the right TV. Comcast has done a lot in the last 5 months cleaning up the picture.
I like TIVO and am simply mad at both of them for not letting me have access to the DVR throught the usb or network port. Now I'm in the process of trying to build a HD DVR of my own. So I can watch my shows on the road. I even have a Sling box classic with a video downconverter so I can watch a HD signal through the sling. (best sling picture possible) There's a new HD option for the new sling box but I don't need it. (there video downconverter isn't a good as the comercial one I'm using. Oh you though the sling was going to transmitt at the higher rez? Nope you would be wrong)
Anyway, It would be nice to see more free HD movie channels. If there just going to add HD pay-per-view and Premium channels then that's just stupid.
I think of the HD package as a premium package so there better be something there for me to watch.
One issue I am surprise to see missing is the absolutely appalling customer support in regards to home service calls. I have had tech support out to the house three times since installing the new DTV HDR-20 and am currently waiting for a fourth service call to current a black screen issue on all channels. They originally told me it would me a 7-day wait for any service, but agreed to have someone come out in "only" five days. This is one of the main reasons people left cable for the dish, and may be movement back to cable in the future.
i am not saying this guy is BSing but he knows how to not answere a question straight forward. did you say this guy work in the PR department? because it seems to me if the evidence says one thing that means the evidence is in compliance with the lawsuit in question
In response to supaneko's comments...whether digital or analog, cable quality does matter. You can find all sorts of optical and coaxial (digital) audio cables out there. Ranging from a few bucks to well over a $100 depending on the quality.
It doesn't matter what type of signal it is, the better the cable, the better the picture.
I just switched from Comcast to DTV and since I am a HD fanatic, noticed the quality to be about the same. Discover ch seems to have the best quality HD pictures so use that channel to compare. I like their new Plus HD DVR better than the Comcast DVR and have had no problem yet. The sound seems more crisp and clearer. I miss the local (Los Angeles) PBS HD which Comcast have and ofcourse the National Geogaphic HD which the Dish Network have. The more pressing issue for me is with the International channel (Korean) and the program listing. Some listings are totally MISSING, some listings show one but broadcast totally different program, and time slots are in error. Starting earlier than listed and or going longer than listed so trying to watch your favorite programs from Korea and or trying to record them is TOTALLY out of the question! If I had known this problem, I would not have switched from Comcast. I called about this issue but has not been corrected yet. International subscribers, beware!!!
Get this issues resolved and addtional HD chs and Direct TV will become a viable alternative to Dish or your local cable service...specially if they get their new satellite up and running!
Brandon, please explain to everyone how a $100 hdmi cable beats a $5 hdmi cable in terms of picture quality.
Here's my explanation:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/hdmi-cable-ripoff-continues-cable-prices-go-even-lower-elsewhere-238443.php