[mythtv-users] Premium Content

[Jeff Wormsley]

Joe Votour wrote:
> The reason it would not work is because the MPEG-2 stream would be
> different between the SD and HD versions (different bitrates and/or
> different MPEG-2 encoders would mean different MPEG-2 streams).  Thus,
> what is the beginning of an I-frame (for example) in the SD stream might
> be the middle of a completely different frame (at a different time offset,
> that is) of the HD stream.

I was thinking more of times than frames.  If the cut point came at 8min 
37.6sec into the one file, it should be at the same (time based) place 
in the other.  It shouldn't be hard to figure out where the nearest 
I-frame is to that time point, should it?  A few milliseconds of slop 
due to the different frame placement shouldn't matter too much for 
commercial skip, I don't think.

> Finally, I would not be too happy with my 16:9 picture changing to 4:3
> just so that the OSD can be overlaid on top of it.  Seems like a lot of
> effort (and as I said earlier, you might get bad artifacting, or even a
> completely different part of the show when doing it) for little return.

Would it really change?  Isn't 480i widescreen possible?  If I remember 
correctly, I can set wide screen svideo output from my cable box (its 
been a long time since I was in that menu, though, since I usually run 
1080i component out).  Switching to 4:3 would be a bigger disruption 
than just dropping resolution, for sure.

 > ...for little return.

Well, except for the little commercial skip notification (which I 
believe can be turned off), I rarely if ever see the OSD when I am 
watching a show, so I would expect to be able to view an entire show 
commercial free, from a commercial station such as HBO or INHD, in full 
HD, which is something I cannot do now.  Not sure that would be "little 
return".

I'm also not sure it is possible, practical, or worth the effort to 
anyone capable of coding it.  It is just a wild idea of one possible way 
to get commercial programs in full res integrated into Myth.

Jeff.

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