[mythtv-users] HD Compression Artifacts

[John Goerzen]

On Fri, Mar 23, 2007 at 08:46:23AM -0400, ryan patterson wrote:
> >Is this an inherent problem with HD?  Or perhaps something specific to
> >how CBS is airing the NCAA games?
> 
> You are seeing compression artifacts from the original broadcast source.
> There is nothing wrong with your setup.  The problem is the hardware CBS
> uses for compressing the video stream in real time for live viewing.
> Prerecorded shows are compressed beforehand using a more time intensive
> compression system.  As time goes by hardware for real time mpeg-2
> compression should get more powerful.  So ten years from now these
> compression artifacts on live events should be gone.

Well, I am glad to know that I am not alone in this, and it sounds like
it would be doing the same even if MythTV wasn't in the picture.

This is the first I've really noticed it, though.  I haven't watched
much basketball in HD, but the live football I've watched doesn't seem to
have had the problem.  And prerecorded shows usually look great.

But for something this important to CBS -- the NCAA tournament -- I'd
have expected them to do something better, if in fact this is a result
of them using cheap equipment or encoders.

-- John