[mythtv-users] DTV HD and myth

[Richard Freeman]

David George wrote:
> On 07/18/2007 11:24 AM, jack snodgrass wrote:
>> ... so why can my $25 air2pc HDTV card capture a 1080i signal and
>> do it in 8GB/Hour and 'raw' hdmi capture stuff is this massive?
>>   
> Because it is receiving MPEG2 compressed data, not raw data.
> 

The raw digital feed is compressed at the studio using racks of
expensive Digicypher gear - real-time MPEG2 compression at those
resolutions is certainly possible (how do you think they broadcast live
programming?) - but not cheap.

It is getting cheaper though.  I thought I saw an article that Samsung
came up with an HD MPEG-4 encoder chip designed for the HD camcorder
market.  If those are half-decent and make their way to capture cards it
would revolutionize HD capture - no need to hack your cable box to add
firewire - just capture it off of component/DVI.  HDCP could become an
issue but once the demand is there the hacks will become commonplace...