HD compression goes under the microscope

Considering the recent hullabaloo over Comcast and Rogers Cable deciding to (over) compress at least part of their respective HD lineups, Electronic House's latest writeup is particularly timely. It's investigation into HD Lite reveals quite a few tidbits that everyone should know, but often get overlooked in the uproar. Put simply, every high-def channel that gets piped your way is compressed in some form or fashion (that includes you too, Verizon) before it hits the carrier. In other words, just because a signal gets modified before it hits your set doesn't automatically make it HD Lite. Still, there's no doubt that some providers have taken this squeeze too far and compressed signals to the point of noticeability -- that's where the problem emerges. Give the article a read, you'll likely learn a thing or two about nomenclature if all else fails.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 5th 2008 1:56AM]

I checked out the un-encrypted HD on Comcast here in Chicago and almost threw up on the floor!! OTA was blowing me away on my cheap-azz LCD. The Comcast was horrible. Unfortunately OTA and me don't really get along because of how far I am from the big city....Q

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 5th 2008 11:22AM]

re-compress, re-compress, re-compress. That's what it's all about.

Take any MPEG stream (which is already compressed) which has a little bit of action, and a little bit of macro blocking from that compress it and re-compress it. Then put it through a device to insert comercials (which will re-re-compress it) and those macro blocks suck even more.

This is almost the same as what happened(s) when you copy a copy of a copy of a videotape. Won't turn out to well. This is why the Broadcasters get a VERY high bitrate feed from the network then to thier things to it before they compress it down.

Unfortunatly, the providers give the cable and satellite guys what they give them, and it isn't high bitrate. You want better product? Call your programers (hb0 etc) and complaing.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 5th 2008 12:05PM]

I switch back and forth between "D" and my antenna feed and I can tell no difference. I've been doing this for well over a year and do it quite often.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 5th 2008 12:30PM]

I doubt many people watching high-definition displays well beyond the point in which their vision's limit threshold is cross that they can identify and be positive that compression is at hand. While I do believe businesses will also seek to screw the consumer markets, and that HD content is no different and no less an opportunity to screw someone on, finding people that can actually identify the anomaly as being 100% compression, AND determining if the average viewer can see it there or not begs a bigger question of interest.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 7th 2008 2:16PM]

Switching between my DB4 antenna and Dish, is like night and day. The quality of the OTA feeds is really amazing.