MPEG4 PQ any better?

[osultan]

As I read through these threads, I see a number of folks imply that PQ will improve with the transition to MPEG4.

Is this true? I thought the driver for MPEG4 was higher efficiency for D*: more channels (LILs, etc) of current quality?

It seems that D*'s goal is to drive subscriber volume through channel parity with the cable companies. PQ is not something they seem to be emphasizing these days in their marketing, and in fact, as some folks have noted, PQ has been knocked down on the existing HD channels.

[ebonovic]

MPEG-4 is a better compression tool then MPEG-2.
With Compression levels being equal, the MPEG-4 file would be smaller then the MPEG-2 file.

From what I have seen... The MPEG4 version and the OTA-MPEG-2 versions... are very darn close.

[eengert]

MPEG-4 is a better compression tool then MPEG-2.
With Compression levels being equal, the MPEG-4 file would be smaller then the MPEG-2 file.

From what I have seen... The MPEG4 version and the OTA-MPEG-2 versions... are very darn close.

Earl, so you're saying that in your estimation, mpeg4 is comparable to OTA quality? My OTA quality is very good, so I assume you meant that as a compliment to mpeg4 - meaning that it would be better than the mpeg2 (HD-lite) quality we currently receive from Dtv?

[ebonovic]

Earl, so you're saying that in your estimation, mpeg4 is comparable to OTA quality? My OTA quality is very good, so I assume you meant that as a compliment to mpeg4 - meaning that it would be better than the mpeg2 (HD-lite) quality we currently receive from Dtv?

Yes... in my opinion, on my setup... What I get via OTA is very good... and what I have viewed via the MPEG-4 connection... is equally as good.

But since I don't have two Plasma TV's, I haven't been able to have right next to one another... I have had to change the channel...

But from my viewing... unless I could see the channel banner... I couldn't easily tell you which was the OTA and which was the MPEG-4

It is definently better then some of the content I get off the national DNS feeds.

now.. this is all "non-scientific" and not as scientific as the "proof" threads... as I don't have access to the bit rate measurements for the two screens.

All I can say is... sitting 10 ft from my PIO 503cmx Plasma-HD TV.... NBC via OTA; NBC via MPEG4.... I can't "see" or "hear" a difference in the broadcast.

[newsposter]

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=277955