Comcast to roll out more MPEG-4 starting with 3D

And you 3D haters thought that nothing good could come of 3D technology, then we find out that Comcast is finally putting its 10 million MPEG-4 compatible set-top boxes to use -- although ESPN is only sending out ESPN 3D as MPEG-4, the Comcast's Media Center is sending out two streams -- the original and the transcoded MPEG-2 variety -- to its facilities around the country. The local Comcast office picks which to send out your way for now (which caused lots of issues on launch day since most didn't realize their MPEG-2 only box wasn't compatible) but that changes in August when all 3D signals will be sent via MPEG-4 and those with older boxes will just have to upgrade to enjoy their new 3DTV -- so much for the benefits of frame compatible 3D. MPEG-4 is a win win for consumers and the cable provider, as it takes less bandwidth on the providers network and uses less space on those pitiful 160GB cable DVRs.

[arbeck77 Posted Jun 18th 2010 6:14PM]

Are they going to convert regular channels to MPEG4? If so, how does that affect cable card devices?

[BenD Posted Jun 19th 2010 9:28AM]

@arbeck77

CableCARD is about security not codecs. So for example the TiVo's chip can decode MPEG-4 and has a CableCARD so it should be ok as long as TiVo's software supports MPEG-4. Bottom line is it is depending on the hardware, but yeah there are 3rd party CableCARD devices that support MPEG-4. (like Windows 7 Media Center for example).

[Fanfoot Posted Jun 18th 2010 7:25PM]

MPEG-2 here in Northern California. Odd since they're forcing everybody to use the new RNG STB's whether they receive the MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 version.

You won't be completely happy with the change either of course, since MPEG-4 (really AVC or MPEG-4 part 10) streams have larger GOPs (longer time to recover from errors) and longer DPB delays (longer time to play after doing FF or REW).

[BenD Posted Jun 19th 2010 9:29AM]

@Fanfoot I don't notice any difference in fwd response between MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 recordings on a Dish 922.

[buck11772 Posted Jun 19th 2010 1:47PM]

@BenD Maybe they fixed it with the 922 Ben but when I had dish with the 622 Dvr and Dish used a mix of MPEG-2 and 4 for HD channels I could which codec they used by the noticible deley in the ff and rwd times of MPEG-4. MPEG-2 channels would ff as smooth as butter. The 922 might have fixed that deley.

[knewman Posted Jun 19th 2010 9:18PM]

Hopefully I'll have my Ceton by the time they want me change out my boxes.