Re: Multiple Sources in Vista MCE

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

On 17/9/06 01:29, in article kj5pg2tttekh0odt7nl0ti00hj2kie4rb7@xxxxxxx,
"Tim Roberts" <timr@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

John Lockwood <john.lockwood@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

MPEG4 H.264 for live TV and recordings (European HDTV is predominantly in
this format and not MPEG2)

Oh? Which formats use H.264? DVB-T and DVB-S are certainly MPEG2.

DVB is not specifically linked to MPEG2 or MPEG4. As DVB has been around a
while all the earlier implementations of DVB-T, DVB-C and DVB-S used the
codec of the day which of course was MPEG2. However for several months the
BBC have been testing MPEG4 H.264 over DVB-T in London, and Sky launched
their HDTV service using MPEG4 H.264 over DVB-S2.

Note: the exact same computer DVB-T tuner that you use for MPEG2 can in
theory be used for MPEG4 H.264 as well, it is merely a matter of having
software that will decode it properly.

Some lucky PC users in London are able to get HDTV over DVB-T in MPEG4 H.264
by tuning in to the BBC test. Note: as MCE 2005 (or Vista) does not support
MPEG4 for live TV (or recording TV) you cannot use MCE to tune in, you have
to use something like DVB Viewer instead.

NTL/Telewest, when they launched their cable HDTV service [what a joke]
chose to use MPEG2 over DVB-C they could have theoretically used MPEG4. I
believe they chose MPEG2 because a) at the time MPEG4 decoder chips were
scarce and b) there were no existing cable set-top boxes that did MPEG4 so
they would have been delayed waiting for a new design. In the long run this
will probably be a big disadvantage, they already when compared to Sky have
less than half as many channels, practically no interactive/red-button
facilities, and practically no HDTV content.

American broadcasters predominantly if not exclusively use MPEG2 for their
HDTV because when they started doing HDTV (way before Europe) MPEG4 decoder
chips did not exist so there was no option. I would guess that eventually
they will switch to MPEG4 as well.

.

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