[mythtv-users] So, how does the SlingBox Pro HD do it?

Stroller linux.luser at myrealbox.com
Mon Jan 15 16:59:33 UTC 2007


On 15 Jan 2007, at 02:01, Robert Kulagowski wrote:
> ...  In this
> message board we've discussed how it costs kilobux to take  
> uncompressed
> HDTV and convert it into MPEG-2; even if Sling isn't converting to
> MPEG-2, they're still doing _something_ at < $250.

Further to Mr Nelissen's reply, they're probably streaming it as MPEG4.

IIRC MPEG4 is gives much better compression / quality than MPEG2, and  
MPEG4 is what's used by the Pinnacle TV system also announced last week.
<http://www.gadgetell.com/2007/01/a-place-shifting-device-at-an- 
affordable-price/>
<http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=25980>

I recall also reading a couple of articles about forthcoming "place  
shifting" technologies, perhaps more than 12 months ago. I can't find  
them right now, but I'm sure they also mentioned MPEG 4, and that  
developments in hardware compression would make place-shifting  
technology feasible. IIRC MPEG2 was adopted for DVD because MPEG4  
either wasn't ready yet or was too demanding for the consumer  
hardware of the time; consequently much more development has taken  
place in dedicated compression hardware geared towards MPEG2; MPEG4  
is better but development has been retarded for this reason.

Stroller.


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