http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/ Engadget HD Comments for Ask Engadget HD: Does cable, satellite, or fiber provide more HD? http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.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://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 12:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 12:39PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 1:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
I have some pictures here:
http://flickr.com/photos/shapegsx/page2/]]>Feb 6th 2008 1:59PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Some of the cable companies - and I don't know which ones at this point - pass the original unmolested MPEG-2 stream as well on both the local networks that broadcast OTA and the cable channels.

I'm sure DTV's MPEG-4 channels look better than what most DTV customers are used to, because DTV's HDTV used to be the absolute worst out there. But it doesn't seem like it would be possible for it to be *better* than the original ATSC signal that's being broadcast.

DTV's switch to MPEG-4 was for bandwidth reasons, not picture quality reasons. If they really cared about picture quality, they'd just go full-res, full-bandwidth MPEG-2 with no recompression.
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Some of the newest channels actualy are broadcasting in MPEG4. The ones I know for a fact are Smithsonian HD and all of the Starz HD channels. HBO is also going to be switching their entire lineup to MPEG4 this year. It's the future, and the satellite companies are embracing it.]]>Feb 7th 2008 8:08AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 7th 2008 8:28AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Your pictures don't convey how great your TV resolution OR the signal is.. Your largest picture size is 1024x685 or something like that, while the signal itself could be 720p or 1080p. ]]>Feb 7th 2008 9:10PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
And they are hardly the only offender. Most of the newer HD channels are just placeholders.]]>Feb 6th 2008 12:30PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
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If networks keep doing this (I hate you TNT), hardware providers are going to have to start adding a new feature that is the opposite of "horizontal expand" to squish the content back so that people have round heads again.

Stop it, TNT!]]>Feb 7th 2008 11:27AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Sonys, for example, have long had 4 modes: two zoom modes, a "full" mode for normal 16x9 HD and 4x3 that is sent with pillarbars, and a "normal" mode that squashes the picture down to 4x3. This is not only useful for most stretch-mode broadcasters like A&E (but useless for TNT which is uncorrectable), but also for many DVD players which don't add pillarbars to 4x3 TV show discs.

Sony calls it "normal" mode. Others call it "narrow" or other things. It is usually possible, when hunting for a new TV, to check out the manual online. This mode (along with a zoom mode for fixing windowboxing (pillarboxing something previously letterboxed for 4x3))) would be something I'd check for.]]>Feb 7th 2008 11:55AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
No, the "normal" mode on Sony TVs is only active when the picture has 480 lines. If the TV is getting a 720p or 1080i signal, there is no way to compress it back down. This is what I've seen on other manufacturers as well.

The additional problem to UN-stretching the picture, is that some "HD" networks (I believe TNT is guilty of this) don't expand the 4:3 picture linearly. (Notice when the video pans that it looks like you're looking through a lens; it's more stretched on the sides.) So the TV would have to not only squeeze down the pre-stretched picture, but there would have to be a non-linear "un-zoom" function as well.]]>Feb 7th 2008 12:46PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Well, heck I must be doing it wrong then, because it works for me in any mode whatsoever on my Sony A2000. According to every Sony manual I've seen, "normal" works in all input resolutions on any Sony HDTV made in the last few years.

It used to be that TVs couldn't adjust HDTV images, but that ended for quality sets about the same time HDMI came in. A few makers still cheap out and limit this, but any set sold today either can reformat HDTV signals or it is utter junk. IMHO.]]>Feb 7th 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/]]>Feb 6th 2008 12:43PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 12:54PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=114216
]]>Feb 6th 2008 12:59PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.digitalcaffeine.com/directv/hd/
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Actually it's much worse than that due to the many acquisitions along the way. Around here, what you get in one area is different than what you may get 10 miles away. Many of the discussions on the local HD forums typically have the phrase "in the traditional area..."
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ESPN HD
MOJO HD
History Channel HD
TLC HD
Sci-Fi HD
HGTV HD
Food Channel HD
ABC HD
NBC HD
CBS HD
FOX HD
PBS HD
CW HD
Golf HD
CSN HD
ESPN2 HD
TNT HD
Discovery HD Theater
National Geographic HD
Universal HD
A&E HD
MHD
CNN HD
Discovery Channel HD
TBS HD
USA HD

