http://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/ Engadget HD Comments for CableLabs names 15Mbps as "safe harbor bitrate" for MPEG2 HD VOD http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/
On most of the major broadcast companies' HD channels, their signal is overcompressed - either by them or the cable company (Time Warner in our case). Exactly the same issue as with most of the digital channels that suffer from pixelation, granular and fuzzy image. At least there you could blame it on SD on a large TV set.

In the few days we've had HD, we're not really impressed with the current state of affairs. Save for like HDnet and the HD music & sports channels, I find it sad to see HD suffer the same over digitization where it takes a second or two for enough pixels to arrive for an accurate & sharp representation of peoples faces, fuzzy logos, catch up with movement ...

I think our HD cable box may go back ... ]]>Jan 31st 2007 1:42PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/
I also see some folks say that a 19Mb/s rate as the "best" but that may be for full 1080p signals (which are limited to the HD DVD players ATM).]]>Feb 1st 2007 11:17AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/http://hd.engadget.com/2007/01/31/cablelabs-names-15mbps-as-safe-harbor-bitrate-for-mpeg2-hd-vod/
Of course the ladies tried to blame it on an inaccurate setup (sorry ladies I'm a geek, technology & wiring runs in my blood) and questioned my TV set as they have HD at home and don't see anything wrong. Maybe they need their eyes checked?

Upon leaving their office there was another customer who overheard our conversation and shared exactly the same opinion on bad signal, over compression and the lack of programs, in general.

I will miss HDnet though, it had consistently a very crisp high quality signal. I hope they keep up the good work for when I try HD again. ]]>Feb 1st 2007 4:42PM