Then there is a bunch of on demand HD content as well as a bunch of pay per view HD content. There are also some movie channels I don't subscribe to like HBO HD, Showtime HD, Cinemax HD, Starz HD and other HD channels I don't subscribe to as well.
]]>Feb 6th 2008 12:59PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 1:01PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 7th 2008 8:12AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
I'm hoping they officially announce it soon rather than floating rumors around.

As far as the topic at hand, I'm a little biased because my wife works for DirecTV. However, we had DirecTV before she started and I'd never switch to another service even if she didn't work there (I certainly wouldn't switch now, free is the best price you can pay for the service!). My parents have Dish Network and we have Dish at work. It just doesn't offer the same quality and quantity that DirecTV has.

And we have cable internet and after all the stuff I've had to go through with them, there is no way I'll add their TV service. ]]>Feb 7th 2008 9:24AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 1:02PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
I've been enjoying D* HD channels now and I was glad I stayed with them as they were definitely way behind the curve last year.]]>Feb 6th 2008 1:37PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 1:51PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 1:55PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 2:04PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
+1 The MPEG 4 stuff is amazing; very, very clear. In addition, the DVR is putting out 720p and 1080i depending on the channel, and my TV reflects the changes correctly. NBC is fantastic at 1080i, along with a whole bunch of other cable channels and premium ones (I recorded Underworld: Evolution the day I DTV installed and it's fantastic at 1080i). Speed HD, on the other hand, seems to have that whole "crop and upscale" thing going. I am under the impression that when NASCAR starts up they will go full HD (real 720p or 1080i, I don't know which) so hopefully that means the road racing stuff will get the same equipment since they are usually at the same venues.]]>Feb 6th 2008 4:21PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
When I took the lists above and pared them down, removing sports tier packages (nfl network, etc.) as well as locals and regional players, here's the breakdown:

Direct TV - 43
Dish Network - 34
U Verse - 22
Comcast - 20
Fios - 15

I've posted the full breakdown on my site: http://philsplace.wordpress.com/





]]>Feb 6th 2008 2:08PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Further breakdown here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=419472

The Voom stations basically show recycled TV show and older movie content. ]]>Feb 6th 2008 2:26PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 7th 2008 1:08AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 7th 2008 8:19AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 7th 2008 10:14AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/moreInfoOffer.jsp?productId=prod920046]]>Feb 7th 2008 11:00AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
For channels that people actually want to watch, DirecTV is FAR out in front of any other provider.]]>Feb 6th 2008 2:07PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Yes, I know it looks better than what you've got, but it's not the real thing, and people have just rolled over and accepted this, instead of saying, "Wait a second, I'm not getting the real deal here."]]>Feb 6th 2008 2:16PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
Data from before DirecTV launched their new HD lineup last fall, which is what you are quoting, is really no longer relevant. ]]>Feb 6th 2008 2:21PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
ATSC is MPEG2 at up to 19Mbps. DirecTV's MPEG4 is better at whatever bit rate they are delivering. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell what the mpeg4 bitrate is, currently. All I know is that it looks a hell of a lot better.]]>Feb 6th 2008 3:17PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 7th 2008 2:40PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/
I'm currently paying Medicom $49.95 per month for analog cable (channels 2-79) and $49.95 per month for 8MB broadband cable modem service. With no premium channels at all.]]>Feb 6th 2008 2:19PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/06/ask-engadget-hd-does-cable-satellite-or-fiber-provide-more-hd/Feb 6th 2008 2:34PM